1603 error

Hi bromberg:

There's no useful information in the Dell support article Error Code Received During Installation of SupportAssist Version 4.0 or Above - it only states that error code 1603 means that "A fatal error occurred during installation" and to "Restart your computer and try to install again". I see from your 05-May-2023 post in BJEvS' Installation of SupportAssist that you've also seen this error code 1603 when trying to install earlier versions of SupportAssist. 

What is your Dell computer model, Windows operating system [if Win 10 or Win 11, include the version and OS build number shown at Settings | System | About | Windows Specifications, or open a Run dialog box (Windows key + R) and enter winver] and current BIOS version.  To find your BIOS version open a Run dialog box (Windows key + R), enter msinfo32 to open your System Information, and look for the field named "BIOS Date/Version".

If you go to Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features is there a SupportAssist or Dell Update utility currently installed on your computer, and if so what is the full program name and version (e.g., Dell | Command Update for Windows Universal v5.2.0)?

Note that I uninstalled all SupportAssist-related software from my Inspiron 5584 about a year ago (I found these programs were too buggy and consumed too many system resources) and I currently use the Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.x utility recommended on my Inspiron 5584 support page to check for available updates for my drivers and Dell software. If I need to perform a Dell hardware diagnostic I run the F12 ePSA (enhanced Pre-boot System Assessment) from my BIOS.  Here are the only two *** installed programs I see now if I go to Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features and search for "Dell":

*** Note that the Fusion Service is required for the My Dell v2.2.6.0 UWP (Universal Windows Platform / Microsoft Store) app that is listed at Settings | Apps | Apps and Features.

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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4291 * Firefox v125.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24030.9-1.1.24030.4 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.1.3.110-1.0.1219 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Dell Inspiron 5583/5584 BIOS v1.22.1 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.2.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0

I got the same error when starting Dell Update, not just SupportAssist. But I was able to reinstall and start both after uninstalling them once via Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features.

@XPS8920​ Unfortunately there was no DELL entry for me to uninstall, but thanks for your reply.

I think it's because my PC is >10 years old.

Hello,

First Unistall Dell Peripheral Manager then uninstall the Dell Core Services from the system (control panel).

Then attempting the Dell Peripheral Manager install should successful with last version (DDPM 2.0.1.16)

First Unistall Dell Peripheral Manager then uninstall the Dell Core Services from the system (control panel). Then attempting the Dell Peripheral Manager install should successful with last version (DDPM 2.0.1.16)

Hi DarioRodrigues:

Please note that this topic was started in April 2024 and the OP bromberg was seeing an error 1603 while trying to install an older version of SupportAssist v4.x, not the Dell Display and Peripheral Manager (DPPM) v2.x.

Hi bromberg:

If you still want to try installing SupportAssist v4.x on your system please post back with the information I requested <above> (i.e., Dell computer model, Windows OS, and BIOS version). You said that your system was ">10 years old" and it's possible that it doesn't meet the minimum system requirements posted <here> in the SupportAssist v4.x release notes. If your system is that old I'm not even sure the latest SupportAssist v4.8.1 (rel. 23-Mar-2025) would be of much use to you now if your Dell computer model is out of support and Dell no longer releases new Dell software and hardware driver updates for your system.
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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5737 * Firefox v137.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.25030.2-1.1.25030.1 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.10.182-130.0.5212 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.5.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0 * Fusion Service 2.2.14.0

Dario,

 Thanks for your reply, but my DELL PC does not have a Peripheral Manager or a Core Services to uninstall.

Dan

@lmacri​ Understood: My DELL PC has served me well, and even the BIOS updates that DELL occasionally sends me are not valid. I was hoping it would resolve my occasional freeze issue, but it may be a hardware problem.

Thanks for your follow-up.

Dan

I was hoping it would resolve my occasional freeze issue, but it may be a hardware problem.

Hi bromberg:

The first thing I would suspect is an outdated graphics driver.

If you enter your unique Service Tag at https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/products this should re-direct you to the correct support page for your Dell computer model, and the Drivers & Downloads tab on that support page should display a filtered list of the latest Dell software and hardware drivers offered by Dell that match your system components (i.e., your Service Tag), even if an update utility like SupportAssist v4.8.1 and/or Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.5.0 is not installed on your computer.

If you require further assistance please provide your Dell computer model, Windows OS (if Win 10 or Win 11 include the version and OS build number), and BIOS version.  Knowing the make/model and current driver of your graphics device shown in Device Manager would also be helpful.  From my Inspiron 5584 / Win 10 laptop.

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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5737 * Intel i5-8265U CPU * Intel UHD Graphics 620 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.5.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0 * Fusion Service 2.2.14.0

Hi Imacri,

  Thanks for your reply, but it looks as if updating my drivers is no longer an option:

Dan

Thanks for your reply, but it looks as if updating my drivers is no longer an option

Hi bromberg:

It looks like Dell stopped posting updates for certified hardware drivers on your OptiPlex 3010 support page at https://www.dell.com/support/product-details/en-us/product/optiplex-3010/drivers in 2021 (which basically renders the latest SupportAssist v4.8.x and/or Dell Command | Update v5.5.x useless on your system, even if you could install them without a 1603 error) but it's always possible that newer drivers are available from the original manufacturer (e.g., Intel, AMD, etc.)***.

For example, my Inspiron 15 5584 has an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU on the motherboard (i.e., I don't have a discrete AMD Radeon or NVIDIA GeForce graphics card) and the latest certified driver posted <here> on my Inspiron 15 5584 support page for that Intel graphics device is a v27.20.100.9664 driver (rel. 02-Dec-2021).  However, the Intel Driver & Support Assistant utility currently recommends a newer "generic" v31.0.101.2135 driver (rel 28-Mar-2025) that matches my Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU and Win 10 OS. I'm still using the old v27.20.100.9664 driver recommended by Dell since it's not causing any obvious issues, but if I ever decide to upgrade my OS to Win 11 I suspect I'll be forced to upgrade my Intel UHD Graphics 620 to a newer v31.0.101.xxxx driver.

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I don't know your CPU model or amount of free memory (RAM), but given the age of your computer there might be little you can do to prevent your system from freezing on occasion if it doesn't have the system resources to run modern browsers and other software that is known to hog CPU and RAM.  If you want to continue troubleshooting your system freezes you'll have to provide basic information like your Windows operating, graphics device(s) make / model and current driver(s), etc. as previously requested.

On thing I would definitely suggest is that you run an F12 ePSA (enhanced Pre-boot System Assessment) hardware diagnostic from your BIOS (see the support article How to Run Dell Preboot Diagnostics and Hardware Tests on Your Dell Computer and companion video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inYLxW2_xKo) to see if a Quick Test finds any problems with your hardware.  You should also back up all your personal data in C:\Users\<yourusername> to an external backup drive on a regular basis. If your hard drive, power supply, or some other hardware component is starting to fail it's better to know now or you could soon find yourself with a computer that won't boot up. 

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*** WARNING: I'm not advocating that you install a newer "generic" graphics  driver that isn't certified by Dell unless you are certain your current driver is causing an obvious problem.  There are multiple topics in this forum from users who started seeing BSODs, etc. after installing a newer "generic" graphics driver from the manufacturer (e.g., Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, etc.) that was not certified for their Dell BIOS.  For example, see fabioluzo's 01-May-2024 Vostro 3520 Keeps Crashing, who solved their BSODs by reinstalling the custom Intel and NVIDIA graphics drivers recommended on the support page for their Vostro 3520.

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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5737 * Intel i5-8265U CPU * 8 GB RAM * Intel UHD Graphics 620 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.5.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0 * Fusion Service 2.2.14.0 * Intel Driver & Support Assistant 25.2.15.9

Hi Imacri,

    As you suggested, I went through the DELL ePSA and received an ALL TESTS PASSED message for all the components.

    I haven't gone to the DELL site, but I do know this:

Can I update the BIOS with the latest one DELL sent me (2024.10.143.0, A11), or must I go through every update since 6/6/13 and install each of them sequentially?

Hi bromberg:

I can't advise a BIOS update when I don't even know your Windows OS.  If any glitch happens during your BIOS update you could end up with an unstable or unbootable system.***

What do you mean when you say that you want to update your BIOS "with the latest one DELL sent me (2024.10.143.0, A11)"? Do you mean you've opened a support ticket with Dell customer support, or is A11 the latest BIOS recommended by a Dell utility like an old version of Dell Command | Update?  I don't know your private Service Tag (please don't post this information in the forum), and I might be looking at the wrong support page for your OptiPlex 3010 because the support page at https://www.dell.com/support/product-details/en-us/product/optiplex-3010/drivers starts at Dell OptiPlex 3010 System BIOS A11 (28-Oct-2013) in the "Older Versions" list and currently recommends Dell OptiPlex 3010 System BIOS A22 (25-Dec-2018).

It would be helpful if you could post a Speccy snapshot of your system so I can see your system components and current driver versions. To post a Speccy snapshot:

1. Install Piriform's free Speccy utility (available at https://www.ccleaner.com/speccy).
2. Launch the program and allow it to collect basic information about your system software and hardware.
3. Go to File | Publish Snapshot, click OK to confirm you want to publish a snapshot, and copy and paste the URL this generates (e.g., http: // speccy.piriform.com/results/xxx... as shown in the image below) in your next reply.

I posted a snapshot of my own Inspiron 5584 / Win 10 Pro v22H2 laptop at http://speccy.piriform.com/results/zwOLSI0q2SQBvoK1IDx1qLJ today if you want to see what system information Speccy collects. Speccy is compatible with Win XP to Win 10 but output is very basic compared to some other hardware diagnostic programs (e.g., it can't check the S.M.A.R.T. attributes of newer SSD drives to warn you if your hard drive is failing and doesn't collect data about recent system errors) but it's still any easy way to share basic information about your system specs.

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*** WARNING: I would strongly advise that you do NOT allow Windows Update or a Dell utility like SupportAssist v4.x or Dell Command | Update v5.x to update your BIOS, since any glitch during the update process could result in an unbootable system. If SupportAssist v4.x is installed on your system see the instructions <here> in the SupportAssist v4 User Guide for disabling automatic updates to prevent an unexpected BIOS update - if you run update checks manually from the  Home tab of SupportAssist this will allow you to review the list of available updates and decline any BIOS update before it starts to download.

When Dell releases a critical BIOS update that as been certified for my Inspiron 5584 I normally save the .exe installer recommended on the Drivers & Downloads tab of my Inspiron 5584 support page to my desktop, close all my open programs, and then right-click the .exe file and choose "Run as Administrator".  However, the safer method is to flash your BIOS from a removable USB stick.

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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5737 * Intel i5-8265U CPU * 8 GB RAM * Intel UHD Graphics 620 * Dell Update for Windows Universal v5.5.0 * My Dell v2.2.6.0 * Fusion Service 2.2.14.0 * Intel Driver & Support Assistant 25.2.15.9 * Speccy Free Portable v1.32.740

Hi Imacri:

   As you requested, this is my Speccy (what a neat utility!) data: 

http://speccy.piriform.com/results/eStZ3mtwZlLfFTyV44QxNIa

   Periodically, I get an email from DELL with a BIOS update recommendation. I've never applied any of them, which is why I asked you whether the updates they send are cumulative (so I need only apply the most current) or sequential (so I would need to apply each one in order).

    Please do not hesitate to request further information, which I will gladly provide.

Dan

As you requested, this is my Speccy (what a neat utility!) data:

Hi bromberg:

Just a few initial comments about your Speccy snapshot, which shows you have a 64-bit Win 10 v22H2 OS. At the time your snapshot was captured you were only using  ~ 50% of your 8 GB of physical RAM, your 930 GB C: drive (Partition 2) on your Samsung SSD still had ~ 80% of free disk space, and the S.M.A.R.T. analysis of your SSD reported a status of "Good", so all that is good news.  I'll post a separate reply about your hardware drivers and third-party software shortly.

Leave Speccy running for a few hours while you are working on your computer and post back if you see any of the temperatures displayed in Speccy indicate one of your hardware components is overheating (e.g., if the temperature readout for your CPU, motherboard or SSD changes from green to orange or red), since that could suggest a problem with a cooling fan.
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Please run scans with DISM and System File Checker (SFC) to check the integrity of your Windows system files.

First, open an elevated command prompt with Administrator rights and enter the command DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth. If that scan does not detect any problems with your component store then run the command sfc /scannow to see if it can detect and repair any issues with your system files. If either of those scans detects a problem post back and let us know what message it displayed. See the ghacks.net article Use DISM to Fix Issues SFC Can’t for more information about these scans. From my Inspiron 5584 / Win 10 Pro v22H2 machine:

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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5737 * Firefox v137.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.25030.2-1.1.25030.1 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.11.183-131.0.5227 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * My Dell v2.2.6.0 * Fusion Service 2.2.14.0

Can I update the BIOS with the latest one DELL sent me (2024.10.143.0, A11), or must I go through every update since 6/6/13 and install each of them sequentially?...I haven't come across a pattern as to what causes the freeze. Sometimes it happens soon after the boot with hardly any applications open!?

Hi bromberg:

Speccy doesn't collect a list of the names and version numbers of all your installed third-party (non-Microsoft), but the first thing I would do is to uninstall all the software you no longer use (or don't really need)***, or at the very least prevent software that isn't required on a daily basis from loading at Windows Startup, running scheduled background tasks, and wasting your system resources.  Then monitor your system for a few days and see if that reduces your system freezes.

For example, I can see traces of multiple backup programs (AOMEI Backupper, Ashampoo Backup, EaseUS, Hasleo Backup Suite, Macrium, MiniTool ShadowMaker, O&O AutoBackup, O&O DiskImage, TeraCopy, etc.), browsers (Firefox, Brave, Chrome), and PC cleaners / system optimizers (CCleaner, Glary Utilities, IObit Advanced SystemCare, Kerish Doctor, PrivaZer, Wise Care 365, Process Lasso, Tweaking.com - Windows Repair, O&O Defrag, Sordum Reduce Memory, TrafficMonitor, etc.) on your system.  If you don't want to uninstall these programs and they don't need to start running in the background as soon as you boot up your computer then go to Settings | Apps | Startup and Settings | Apps | Startup and Settings | Privacy | Background Apps | Let Apps Run in the Background and turn off any apps you don't use on a regular basis.
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Regarding your BIOS and/or driver versions, Speccy indicates you currently have Dell OptiPlex 3010 System BIOS A10 (06-Jun-2013).  It doesn't appear your OptiPlex 3010 has a discreet AMD Radeon graphics card, and your on-board Intel HD graphics is currently using driver v9.17.10.4459 (rel. ~ 18-May-2016).

Browse to the OptiPlex 3010 support page at https://www.dell.com/support/product-details/en-us/product/optiplex-3010/drivers, choose Select Drivers, and click the This Device tab and enter your unique Service Tag. This should display a filtered list of Dell software and drivers that are compatible with your system components (i.e., your Service Tag).

Then confirm that the "This Device" tab currently recommends Dell OptiPlex 3010 System BIOS A22 (O3010A22.exe, rel. 25-Dec-2018) and Intel HD and HD 4000 Graphics Driver v10.18.10.5059 (Intel-HD-and-HD-4000-Graphics-Driver_KK9J0_WIN_10.18.10.5059_A20.EXE, rel. 17-Jan-2019) for your Service Tag.  Post back if this is incorrect.

I'm not recommending you install updates for your BIOS or hardware drivers at this time, since it looks like you upgraded your OS to Win 10 but haven't installed any BIOS or hardware driver updates for about a decade.  I still have concerns that installing BIOS / hardware driver updates now in the wrong order could cause your system to become unstable.

FYI, I assume your Dell BIOS updates are cumulative, but I can't guarantee that making a big jump directly from A10 to A22 isn't going to cause a conflict with other outdated hardware drivers.
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*** ASIDE: I use Firefox as my default browser, CCleaner Free to run the occasional Custom Clean disk cleanup (but never run Health Check or Performance Optimizer), UCheck Free to check for outdated software, HWiNFO for in-depth hardware diagnostics (e.g., if I want to check the wear level of my SSD and laptop battery), and Revo Uninstaller Free to uninstall software.  For backups I use Karen's Replicator to do weekly backups of my personal data in C:\Users\<myusername> to my external backup drive, and Macrium Reflect Free v8 to save the occasional full disk image of my hard drive on my external backup drive in case I ever have to perform an emergency recovery. As an added precaution I've enabled Windows System Restore (disabled by default in Win 10 and Win 11) as instructed in the Windows Central article How to Use System Restore on Windows 10 so I always have a recent Windows restore point I can use to roll back my Windows OS to a previous date.

You might prefer using different utilities to perform those tasks, but those are about the only third party utilities I use on a regular basis.  With the exception of Firefox, Macrium Reflect Free and Karen's Replicator most of my third-party utilities are portable apps (i.e., they are not installed on my hard drive and can be run from any location) that I run from a removable USB stick so they don't clutter up my hard drive and Windows registry.

My Win 10 OS also does its own regular disk maintenance like trimming my SSD (see Control Panel | System and Security | Security and Maintenance | Maintenance and image below) and performs it's own memory optimization by temporarily suspending inactive processes (which will have a green leaf displayed in the Status column on the Processes tab of Task Manager). Generally speaking, third-party system optimizers / settings tweakers are not necessary for Win 10 or Win 11 and may do more harm than good.

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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5737 * Firefox v137.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.25030.2-1.1.25030.1 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.11.183-131.0.5227 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * My Dell v2.2.6.0 * Fusion Service 2.2.14.0 * CCleaner Free Portable 6.35.11488 * UCheck Free Portable 64-Bit 6.2.1.0 * HWiNFO Portable 8.24.5700 * Revo Uninstaller Free Portable v2.5.8 * Karen's Replicator v3.7.6