Fixing CorelDRAW “Another Version of This Product Is Already Installed” (MSI Error 1638)
- Josue Valentin
- Oct 2, 2025
- 2 min read
The Fix in Short
If you hit this during install:
Another version of this product is already installed.
Installation of this version cannot continue.
Error code: 1638
It means Windows Installer still thinks CorelDRAW is present because of a registered Product Code GUID.
The solution is:
Run the installer with logging enabled.
Find the blocking GUID in the log.
Uninstall it directly with msiexec /x {GUID}.
Re-run the CorelDRAW installer.
That’s all it takes.
Alternative is removing Visual C++ (All of them) reboot then try installing again. If you need them (postdate the links below worked)
Step 1. Run installer with logging
Open Command Prompt and run:
CorelDRAWGraphicsSuite2025Installer.exe /L*v C:\CorelInstall.log
This creates a detailed MSI log.
Step 2. Identify the blocking GUID
Search inside the log for:
Another version of this product is already installed
In our case, the log showed:
{CEACA8AB-A4ED-42F7-A0A1-CFEC0C3E8C2E}
That’s the ProductCode GUID that Windows Installer thought was already installed.
Step 3. Uninstall the GUID
Run this command in an elevated Command Prompt:
msiexec /x {CEACA8AB-A4ED-42F7-A0A1-CFEC0C3E8C2E} /qn
/x tells MSI to uninstall.
{GUID} is the ProductCode you found in the log.
/qn makes it silent (no dialog boxes).
This cleanly removes the “ghost” install from Windows.
Step 4. Install CorelDRAW again
Once the GUID is removed, rerun your CorelDRAW installer. For us, CorelDRAW 2025 installed successfully right after.
Lessons Learned
MSI error 1638 = Windows sees a duplicate Product Code.
CorelDRAW has multiple MSI components, each with its own GUID.
The installer log is the map — it tells you which GUID is blocking.
You don’t need to wipe the registry. Just run msiexec /x {GUID} to remove the phantom entry.
After that, the install works as expected.
Bottom line: The fix for CorelDRAW error 1638 is simple — log the installer, grab the GUID, and uninstall it with msiexec.
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