⚠️ 3 verified solutions available for Error 1602 — Last updated 2026-03-13
Error 1602 📋

Fix ERROR_INSTALL_USEREXIT — Windows Error Code 1602

Error 1602 (ERROR_INSTALL_USEREXIT) is a Windows Security & Privileges error that occurs when user cancelled installation.. This guide provides step-by-step solutions to resolve this issue.

🏷️ Code: 1602 📛 ERROR_INSTALL_USEREXIT 📅 Updated: 2026-03-13 ⏱️ 3 Solutions

🎮 Common Scenario: Are you experiencing Error 1602 while launching or installing Fortnite? The solutions below directly address the system interactions specific to this application.

Quick Fix

Reset Windows Update Components: Open Command Prompt as Administrator

👇 See all 3 solutions below

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💡 What is Error 1602?

Windows System Error Code 1602, known as ERROR_INSTALL_USEREXIT, is a Security & Privileges error that occurs during security, authentication, and user privileges. The error indicates that: User cancelled installation. When this error is encountered, the Windows operating system was unable to complete the requested operation within the security services subsystem. The error code 1602 is returned by the GetLastError() function and provides developers with a specific identifier to diagnose the root cause of the failure. The symbolic name ERROR_INSTALL_USEREXIT maps directly to this numeric code and is commonly referenced in Microsoft documentation, developer forums, and system logs. Understanding this error and its context within security, authentication, and user privileges is essential for effective troubleshooting.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • Windows Update cache is corrupted (SoftwareDistribution folder)
  • Required update services (BITS, Cryptographic) are stopped
  • Insufficient disk space for the update to install
  • Third-party antivirus is interfering with the update process

Step-by-Step Solutions

1 Reset Windows Update Components
  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
  2. Run these commands in order:
  3. net stop wuauserv
  4. net stop cryptSvc
  5. net stop bits
  6. ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
  7. ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
  8. net start wuauserv
  9. net start cryptSvc
  10. net start bits
  11. Retry Windows Update
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Show Advanced Solutions (2 more)
2 Use Windows Update Troubleshooter
  1. Open Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot
  2. Click 'Additional troubleshooters' → 'Windows Update' → Run
  3. Follow the prompts and apply all suggested fixes
  4. Restart your computer and check for updates again
3 Manually Install the Failed Update
  1. Note the KB number of the failed update from Windows Update history
  2. Visit https://catalog.update.microsoft.com
  3. Search for the KB number and download the correct version (x64/x86)
  4. Double-click the downloaded .msu file to install manually
  5. Restart your computer

🎬 Video Tutorials

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💻 Diagnostic Command

Run this PowerShell command to find related events in your system log:

Get-EventLog -LogName System -Newest 20 | Where-Object {$_.Message -like "*1602*" -or $_.Message -like "*ERROR_INSTALL_USEREXIT*"} | Format-List

💡 Open PowerShell as Administrator, paste the command above, and press Enter.

🛡️ Prevention Tips

  • Keep at least 20GB free on your system drive for Windows Updates
  • Install updates promptly — don't let them accumulate for months
  • If updates consistently fail, consider a Windows in-place repair upgrade
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Last updated: 2026-03-13
📖
Based on Official Microsoft Documentation
Solutions Tested on Windows 10 & 11
Error codes sourced from Microsoft Win32 SDK. Updated 2026-03-13.
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