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EzraKnight's avatar
EzraKnight
Iron Contributor
Apr 23, 2025

Cant install software after reinstalling Windows

After i reinstalled Windows I couldnt install Maxthon , Firefox or Opera browsers. I downloaded, installed and used all three before the reinstall.
I was only able to install Firefox by using Internet Explorer when the box popped up it says open or save. I saved it and installed it, its the only browser i have to use now. I was able to install Opera and Maxthon by downloading them with Internet Explorer and when the box popped up that said open or save i choose open because they wouldnt save to my computer. But when i open Opera and Maxthon the pages dont show all the pictures and i get error messages like security certificate expired or cannot display this page.
If i download the files form another computer onto a usb stick they wont install, i click on them and nothing happens. The same thing happens if i can download the files while using Firefox browser.
Has anyone ever heard of anything so crazy?
I only installed SP1 and SP2, no other Microsoft updates , there are some on the Windows updates catalog page that i didnt install yet. Could that have something to do with it.

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3 Replies

  • WolfGangg's avatar
    WolfGangg
    Iron Contributor
    Sep 15, 2025

    If you can’t install browsers or other software after reinstalling Windows, it’s usually caused by missing Windows Updates and outdated root certificates. Install all pending Windows updates, update system certificates, and install Visual C++ and .NET runtimes—this will restore proper installer behavior and fix browser errors.

    Detailed Fix:

    1. Run Windows Update completely – Go to Settings > Windows Update and install every pending update (not just SP1/SP2).

    2. Update Root Certificates – Download the latest Root Certificate Update from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

    3. Install system runtimes – Install the latest Visual C++ Redistributables (x86/x64) and .NET Framework Runtime.

    4. Re-download browsers – Use Internet Explorer to download installers, save them to disk, then install after updates.

    5. Check security software – Temporarily disable antivirus/firewall if installers won’t open.


    ✅ Once updates and runtimes are installed, browsers like Opera, Firefox, and Maxthon will install and display web pages normally.

  • Cynthia_SantanaM's avatar
    Cynthia_SantanaM
    Iron Contributor
    Sep 12, 2025

    It's possible your fresh Windows installation has a minor corruption in its core system files.

    Press Windows Key + R, type cmd, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an Administrator Command Prompt.

    Type the following command and press Enter:

    sfc /scannow

    Let the process complete. It will scan and attempt to repair any protected system files. Reboot when it's done and try the installation again.

     

  • Brookesnoe's avatar
    Brookesnoe
    Iron Contributor
    Sep 09, 2025

    You can enable .exe/.msi associations in Settings > Apps > Advanced app settings > App execution aliases, and run the installer as an administrator.

     

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