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Error 1406: Setup cannot write the value to the registry key

I received the following error the other day: Error 1406: Setup cannot write the value to the registry key (followed by a specific registry key).  I was trying to install Office Professional 2003 on a machine that ran Vista.  I received the same error message when I tried installing Office 2007 on the same machine.  Here is how I resolved it.

Upon researching the error, I learned that it was caused by some permissions that were not set to allow me to install the product.  I had to changes permissions in the registry in order to proceed with the install and get it to successfully complete.

I went to Start, then in the search blank typed in “regedit” and hit Enter.  I navigated to the registry key indicated in the error message (if you don’t know where the key is, click on Edit, then Find, then type in as much of the key as you can know – you will then be navigated to the correct key).  Once you located the key in the registry editor, right click on it and choose “Permissions”.

Under the box Group or User Names, click on the Add button.  In the “select users or groups’ box that comes up, click on the “Advanced” button.  In the next box that comes up, click on the “Find Now” button.  In the search results that come up, look for “Everyone” and select it.  Hit OK, then hit OK again.

Now you are back at the first Permissions for XX box.  In the section Groups or User Names, highlight the newly added Everyone.  Check the box under Allow, for Full Control.  Hit OK.

Restart the computer and try reinstalling Office again.  I did run into this error a few more times, each time for a different registry key.  I repeated the above steps for each key that appeared.  Eventually the product successfully installed.