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For various reasons, I need to install a third-party program on a Windows 7 VM running under Parallels Desktop 18 on a MacBook Pro running OS 12.6.1.

The problem appears when I try to run the downloaded setup.exe file (as admin or regularly): an error message is shown saying that "Setup has detected that the publisher of file [xxx] cannot be verified" (see image), and the execution cannot continue. Note that on a native Windows computer under Windows 7, this operation proceeds without problems and the program is installed.

I have searched for a fix for this, but almost all posts found are concerned with a warning message (that can be overridden) about an unidentified publisher. This is something else – no override option. I have also tried to

  • unblock the program in Properties (but it is not marked as blocked)
  • remove the publisher from a list of untrusted publishers (could not find the publisher, and no publisher could be removed anyway)
  • edit in regedit to list *.exe files as low risk (nothing happened)
  • running the setup.exe from the cmd.exe tool as admin (same error message)

Any helpful hits are appreciated.

Added in edit: The following updates have been installed without change to the above issue: KB3102810
KB3033929
KB2999226
KB2729094
KB2670838
KB3125574
KB3020369
KB3125574

screenshot of error message

danbae
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  • Perhaps try: Make a folder c:\temp and permit it everyone. Move the installler file to c:\temp and try installing it normally from there. – John Dec 16 '22 at 18:18
  • @John: No luck. Same error. – danbae Dec 16 '22 at 18:42
  • I don't know. Try on a different machine – John Dec 16 '22 at 19:00
  • (1) Is it possible that the installation file is corrupted? (2) Is the file signed and there is an internet connection? (3) Is the Windows 7 VM fully updated? – harrymc Dec 16 '22 at 20:46
  • can be that is active windows defender or antivirus and is blocking it? also check on internet options that "launching apps and unsafe files" is enabled (or prompt) – FabianSilva Dec 16 '22 at 22:01
  • @harrymc : 1) and 2) the installation file seems ok as it works fine on a native Windows computer under the same OS. 3) I can't say – how do I check that it is fully updated? – danbae Dec 16 '22 at 23:28
  • @FabianSilva : turning off real-time protection in Windows Defender did not help. Internet options for "launching potentially unsafe apps and files" is set to Prompt. – danbae Dec 16 '22 at 23:30
  • @harrymc : Oh and the internet connection is working since I could download the setup.exe. – danbae Dec 16 '22 at 23:37
  • You cannot update Windows 7 any more so you may be out of luck. – John Dec 16 '22 at 23:53
  • @John : Isn't there any non-Microsoft repository of Windows updates that can still be accessed? – danbae Dec 17 '22 at 09:26
  • Try in *Control Panel > Internet Options > Security > Custom level..*, under Miscellaneous, to enable "Launching applications and unsafe files". – harrymc Dec 17 '22 at 09:51
  • @harrymc : see response to FabianSilva above – the setting was originally set to Prompt, and changing to Enable did not alter the result. – danbae Dec 17 '22 at 11:59
  • Have you updated Windows 7 as much as possible as in [this answer](https://superuser.com/a/1632323/8672)? – harrymc Dec 17 '22 at 12:24
  • So far as I know the only repository of Windows 7 updates is Microsoft – John Dec 17 '22 at 12:37
  • @harrymc : Thanks for the link. I have tried installing those updates, along with several others (see edit last in original post) but no change to the issue. – danbae Dec 17 '22 at 13:16
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    if you download that file from another source like https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet-framework/thank-you/net462-web-installer can be possible to overwrite that file and try to see if now it continues? or some .exe with that names and try that setup continues... you can later (or previously) install net framework 4.6.2 to make it to work.... – FabianSilva Dec 17 '22 at 23:21
  • @FabianSilva : YES!! Installing the file you linked to caused the computer to launch a series of updates, upon which the original setup.exe ran successfully. Thank you very much! Please post this as your answer and I will checkmark it. – danbae Dec 18 '22 at 14:49
  • glad that it worked :) – FabianSilva Dec 19 '22 at 16:33

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If you download that file from another source like https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet-framework/thank-you/… can be possible to overwrite that file and try to see if now it continues? or some .exe with that name, and try to continue setup... you can later (or previously) install net framework 4.6.2 to make it to work...

danbae
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FabianSilva
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    Downloading and installing the file linked to in the answer caused the VM to launch a series of updates to Windows, after which the original setup.exe file in turn launched and executed without problem. – danbae Dec 19 '22 at 17:14