Fix FSX Error 1335 when Windows Installer cannot open or extract a cabinet file. Diagnose bad DVDs, local copies, storage and memory faults.
FSX Error 1335 means Windows Installer cannot read or extract a required cabinet (.cab) file. With boxed Microsoft Flight Simulator X, clean the DVD, copy both discs to a local folder and run Disc 1’s setup.exe as administrator. A CRC or data error during copying points to damaged media or an unreliable optical drive.
What does Error 1335 mean in FSX?
Error 1335 is a source-data or extraction failure, not an FSX graphics or configuration error. Windows Installer has reached a compressed cabinet archive but cannot read, validate or unpack it.
The message often says that a cabinet file such as Data1.cab is corrupt and cannot be used. Variants including cannot open the cabinet file and failed to extract CAB describe the same basic problem. The named file is useful evidence, but the message does not prove the cabinet itself is damaged: an optical-drive fault, interrupted copy, storage error or memory instability can corrupt the data while it is being read.
Data1.cab is a generic installer filename used by many applications. Its name alone does not establish that the failed package belongs to FSX.
Why does the cabinet file Data1.cab appear corrupt?
The most common cause with boxed FSX is an unreadable area of a DVD or an optical drive struggling to read it consistently.
- A dirty, scratched, cracked or deteriorating FSX disc
- An ageing or unreliable internal or USB DVD drive
- An incomplete local copy of the installation media
- Installing from a network share, removable drive or synchronised folder
- Insufficient free space in the Windows temporary folder or destination drive
- Security software interrupting extraction from otherwise trusted media
- File-system, storage or memory faults when different cabinets fail on different attempts
Changing graphics drivers, deleting fsx.cfg or installing an FSX service pack cannot correct Error 1335 because the base simulator has not yet installed successfully. Repeatedly selecting Retry also achieves little when setup stops at the same byte of the same cabinet each time.
FSX: Steam Edition does not use the original two-DVD FSX installer. If Error 1335 appears while installing Steam Edition, check the title and file path in the error window: the failure is more likely to belong to a prerequisite or add-on installer than to the core Steam download.
How do I fix FSX Error 1335 in the right order?
Use a normal Windows file-copy test before changing installer settings, because it quickly separates a bad source or drive from an extraction problem on the PC.
- Record the complete error. Note the cabinet filename, the application named in the window and which FSX disc was in the drive. Failure on the same cabinet every time strongly implicates that part of the source media.
- Clean and inspect the DVD. Use a soft, lint-free cloth and wipe in straight lines from the centre towards the edge. Do not wipe in circles. Deep scratches, cracks, cloudy areas or disc separation require replacement legitimate media rather than a Windows repair.
- Copy each disc separately as a test. Create folders such as
C:\FSX_Media\Disc1andC:\FSX_Media\Disc2on an internal drive, then copy all contents from the corresponding DVDs. This tests every source file without relying on the installer’s less informative error message. - Treat a CRC or data error as a read failure. A cyclic redundancy check, unreadable-file or data-error message during the copy means the source is not being read reliably. Try another optical drive. If another computer can copy both discs without error, transfer the complete folders to the target PC and place them on its internal drive before running setup.
- Create a local installation source. Make a folder such as
C:\FSX_Setup, copy Disc 1 into it, then add the contents of Disc 2. Retain Disc 1’s launcher files if Windows finds same-named setup or autorun files. Do not rename, edit or manually extract the cabinets. If Windows reports that a same-named data file differs, keep the separate disc folders rather than guessing which version to overwrite. - Clear the extraction path. Restart Windows, close unnecessary applications and confirm that the system and installation drives have plenty of free space. Open Run, enter
%TEMP%, and delete the files Windows permits; skip anything reported as in use. Keep the staged installer out of cloud-synchronised, network and removable-drive folders. - Start the correct launcher. Right-click Disc 1’s
setup.exein the local source and select Run as administrator. Do not launch an internal MSI, individual cabinet or Disc 2 setup file. Running as administrator helps with permissions, but it cannot repair unreadable cabinet data. - Check interference and hardware only after both discs copy successfully. A third-party real-time scanner may be paused briefly while installing from trusted original media, then enabled again immediately. If different cabinets fail on successive attempts, use Windows’ built-in drive error checking and Windows Memory Diagnostic before retrying.
How can I tell whether the DVD, drive or PC is failing?
The pattern of the failure usually identifies the component that deserves attention next.
| What happens | Likely cause | Best next action |
|---|---|---|
| The same cabinet cannot be copied from the DVD | Damaged disc or optical-drive read fault | Clean the disc and test it in another drive |
| Another drive copies the DVD without an error | The original optical drive | Install from the verified local copy |
| Both discs copy, but setup always fails on the same cabinet | Bad staged copy, temporary storage or scanning interference | Recreate the local source, clear temporary files and retry |
| A different cabinet fails on each attempt | Unstable memory, storage or file system | Run Windows’ built-in hardware checks |
| Only an add-on installer reports Error 1335 | Incomplete or corrupt add-on package | Replace the complete installer, not one cabinet |
| Setup hangs without displaying Error 1335 | Disc reads, a hidden prompt, temporary files or security software | Use our checks for an FSX installation that freezes or locks up |
Can I download or replace the missing Data1.cab file?
No. An FSX cabinet must match the exact installer edition, language, media layout and Windows Installer database that references it.
Substituting a cabinet from another release can produce a different error or create a partial installation that fails later. Obtain a complete, known-good copy of your legitimate installation media instead. Do not mix files from Standard, Deluxe, Gold, Acceleration or another language release.
An installer log that mentions wizard or service template files and suggests a wrong distribution file usually points to the same class of problem: the setup source is incomplete, mixed or intended for a different release. Rebuild or replace the entire distribution rather than searching for one template or cabinet.
Does the same fix apply to QuickBooks Error 1335 or Allison DOC?
The diagnosis applies to QuickBooks, Allison DOC and other Windows Installer packages, but the FSX two-disc copying instructions do not.
If another application reports that it cannot open Data1.cab or failed to extract a CAB file, first test whether its complete installation source copies successfully to an internal drive. Replace an incomplete downloaded installer with a complete licensed copy, clear the temporary folder and avoid combining setup files from different releases. Once the source passes those checks, use that application’s product-specific repair process.
What if repeated attempts leave FSX partly installed?
Remove the incomplete installation before attempting a clean reinstall if FSX now appears in Windows’ installed-applications list or setup claims that another version already exists.
Use the normal uninstall entry first and restart Windows. Do not delete random files from the Windows Installer cache. If the uninstall record is broken or setup still detects an old copy, follow our steps for removing a partial FSX installation that blocks reinstallation.
What if FSX reports a different installer error next?
A changed error code means setup has passed the cabinet-reading stage and reached a different failure.
If InstallShield will not start and reports Error 1607, use our Error 1607 service and installer-startup checks. Do not keep repeating the Error 1335 media steps after both DVDs have copied correctly and the reported code has changed.
Which FSX updates should I install after setup succeeds?
Launch the completed boxed FSX installation before applying service packs or installing Acceleration.
The correct order depends on whether the media is Standard, Deluxe, Gold or includes Acceleration. Our boxed-FSX service-pack and update sequence covers those differences. Do not apply the standalone boxed FSX service packs to FSX: Steam Edition.