Oracle 12c client installer error

I'm trying to install Oracle client 12.1.0.2.0 (32-bit) on a completely clean copy of windows Server 2012, and I'm hitting a problem.

The installer runs fine until it gets to the final part - the net configuration assistant. An error message appears and says "[INS-20802] Oracle Net Configuration Assistant failed.". Here's the relevant part of the log file that is generated (I can post the entire thing if requested, but here's the bit with the actual error occurs):

INFO: Read: UnsatisfiedLinkError exception loading native library: oranjni12
INFO: Stderr Read: java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: oracle.net.common.NetGetEnv.jniGetOracleHome()Ljava/lang/String;
WARNING: Skipping line: UnsatisfiedLinkError exception loading native library: oranjni12
INFO: Read: java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: C:\app\ORACLE_USER\product\12.1.0\client_1\BIN\oranjni12.dll: Can't find dependent libraries
INFO: Stderr Read:  at oracle.net.common.NetGetEnv.jniGetOracleHome(Native Method)
INFO: Stderr Read:  at oracle.net.common.NetGetEnv.getOracleHome(Unknown Source)
INFO: Stderr Read:  at oracle.net.ca.NetCALogger.getOracleHome(NetCALogger.java:230)
INFO: Stderr Read:  at oracle.net.ca.NetCALogger.initOracleParameters(NetCALogger.java:215)
INFO: Stderr Read:  at oracle.net.ca.NetCALogger.initLogger(NetCALogger.java:130)
INFO: Stderr Read:  at oracle.net.ca.NetCA.main(NetCA.java:433)
WARNING: Skipping line: java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: C:\app\ORACLE_USER\product\12.1.0\client_1\BIN\oranjni12.dll: Can't find dependent libraries
INFO: Read: 
WARNING: Skipping line: 
INFO: Read: Error: oracle.net.common.NetGetEnv.jniGetOracleHome()Ljava/lang/String;
WARNING: Skipping line: Error: oracle.net.common.NetGetEnv.jniGetOracleHome()Ljava/lang/String;
INFO: Read: Oracle Net Services configuration failed.  The exit code is 1
WARNING: Skipping line: Oracle Net Services configuration failed.  The exit code is 1
INFO: Completed Plugin named: Oracle Net Configuration Assistant

Here are a few things

The install/oraparam.ini contains the following lines (even in a fresh download):

#MSVCREDIST_LOC flag will provide the name of the exe that is being shipped in stage/ext/bin  
MSVCREDIST_LOC=vcredist_x64.exe

This is incorrect because you need the 32-bit version (x86).

Now if you check stage/ext/bin, there is a file vcredist_x86.exe, and obviously no x64, since it is a 32-bit installer. Try editing oraparam.init and fixing the above line to:

MSVCREDIST_LOC=vcredist_x86.exe

Another possibility is that you need to install the Microsoft C++ 2010 Redistributable manually: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/confirmation.aspx?id=5555

StackExchange Database Administrators Q#102022, answer score: 4