Why do I receive an "Error finding installer class" message when trying to install MATLAB on Windows?

Solution:

This error message can occur if one of the following conditions is true:
- The destination folder for MATLAB contains non-ASCII characters (ex: !@#$&^?)
- The Windows TEMP and/or TMP variables point to a folder with non-ASCII characters
- There is a problem with the installation files (corrupt DVD or incomplete downloads)

As a workaround for this issue, make sure you are installing MATLAB into a folder with ASCII characters only. If the destination folder is correct, see below for additional troubleshooting:

1) Check the Windows TEMP and TMP variables

To confirm the path for TEMP and TMP under Windows XP/2000:

1. Right click on My Computer and choose Properties
2. Choose the Advanced Tab
3. Click on the Environment Variables Button (bottom left)

In Vista this is accomplished by the following:

1. Right click on Computer and choose Properties
2. Click on Advanced Settings on the left side
3. Click continue on the UAC page
4. Click on the Environment Variables Button (bottom)

Check for the TMP and TEMP variables under both System and User variables. If you see the variable set to a value between percent signs (ex: %TMP%) or to a path with all ASCII characters, the variable is fine. Otherwise, if the varilable have non-ASCII characters such as an exclaimation point (!), these variables can be modified by double clicking on the variable or highlighting it and choosing Edit.

Once changed, reboot the machine and retry the installation.

2) Try the installation in Windows Safe mode.

If the installation folder and the TEMP/TMP folders are all ASCII based, you may be able to resolve this issue by installing MATLAB in Windows Safe Mode. Safe Mode disables hardware drivers and may allow the installation to complete. To enter Safe Mode, reboot the machine. As the machine is booting, tap the F8 key every few seconds until a menu appears. In the menu, select the option for: "Safe Mode with Networking". Log in as normal and try the installation.

3) Try different installation files

If the installer does not work after the workarounds above, the best option is to try different installation files. These can be from a different DVD or via downloads from the MathWorks website. For instructions on how to download, see the related solution: 1-1815H "How do I download licensed MATLAB products from MathWorks website?"

If you are still unable to install after following these steps, contact Installation support here:

http://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us/index.html