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

Hi. I had already found and run this Windows Install CleanUp program somehow. Any suggestions on next step?

Hi, OK,
As long as you are happy that everthing that is important to you is backed up and safe on removable media
then:

1 try one more time for a complete uninstall of MS office via Control Panel>Add and Remove Programs, if this successful then close down your machine, wait 30 seconds with a blank black screen (note this must be a complete shutdown, not a sleep/standby/hibernate) and then start up your machine,and download CCleaner from here:
http://www.ccleaner.com/download
now run cleaner to do a disc clean and delete all junk files.
when this has finished go to Issues and run the Registry cleaner, accept the offer to back up your Registry before running the clean.
next when this has done close down your machine, wait 30 seconds with a blank black screen, restart it, and now insert your Microsoft Office install disc and install the whole shebang again.

If you cannot get an uninstall with Control Panel Add and remove Programs, then
2 first try to do the uninstall using the Microsoft Office install disc, if this is successful follow the rest of the instructions above.
if it's unsuccessful then go to step 3

3 Download Revo uninstaller from here:
http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninst...e_download.html
Run it using the advanced option to uninstall Microsoft Office when it has finished then follow on the instructions given in step 1
(close down>wait>restart>Run Ccleaner with a disc clean and then go to C Cleaner "Issues" back up the Registry when prompted and now clean the Registry to delete any old Registry entries, when its done close down your machine>wait>Restart..now insert the Microsoft Office Install Disc and reinstall the whole shebang.
This appoach usually cures 98% of problems of this nature...lets hope you are in the 98% group!
Good luck
Regards
paws

This post has been edited by paws: Oct 1 2009, 10:23 AM

Thanks. I will follow this tomorrow. I did already have cCleaner. Hope I haven't messed up anything using it. I did have it removing pre-fetch items and just read that I shouldn't do that. So I unchecked that box....
I have a question. If I am successful at uninstalling, will I have any issues doing the reinstall in knowing what to do? Also, any issues with all the Office updates I've downloaded from Microsoft?

Hi The prefetch will automatically re-populate itself over the next few times you use your machine....... The prefetch... speeds up the time taken to load things so it's not a good idea to delete or clear the prefetch contents on a regular or routine basis, however doing it from time to time is no great problem. However if you use ccleaner for this exercise then please use it to clear the prefetch as we want to provide the best chance of the uninstall/reinstall succeeding.

Assuming you follow the directions then the uninstall and the reinstall should work OK........however there are no guarantees...... but to give your self the best chance. it's best to print out the instructions, be methodical, tick/check off each item as you do it and remember that if you forget to do the vital close downs waits and restarts...then you will definitely hit problems. (Many folks think that when Techs say to close down, wait and restart the machine...that they are just being picky and its not necessary......but believe me, it is!)

When you have reinstalled then you will have the delightful job of installing again all the Microsoft office upfates and service pack etc.......
The onscreen directions for the install of Microsoft Office (once you insert the Microsoft disc are usually reasonably easy to follow, just take your time and don't try and rush things.
Finally, you do have your Microsoft Office serial product key handy don't you? (25 characters, alpha numeric, in 5 groups of 5)
Good luck !
Regards
paws

Previous instructions: 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)

When I click Change it stalls for a while on Windows Installer - Preparing to install. Then another box says The patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch package exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor .....
So do I need to click Remove?
Will it remove the updates or will the update website see them as having been removed so it will reinstall them later on?
Thanks for your help.

Hi, you may need now to try and "remove" if you are successful you must follow the rest of the instructions.
You will need to download and install again your Office Service Pack and all the rquired updates
Regards
paws

Hi. When I click Remove, it displays that same box ... the patch package could not be opened..... Should I have removed the Office 2003 Service Pack 3 OWC11SP3 under Microsoft Office Web Components first?

Hi That should not normally be necessary, but you could try it..... otherwise its on to the Revo uninstaller (Its possible that you have Registry entries that are incorrectly pointed to a different version of Office and this is causing the problem
Regards
paws

This post has been edited by paws: Oct 2 2009, 02:56 PM

Hi. Looks like I gotta use the Revo uninstaller since it still won't Remove. It is running. Takes a while in Advanced Mode! That's OK

This post has been edited by Jeff Davis: Oct 2 2009, 03:45 PM

Hi It found 30,000+ registry items but none are checked. But when I click Next, it shows a list of 1200 items.

Hi, it did a slow restart. I put in the cd and got the same list of 6 files on the cd. Clicking setup.exe gives me the same delay as before, then it looks like it is accessing some files, then it pops up the windoww Installer preparing to install box, then This patch packabe could not be opened......
I noticed that my start menu All Programs list is the same - still included Microsoft Office with the same programs listed when you hover on it. Did I do something wrong or what next?

This post has been edited by Jeff Davis: Oct 5 2009, 03:59 AM

Not sure what this is....."slow restart" can you expand on this please?
It looks as though you have not succeeded in the uninstall...... did you use the Revo uninstaller and follow all the instructions and carry out the close-downs, waits, restarts and then the use of Ccleaner etc
If you did follow all the instructions please post back with the error codes or a description of what took place after each of the steps
Regards
paws

This post has been edited by paws: Oct 3 2009, 01:50 AM

Hi. I edited my prior post on the first sentence.
I ran REVO Uninstaller and Windows Install Clean Up and it let me (I think) proceed with an install. It read the cd and continued thru, asking me if I want a Normal install, Custom or Full.
But during the Install, I get an error message 1311 source file not found...

Now when I click Start, All Programs, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Word 2003 it pops open a small box titled Problem with Shortcut, then stating This action is only valid for products that are currently installed. OK is only button choice.
Not sure if my All Programs list ever changed during all this.

This post has been edited by Jeff Davis: Oct 5 2009, 05:10 AM

I tried fixing this Error 1311 thing but I am worthless. Help?
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/...ng=en&cr=US