title: Azure Storage Emulator fails to install
body: <p>I'm at wits end. I've had a go at this for 2 days, but to no avail. Sigh...</p>
  
  <p>Installing the Azure Storage Emulator 3.3 fails. I've tried using Platform Installer and standalone installer. Earlier versions fail as well. Event Viewer yields an unhandled exception from WAStorageEmulator.exe 3 times before giving up: </p>
  
  <pre><code>Application: WAStorageEmulator.exe
  Framework Version: v4.0.30319
  Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
  Exception Info: exception code e0434352, exception address 00007FFFEC8A5BF8
  Stack:
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The logfile might indicate that it happens here:</p>
  
  <pre><code>WAStorageEmulator.exe" init -forcecreate -autodetect
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Here's a logfile from the installation: <a href="http://bit.ly/1oJGlyv" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://bit.ly/1oJGlyv</a>. (verbose version here: <a href="http://bit.ly/ZoVheR" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://bit.ly/ZoVheR</a>). It says error code 1603, which is very generic. I also see a bunch of question marks, where others have had more helpful messages.</p>
  
  <p>I've followed every advice I could find, including deleting localdb files and restarting it (e.g. here: <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/22885318/windows-azure-storage-emulator-failed-to-install">Windows Azure Storage Emulator failed to install</a>). </p>
  
  <p>Running Windows 8.1, SQL Express installed. </p>
  
  <p><strong>Sidenote:</strong> Tried to run Microsoft's Fix It tool, but that fails to start with an unhandled exception like the one above. My system runs smoothly like butter, and I would very much like avoid having to re-install everything.</p>