Chrome 88.0.4324.96: MSI install fails with error 1722 on fresh systems

[German]The Chrome browser version 88.0.4324.96 released as of January 19, 2020 in the desktop version for Linux, macOS and Windows has an issue. This browser cannot be installed in the MSI variant on fresh systems without an older Chrome version.

Chrome 88.0.4324.96 closes 36 vulnerabilities

I had addressed the browser update in the blog post Chrome 88.0.4324.96 fixes 36 vulnerabilities. Chrome 88 is a new development branch that has dropped both FTP and Flash support. In addition, this security update closes 36 vulnerabilities in the older browser versions.

MSI installer fails with error 1722

German blog reader Bernie reached out with this comment reporting an installation error that I'd like to briefly address. In Bernie`s corporate environment, the Chrome browser is deployed automatically via a software deployment tool. The automatic updates of Chrome via its updater are disabled via GPO. An MSI file of the browser provided for enterprises is used to install each new Chrome version via the software deployment tool. They use systems with Windows 10 Enterprise 1809.

When rolling out the new Chrome 88.0.4324.96 using the MSI file on two Windows 10 test machines, one system failed with the installation error 1722. At Google there is this thread about Error 1722, but it did not help in the current case. The difference between the two test machines was:

• System 1: The machine running Windows 10 Enterprise 1809 had the previous version of Chrome browser installed; the update installation went through.
• System 2: The machine running Windows 10 Enterprise 1809 did not have a Chrome browser installed yet; the installation of Chrome 88.0.4324.96 failed there with installation error 1722.

After some tests, Bernie installed the older Chrome 87 on system 2, and then was able to install Chrome 88.0.4324.96 successfully via MSI file afterwards. At this point it was is clear that the MSI installer of the Chrome 88.0.4324.96 must have a bug. The MSI installer of Chrome version 87.0.4280.141 64-bit uses the following folder:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update

to drop the file GoogleUpdate.exe; and also creates several subfolders. The MSI installer of Chrome 88.0.4324.96 64-bit does not do this. When the 'missing folder' update with the missing files was manually copied from a test system with Chrome already installed, to the target machine with the error in question, the MSI install went through without error. Thanks to Bernie for the hints. Maybe it will help those affected.

Addendum: Gert pointed out in a comment (thanks for that), that there is a bug report Issue 1168614: Chrome standalone installer fails: GoogleUpdateHelper.msi is missing at Google. Within this bug report I found on Jan. 21, 2021 the information, that version 88.0.4324.104 of Chrome MSI installer is working again.