2015-10-31 Windows 7, Java JRE 8u66, install error 1603

While trying to install the Java JRE 8u66 on a Windows 7 x64 machine, I received the dreaded error 1603. A google search for 'java install 1603' comes up with some suggestions, including this one. None of those suggestions worked.

There are some other suggestions in other links found by the above google search. I tried removing KB2918614, but that also did not resolve it. I also tried manually removing all the java related registry entries and retrying the installation. Nope - it still fails.

More googling turns up this, but adding REPAIRMODE=1 to the command line does not help - same symptoms. However, the suggestion to remove the machine from the AD domain leads to a solution in my particular case. I was running all the above installation attempts under the domain administrator account. Running the jre 8 installation under the local administrator account worked.