Error "Destination folder path cannot exceed 100 characters." prevents install of Power BI Desktop

[apurohit]

Hi all,

When I uninstalled and then re-installed PBI Desktop, I got the following message: "Destination folder path cannot exceed 100 characters."

This is with _any_ destination path including the default (C:\Program Files\Microsoft Power BI Desktop).

I have tried using various destination paths. I even get this error on a different workstation. I cannot get past this error and always have to abort the install.

Has anyone seen this before? I'd appreciate any help / pointers.

[Anonymous]

Same thing for me, I am getting this error, BUT the work around does not work for me.  I still get the same error. 😞  

[kento]

Hi,

A colleague of mine is having the same problem. We tried earlier install versions on his machine and it occurs on all previous versions of PBI Desktop as well. We are currently having IT check his machine for possible conflicts. Screen shot is below.

Did you happen to find a solution?

[ShengLiu · Accepted solution]

Hi kento/apurohit, could you try something for me? Could you try running the following command, replacing the PBIDesktop.msi with your path of the msi file. Please let me know if it solved your issue.

msiexec /i "PBIDesktop.msi" WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1"

[pleromah]

Worked for me too. Thanks a lot!

[stephen1985]

HI,

This solution does not seen to work for me, unless i am doing something wrong, should i replace the "PBIDesktop.msi" with the file path of the installer file?

 example:

msiexec /i "C:\Users\stephen.zacharia\Downloads" WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1"

msiexec /i "PBIDesktop.msi" WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1"

[Anonymous]

Stephen,

Make sure you are in the directory before you do anything.  Meaning when you are in the CMD prompt, access the folder where the PBIXDesktop.msi file is located.

Example, when I load up CMD, it default to C:\Users\username

So Step one is to go to my downloads folder where that msi file is located.  In the CMD screen I type in "cd downloads"  the CMD screen now shows that I am in C:\Users\username\Downloads

NOW I type in msiexec /i "PBIDesktop.msi" WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1"      Exactly that way with the quotes.  You can see that you dont include the folder path because you are already in it when you typed the command.  

[Anonymous]

try

msiexec /i "C:\Users\stephen.zacharia\Downloads\PBIDesktop.msi" WIXUI_DONTVALIDATEPATH="1"

[Anonymous]

Same error but your fix worked for me.  Seems to be an issue that needs to be addressed in future updates.  I would hate to have to look up this fix every time going forward.

[Anonymous]

Even downloading the updates I get this error.  Is anyone listening?  This needs to be fixed.

[apurohit]

Thanks ShengLiu. This worked for me too. I have accepted it as the solution.

[Ammar]

Thanks alot all of you guys, I am trying to add powerquery 2.29.4217.1861 (64-bit) [en-us].msi to the excel / office 2013, to attend the new course about data interpretation. the msi file is on my desktop downloaded and that error messages appears. this solution how it is implemented by steps.

Yours,

A first time joiner to your forum.

Ammar

[Yaman]

This fix worked for me.

Many thanks!

[apurohit]

Not yet but I'll post a fix if I find one.