error code 18 - can't reinstall Spotify!

[chill3r]

I'm running Windows XP and I've recently uninstalled Spotify to get a clean install...  Grabbed the latest downloader and tried to install and am getting an Error 18:

"The installer is unable to install Spotify because the files to write are in use  by another process.  Please make sure Spotify is not running and retry."

Well i've tried everything from rebooting, manually removing the spotify directory in C:\Documents and Settings\...\Application Data\Spotify and nothing seems to be working.

Has anyone seen this or have any suggestions?  It's torture without the music!

[emmanorgaard]

Mine keep sayin' that i have to close spotify and restart it, but it isn't running at all

[Sam]

Emmanorgaard - We'd suggest uninstalling Spotify totally here, before you reinstall. You might need to delete a few files and folders manually. It's also worth restarting your computer to ensure that Spotify still isn't running at all.

[Ronnyhj]

Easy way to solve that problem

Restart computer and press F8

Run in safe mode with networking

intsall Spotify and Restart.

Problem fixed ;D

Hope it Helped

[Peter__]

---

@Ronnyhj wrote:

Easy way to solve that problem

Restart computer and press F8

Run in safe mode with networking

intsall Spotify and Restart.

Problem fixed ;D

Hope it Helped

---

There are full steps on how to do this on different versions of Windows here 😉 

Peter

[Alexxxx185]

disabling the anti-vitrus temporalily and then adding an exception to the firewall worked for me! I have Win 7 and my Anti-virus is F-secure

[erikahau · Accepted solution]

**BEFORE READING, READ "IMPORTANT" BELOW**

I  know you found a solution, but heres what I did and it worked for me: (btw I have a windows 8)

1. Go to "start"

2. Go to the apps (swipe to the right side of the start page, and click the down arrow at the bottom)

3. Search "msconfig" (without the quotation marks of course)

4. Click on "msconfig" when it shows up

5. Go to the "services" tab

6. Click "disable all"

7. Restart your computer (it will tell you to)

8. The internet won't be working and everything will be screwed up when you log back onto your computer. (this is normal)

9. Repeat steps 1-5 and click "enable all" instead of "disable all"

10. Restart again, and reinstall spotify

11. ENJOY LISTENING TO MUSIC!!!

⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩⇩

IMPORTANT:

Before I followed these steps, I did this:

1. Go to "settings"

2. Go to the control panel

3. Click programs

4. Click "uninstall a program"

5. Uninstall spotify

***ALSO***

When looking through the things listed under the "services" tab in msconfig, make sure you have spotify UNCHECKED before you reinstall spotify!!

[pickle]

i've been having the same problem, tried everything until @Spotifycares gave me the link to this forum page.

have just followed the instructions you posted, and lo & behold it's done the trick. you are my new best friend 😉

[lilbrave]

I found out that when i tried to delete the application itself that its was opened in my Steam client. Shut down steam, ran the installer, and boom had new Spotify!! 🙂 Hoped this helped

[rock4lifedude3 · Accepted solution]

I know this thread is old, but I might as well put my 2 cents in. I figured out that my Steam Client Service was using the SpotifyWebHelper and SpotifyHelper files located in my AppData/Roaming folder. I haven't the slightest clue why Steam would be using them but that's what was preventing me from installing the update. If you are running Steam and this occurs, first try shutting steam down and then installing again.

[ioondidon]

Worked like a charm ! Thanks

[CAESAR]

ErikaHau, I really want to thank you for the solution. It was very useful. THANKS A LOT!!! =D

[mrtopaz]

Can't install code 18 :

still couldnt re install because files where "in use".

SO! nothing worked but this:  

Uninstall spotify.
msconfig > boot > tic "safe boot - Network" 

Restart computer in safe mode.

Install spotify from there.

reboot again.

done!

[arielcabc]

OH THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH

It totally worked 🙂 you saved me

[hungryeyes]

@rock4lifedude3 - amazing, thank you! This was the fix for me as well

[delaneyh03]

OMG I LOVE U I WAS DYING

Spoiler

[Eduarda]

Thanks!

[monstarrx]

after having the same issue and reading what everyone else was doing and trying some of those that still didn't fix my problem, i found a really simple solution.

open task manager. check your  BACKGROUND PROFESSES (under processes tab). disable anything spotify related and the reinstall works perfectly. i really should have remember to always use task manager first. 

[Elia]

Hello, I had the same error code 18, and I've tried has fix as you said, but the problem is that as deleted do not appear in "Start", I do not to start the program and be able to reinstall?

[xxevalenciarxx · Accepted solution]

I just found another quick solution to this problem.

At first I could not open Spotify because this error code would constantly show up.. but then I tried deleting some files and I could not do that either. Whenever I tried deleting something, it would say "Invalid MS-DOS function". So I checked out a forum to fix that problem..and it ended up fixing my Spotify problem as well.

This is what I did:

1. Uninstall Spotify

2. Press Windows+R

3. Type and search "msconfig"

4. Click the "Boot" tab, and under "Boot Options" select "Safe boot"

5. Click "Apply", "OK", and then restart your computer.
6. Your computer should have restarted in Safe Mode. Just in case, try deleting a simple file on your desktop (this is what I did but is probably not necessary).

7. Repeat steps 2-4, but this time deselect "Safe boot", apply, press OK, and restart again.

8. Your computer should restart with everything working perfectly now.. Go to spotify.com, redownload Spotify and try installing.

Hope this helps!! Please click like if it does.

Have a blessed day 🙂

[Max1807]

This dude here has it all! Thanks for giving out a quick and easy solutuion 🙂 

Have a wonderful day!