SAP Knowledge Base Article - Public

3402689 - "Failed to update setup engine executables. Program will exit" when installing Crystal Reports

Symptom

  • "Failed to update setup engine executables. Program will exit" when installing Crystal Reports

  • The installer is not able to re-use the existing setup.engine folder. Instead, it creates another folder named setup.engine_temp

  • Can't rename: C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\InstallData\setup.engine_temp to: C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\InstallData\setup.engineError: Error updating installed version of the setup engine. Aborting..Error: Can't update the installed setup engine executables.  Aborting.Error: Failed to update setup engine executables. Program will exit.

Environment

  • SAP Crystal Reports 2016
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2020
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2025

Reproducing the Issue

  1. Start installing Crystal Reports.
  2.  The installer stops with the error below:
    "Failed to update setup engine executables. Program will exit"

Cause

Security software blocking the installation 

Resolution

If not possible to temporary disable Security, then use the following workaround:

  1. Click Ok on the error message and exit from the setup.
  2. Navigate to the install directory. The default location is: C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\Install Data (Windows)
  3. Rename the folder from setup.engine_temp to setup.engine.
  4. Launch the setup program once again.
  5. Provide same install directory that was provided during previous attempt.

See Also

1311985 - How to download SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence (BI) software - SAP for Me 

Keywords

KBA , BI-RA-CR , Crystal Reports designer or Business View Manager , BI-BIP-INS , Installation, Updates, Upgrade, Patching , Problem

Product

SAP Crystal Reports 2016 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2020 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2025