Suddenly I can't use any of my Office applications since they all want a reinstall. I have used them for years (as Administrator). I have Windows XP Tablet PC Editions sp3 and Office Small Business Edition. I have the Microsoft original cd but it won't go into the Repair mode. When I insert it, a window opens showing a list of a few files on the cd. Can someone give me some help - I'm no pro. Thanks

Greetings Jeff Davis,

Sorry to hear about your trouble with your Office applications. This is what I would do if and only if I was sure I had my important documents moved to a safe place. This proceedure is not "suppose to" affect your documents but I would not be giving good advice unless I went on the side of caution.

Run the Detect and Repair Tool from Add or Remove Programs

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Add or Remove Programs, click Microsoft Office 2003, and then click Change.
In the Microsoft Office 2003 Setup dialog box, click Reinstall or Repair, and then click Next.
Click either Reinstall Office or Detect and Repair errors in my Office installation, and then click Install. (note I would try the Repair option first)

Note If you choose to detect and repair problems in your Microsoft Office installation, click to select the Restore my Start Menu Shortcuts check box to rebuild your Microsoft Office shortcuts.



Source:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821593

Good luck and Regards

Kaz

Hi. The choices in Add or Remove Programs for the Office Small Business Edition 2003 on mine are Change or Remove. Clicking Change, it opens a Windows Installer box Preparing to Install which ends after a while with another box Add or Remove Programs - The patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch package exists and that you can access it or contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer patch package.

Greetings Jeff

Ok, seems there might be a mismatch between a "installer" file that was used when the Small office suite was first put on, and what the add/remove change process is looking for.

Lets try another angle:

If you can open any of the Office applications then On the Help menu in any Office program, click Detect and Repair.
Click Start. (Even though I know you said you could not get to any of them, try all of them. Ie Excel/Word/Access/)

Failing that it may be that a reinstall is in order.

Here is the read on this---->http://support.microsoft.com/kb/295823

Good luck and Regards

Kaz

Hi. I can't open Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher, Word or Outlook. It will open OneNote. Should I run Detect and Repair in that? How would I do a reinstall since my pc won't offer a Repair or Install when I put in the cd?

This post has been edited by Jeff Davis: Sep 26 2009, 08:29 PM

Greetings Jeff:

Yes please do, there is nothing to lose by doing it. Lets see what happens after you do that. You may get functionality of all the suites.

Now as far as the cd goes, looks like you lost the autoplay feature along the way. If you know how to browse a cd for files and folders you can locate the setup.exe and launch that.
But dont do this yet. I am looking for restoring the autoplay for your cd player as well as seeing if there is any info directly to find the path to the "Setup.exe"

We still might have to chase after the "installation version" problem.

Regards

Kaz

Greetings Jeff:

When you do put the cd for the office suites in. Could you be more specific about what happens? Does anything launch?
Check in "my computer" and see if the name of the cd shows up with the drive letter?
What happens when you double click on the cd drive icon? does it launch the setup?

Regards

Kaz

Hi Kaz. It doesn't launch anything. It just opens a window showing what is on OFFICE11(D:) which is FILES file folder, OWC10.MSI, OWC11.MSI, README.HTM, SETUP.HTM, SETUP.EXE and STDP11N.MSI with a bunch of hidden files in many of these. I can change the View to show these hidden files by clicking Tools, Folder Options, View and selecting Show Hidden Files and Folders.
Yes, OFFICE11 shows up on (D:) in My Computer.
No, when I dbl-click the D drive icon, it just displays that same list of files. No launch.

Until Kaz gets back to you,
try double clicking on the setup.exe file that you mention seeing in your disc
Let us know how you go
Regards
paws

Greetings all:

Right exactly where I would go to get the program to launch. Lets see if that installation version conflict shows its self.

Regards

Kaz.

Hi. Setup.exe does not work. Dbl click Setup.exe on the cd runs Installer, then a box pops up stating This patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch package exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer patch package. OK.
My concern is that, right now, if I insert the Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003 OEM SOFTWARE cd that came with and was installed on my RedTablet, it will not run the install program when it starts up. The display show a group of files that are on the cd, listing Files file folder, OWC10.MSI, OWC11.MSI, README.HTM, SETUP.EXE, SETUP.HTM and STDP11N.MSI. I have the Product Key to use, if Office would install. It is printed on the cd envelope and shows up as the same in a report made by Belarc Advisor as the Product Key used when Office was installed.
Not sure what to do. Is the installed version of Office keeping this cd from showing anything when I load it?

This post has been edited by Jeff Davis: Sep 29 2009, 03:26 AM

Help

Hi, Ok, it looks as though there are multiple things wrong with your machine...... It may therefore be necessary to take steps that will/might put your data at jeopardy.
Kaz advised you to make sure that all your important documents are moved to a safe place..and I hope you did that.
We should now take this one step further;
Here's what I want you to do:
Please take the opportunity now to bring your back up/archive/copy of all your important stuff 100% up to date, check that it's accurate, reproducible and held securely on removable media (not your hard drive)......
the idea here is to ensure that all your important data, files, spreadsheets, work, music, emails, log in details, user names, address book, drivers, letters, invoices, videos etc....in fact everything that is important to you (stuff that you would not like to permanently lose) is kept safe on external media.

Whilst you are doing this collect together all your application installation discs (or downloaded installation executables) serial numbers, product licence keys (including the one for Windows itself and the Microsoft Windows installation disc and or Manufacturer's Restore and Driver /utilities discs.

If you have made a disc image then keep this safe also on removable media and ensure you have made a bootable CD/DVD for use in the event that Windows will not start.
When all this is done please post back and either Kaz or I, will take you through the next steps with
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/295823.
Regards
paws

This post has been edited by paws: Sep 30 2009, 02:07 AM

Hi. I really appreciate your reply. I have a Maxtor One Touch backup drive with RetrospectExpress. I think it would be good to record my docs and do a system backup. But it isn't behaving. I wish that I was more help. I have tried to record a system rollback point on it but I see no Restore or System Rollback points. If I click Back Up Now with system chosen to record, it says Disk is not available. But I selected one file and it is doing a backup right now.

Hi, I am always worried when any problem is indicated with any sort of back up.....
Take your time, make sure that everything that is important to you is faithfully and accurately saved to the removable media, take an extra copy as well to act as "insurance" use either DVD or another drive in your machine or another ext hard drive.

There are few things more useless than a back up or disc image that you are relying on and that subsequently fails to deliver!
When you are completely happy that all is protected then follow the link in my previous post..... I suggest you print out the instructions for reference (this is no time to be saving on ink!)
Good luck and let us know how you go.
Regards
paws