What did I do now?

[asm481]

Hello, been using Outlook Express forever and just decided to use Outlook for the added features. I configured it OK and all seemed OK till I realized I hadn't updated Office since my last format/reinstall. I updated all to latest updates and now when I attempt to open Outlook it flashes open for a split second and then just closes up! Outlook Express will still open and work with the warning that it is not my default e-mail program. I really think I would like to use Outlook. Help please.

[Eagle PC Diagnostech]

For some reason the update overwrites the (MSI) Microsoft Installer
I've found that so far it is only with the Premium version of Office 2000
The only fix I found was to uninstall the program and directory-reboot-reinstall
Maybe someone else can shed some light on this

[asm481]

Thanks Eagle I think you are on to it. I hadn't check the rest of Office but it did effect all of my office programs. I tried to repair Office to no avail. As you suggested I removed Office and reinstalled. That worked fine. Then I tried to update to SR-1 and guess what? It is all messed up again! Am I not allowed to update? Weird!

[NEPATEC]

asm481:

What version of Windows are you installing on? Also, have you tried using a transform with the .msi package for Office? I may have a really quick fix for your issue. Let me know as many details as you can concerning the installation (i.e., if you are running Windows NT4/2000/XP, have you tried installing Office under the System account using the AT command, or tried with a different user profile? Also . . . what's runing in the background while you are attempting the SR-1 update? Any Anti-Virus software? Norton is especially prone to giving grief during installs. If you are running Windows 9x, have you tried a flat install from Safe Mode?)

Hopefully, I can provide you with a resolution . . . I just need a bit more info

-mike

[asm481]

OK Nepatec, This installation is on WIN2K Pro and I disabled my Norton antivirus while doing the update. The original install of Office 2000 Premium works fine until I go to Microsofts website to update it. I am afraid I don't know what your talking about with the .msi package or the AT command. Thanks in advance for your help here. I run this system as a single user so I have admin rights and there are no other users.

[NEPATEC]

Not a prob. First, here's how fix it . . .

Don't try running the web-based setup for SR1 and/or SR2. Download the redist versions of these two updates. The bad news here is that the SR1 redist file (O2ksr1adl.exe) is a little over 50MB in size. If you're on DSL/cable, this is no big deal, but if you are on a dial-up connection this is gonna take awhile. The good news is that SR2 (Sp2admin.exe) is smaller by comparison, at about 30MB.

You're probably cursing out Microsoft right about now and/or thinking that I'm a real d*ck, but believe me when I tell you that this is the easiest way to solve this if you are not familiar with how to temporarily disable services through the MMC & use the AT command. I can walk you through the process if you want to give me a call here, but writing down a step-by-step procedure would take twice as long as talking you through it over the phone.

Save O2ksr1adl.exe (and Sp2admin.exe, if you are also going to install the SR2 update) to a temporary directory on your drive. Once you have saved these files to your local hard disk, shut down the machine & restart Windows 2000 in Safe Mode using the F8 key on reboot. Log on to the machine in Safe Mode under the local 'Administrator' account (please note that this REALLY IS different than logging on as a user with Admin rights!) Once you are logged in as the local Administrator in Safe Mode, just launch the updates from the location on the local drive. I'm willing to bet that this works without a hitch.

Now, as to why it failed in the first place . . .

From what I suspect, Norton AV isn't actually disabled. The icon that's sitting in your system tray that's telling you that Norton AV is disabled is evidence that there are several Symantec services still active in memory. As useful as some Symantec apps can be at times, they have 2 annoying traits:

1) Symantec, being a Microsoft partner, knows how to get around Windows File Protection. Without delving into a lot of detail, this simply means that installing anything out of the infamous yellow box with Peter Norton's mug on it will almost assuredly overwrite critical system files. Now before all you McAfee haters start flaming me about coming down on Symantec, try running InstallWatch or FileMon/RegMon during the setup of any Symantec product and you'll see that I'm not talking outta my @$$ here. 'nuff said.

-and-

2) Symantec applications, much like wild horses, like to run. They run when you want them to, and also when you don't. They run when you try to stop them from running, and when you are blissfully unaware that they are running. If you startup your Services console, you'll see what I mean (HINT: look for anything resembling NAV, Speedisk Service, etc to show up as 'Started') To do this, just run the command 'services.msc' from the Start>Run menu

In order to install ANY software on ANY operating system (yes this includes *nix) you need to make certain that the files you are trying to update, or any of their dependency files, are not locked or in-use. Chances are pretty high that permissions are not the issue here, since you mentioned that your user account is part of the Administrator's group. This leaves the most likely cause as dependency files. Typically, the fastest way around this is to simply boot up in Safe Mode to make certain that all the usual crap that starts with Windows isn't running. Installing from the web, however, makes this a bit difficult since you need some of those Services active to do the interactive web-based install. I love Microsoft, but the whole concept of Active Setup is just a bad idea. Until we all have fiber running to our homes that allows us 10 terrabyte/sec throughput, it is silly to try to do a web-based install of anything as large as a service pack. Dropped packets, corrupted headers, etc can really put your machine down in a pile fast.

Hope this helped & (once again) sorry for not having an easier way to resolve this.

-mike

[NEPATEC]

P.S. and P.S.S

If you do have broadband & you are looking for the full install packages, here is the URL:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/...ox.htm#o2sr1au

The file(s) you'll need is/are:

o2ksr1adl.exe (for SR1)
sp2admin.exe (for SR2)

If you are on a dial-up and cannot deal with tying up your phone line for the next 24 hours to download 80+ MB worth of updates, /msg me on this Forum and I'll give you the number here so you can call & I can walk you through a much faster procedure.

-mike

[Jeff the Brit]

Perhaps this will throw some light on your problem.

[asm481]

Well Jeff you got it there. Sounds like I got a disk I am not spose to have! Gonna have to look into that with the bum I got this set-up from. Thanks for help all. Maybe I'll try the way Nepatec says. Guess it can't hurt anymore.

[NEPATEC]

Good call by Jeff

Hopefully, the will work. If it is just a registry entry & not file-level corruption as a result of a botched web install, this KB article might just be your ticket!

Nice work Jeff

[Jeff the Brit]

I've bumped into this problem before ... on *ahem* ever so slightly less than legal copies of Office 2000 running on Win2k. Two possible solutions:1 bung in Star Office or Open Office (legal) or 2: something which I am forbidden to mention in this forum ... so I leave the details of the second method to the imagination of the reader
Personally, I prefer solution 1, less hassle, not to mention legal.