Why does installer fail on Windows with the error: "Installer error: exception calling main"?

When launching the installer on Windows, the following error occurs:

ERROR: Installer error
exception calling main

The installation then fails

The installer may also show this error

ERROR: "There is an invalid character (!) in Your temp directory. Please remove the invalid character from your TEMP (or TMP) environment variable and run the installer again"

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

This error can occur if:

• The installation files are corrupt or incomplete.
• The installation files were downloaded into a folder that contains other files (i.e. not downloaded into a separate folder).
• You are trying to install in a folder where a different MATLAB version is already installed.
• There are one or more non-ASCII characters (e.g. an exclamation point) in the environment variables TEMP and/or TMP
• There are one or more non-ASCII characters (e.g. an exclamation point) in your username.

To resolve this issue:

• Obtain new installation files, and then run the installer again.
• Move the installation files into a separate folder (e.g. C:\matlab_temp), and then run the installer again.
• Verify that you are installing in a folder that does not contain a different MATLAB version.
• Verify that there are no non-ASCII characters in the environment variables TEMP and/or TMP.
• Verify that there are no non-ASCII characters in your username.

If you are running the installer from a CD or DVD, please see the following support article:

Why do I receive an "Unexpected/Unknown Exception" error when installing MATLAB from CD/DVD media?

http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/97243

If you are still unable to start the installer, please contact MathWorks Support:

https://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us.html