Office XP won't update or uninstall

**dom424** · November 27th, 2003, 12:07 PM

All of a sudden my Office XP will not update. THe little blue bar gets to 40% and then I get this error.

Error! Unable to check for updates on this computer Help

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

You do not have administrative privileges for this computer. There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page and try running detection again.
Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support for assistance.
You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install Source if Unavailable.

Search for Office updates in the Download Catalog
Report the error to Microsoft

I went to download them manually and when I go to install them they will not install. After I check the accept box it starts to install and after a couple of seconds it wants to send an error report.

I have did the Detect and repair thing, along with everything I can think of. I have even tried to uninstall it but it won't uninstall. I think it has to do with the Windows Installer. I have the version 2.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

**DocPC** · November 27th, 2003, 11:43 PM

Is this a legal copy of Office? This usually occurs with a cracked copy.

If you did indeed purchase it, check the MS KB or call.....

**dom424** · December 4th, 2003, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by DocPC

Is this a legal copy of Office? This usually occurs with a cracked copy.

If you did indeed purchase it, check the MS KB or call.....

This is a legal copy. I bought it the same time I bought XP Pro when I had this computer built a year ago this month.

**NooNoo** · December 5th, 2003, 03:12 AM

Did you read the KB?

The cached .msi file for the product that is being patched is missing from the machine. This can happen if the files under the computer %windir%\installer directory are erroneously deleted by an end user or software program.

FIX: Windows Installer Must Have Original Source Files When You Apply a Patch

Check to see if the msi files are on your computer.

Also run Start, run, sfc /scannow

try running the windows installer update here

**confus-ed** · December 5th, 2003, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by DocPC

Is this a legal copy of Office? This usually occurs with a cracked copy.

If you did indeed purchase it, check the MS KB or call.....

Yeah, he has a real copy, you suspicious, malicious, untrusting evil soul ... wait that's me !

Yet another MSI issue

- you may find that to get it all 'just so' that you might have to completely uninstall office, apply the installer patch (& any xp patches including sp1/sp1a), then add office then all the patches, a pain - I know !

MS are themselves confus-ed on this subject ... they 'swear blind' that the correct version of the installer is bundled in xp natively (oh no it ain't Billy boy ! else why does sp1 patch it ? what's in xp natively is the first version of msi 2.0, but the version you want is actually an active x component {a result of all this '.net' technology they are currently in 'love' with

}, couldn't they make this any more confus-ing ?) - sometimes all this patches of patches of patches non-sense gets so muddled, that the only way out is format, since some numpty at ms pulled the mannual uninstall tool ...

It's about time M$ sorted out all this Installer 'pants' once & for all !!!!

**dom424** · December 5th, 2003, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by confus-ed

Yeah, he has a real copy, you suspicious, malicious, untrusting evil soul ... wait that's me !

Yet another MSI issue

- you may find that to get it all 'just so' that you might have to completely uninstall office, apply the installer patch (& any xp patches including sp1/sp1a), then add office then all the patches, a pain - I know !

MS are themselves confus-ed on this subject ... they 'swear blind' that the correct version of the installer is bundled in xp natively (oh no it ain't Billy boy ! else why does sp1 patch it ? what's in xp natively is the first version of msi 2.0, but the version you want is actually an active x component {a result of all this '.net' technology they are currently in 'love' with

}, couldn't they make this any more confus-ing ?) - sometimes all this patches of patches of patches non-sense gets so muddled, that the only way out is format, since some numpty at ms pulled the mannual uninstall tool ...

It's about time M$ sorted out all this Installer 'pants' once & for all !!!!

Tried everything above. Looks like a reformat. I will wait until XP screws up before I do it. Office is working Okay, just can't update or uninistall it. Thanks for the replies.

**The Computer Valet** · December 6th, 2003, 06:01 PM

Just a thought:

What happens if you create a new user account then try to uninstall or update Office?

**dom424** · December 7th, 2003, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by The Computer Valet

Just a thought:

What happens if you create a new user account then try to uninstall or update Office?

I thought it was going to work for a second but did not. Thanks for the idea.

**TNR** · December 8th, 2003, 11:23 AM

Here is a link to the Office Resource Tool kit. It should remove Office XP for you. I have used it to remove Word 97 when I didn’t have the CD.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/...ndx/appc00.htm

This other link is for an error with the Windows Installer. I know you are not getting a WIS error, but it might fix the problem.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315346

**dom424** · December 11th, 2003, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by TNR

Here is a link to the Office Resource Tool kit. It should remove Office XP for you. I have used it to remove Word 97 when I didn’t have the CD.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/...ndx/appc00.htm

This other link is for an error with the Windows Installer. I know you are not getting a WIS error, but it might fix the problem.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315346

Thank you, thank you, thankyou. I got it uninstalled and will reinstall and activate it some time this weekend. Thanks to all those who posted replies also. Pretty cool forum you have here.

**confus-ed** · December 12th, 2003, 04:40 AM

Here's the aforementioned office removal tool from M$ (orktools.exe - direct link & thanks to TNR for showing me where it lives now

)

**lanceaprice** · April 14th, 2004, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by dom424

Thank you, thank you, thankyou. I got it uninstalled and will reinstall and activate it some time this weekend. Thanks to all those who posted replies also. Pretty cool forum you have here.

Did the uninstall and reinstall fix your issue. I have the exact same problem now with my Office XP not updating and stopping at 40%, etc.

**redcarrot** · April 16th, 2004, 09:35 PM

i have the above problem too. I used orktools.exe, it removes some files but office xp is still in my system. Now when i tried to open office applications I get the dialog "preparing to install option..." until it goes away, then I can use the application. Office update still doesn't work
(stop at 40%). I am using WinXp Pro. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks