MS Office problem

[pren]

Hi, me again with another IT conundrum :roll: :lol:

I've tried to open MS Word today only to have a 'Microsoft Installer' window pop up which attempts to install MS word. It gets halfway through the setup then stops and asks for the installation disc for MS Office Professional.

When the installation aborts, I'm told that Office is unavailable for the current user. :?

I've tried all the other Office programmes (Powerpoint, Front page, Excel, acces, Outlook) all with the same result.

I installed this version (can't remember which one it is ) 3yrs ago and it's run fine. I last used Word a week ago with no probs. Annoyingly, I can't find the installation disc any more.


Not sure if it's related, but a few days ago, my broadband application was deleted from the system for some reason. I used System restore to go back a week and it reappeared. System restore hasn't fixed the Office problem.

I'm running Windows XP and have been getting all the system updates from Microsoft. Could this be a bug or a license issue?

I've emailed Microsoft but I figured I'd try the Hive Mind as well :lol:

Any help, gratefully recieved!

Cheers.
Bryn

 

[kingcod]

I lost patience with Microsoft a while back but they should be able to supply a replacement disk - you might try OpenOffice in the meantime. Its free.
http://www.openoffice.org/

 

[BigShot]

I use OpenOffice but whatever office suite you use or are thinking about using...

http://www.hiprank.com/ms-office-vs-ope ... ffice.html

 

[Majorlarf]

I think if you click on each title at the top of word for example file or help what ever they are their should be an option to repair. hope this makes sense but was trying to think back to word 2003 as i use word 2007 which is slighty different.

 

[Majorlarf]

Please ignore my above post having re-read the thread i now know you can't even open word but i seem to remember there is a work around for this but I will have to dig it out I think it is a regedit if you are o.k with this?
This maybe some Help

 

[pren]

Hi, thanks for your help!

I managed to find the installation disc for Office 2003. It was in the last place I looked.

I tried the restore/repair option from the disc but it now says I'm missing an OFFICE.CAB file from the CD!

Tried installing > reinstalling but I'm told the source disc is corrupt and setup cannot continue! :evil:

Think I may give this up as a lost cause and go with OpenOffice. The only issue I have with this is that my good wife's school work is all done in Office programmes (Word and PowerPoint in particular).

Would a presentation made in the OpenOffice equivalent of powerpoint work on the Office PowerPoint at her school?

Many thanks.
Bryn

 

[Majorlarf]

Bit of a long shot but try cleaning the disc? then try installing again

 

[Peter T]

Hi, thanks for your help!

I managed to find the installation disc for Office 2003. It was in the last place I looked.

I tried the restore/repair option from the disc but it now says I'm missing an OFFICE.CAB file from the CD!

Tried installing > reinstalling but I'm told the source disc is corrupt and setup cannot continue! :evil:

Think I may give this up as a lost cause and go with OpenOffice. The only issue I have with this is that my good wife's school work is all done in Office programmes (Word and PowerPoint in particular).

Would a presentation made in the OpenOffice equivalent of powerpoint work on the Office PowerPoint at her school?

Many thanks.
Bryn

I had a similar problem with Office 2003 on my company laptop.

Turned out to be Windows XP Pro service pack 2. As soon as this was removed, everything was back to normal.

Good luck,

 

[oddsocks]

Think I may give this up as a lost cause and go with OpenOffice. The only issue I have with this is that my good wife's school work is all done in Office programmes (Word and PowerPoint in particular).

Would a presentation made in the OpenOffice equivalent of powerpoint work on the Office PowerPoint at her school?

Many thanks.
Bryn

Bryn, I swap between Openoffice 3.1 and Microsoft often and have had no issues. IF your wife creates documents etc in Openoffice remember to save them in MS format (the default is the odt standard which I think only the latest MS Office versions recognise). You can force OpenOffice to save in Microsoft format by default - go to tools>options>load/save>general and set 'always save as' to what you want (for word use 97/2000/XP)...similar options exist for spreadsheets and powerpoint if you change the 'document type'.

If you import word docs etc from the latest version and they are .docx and not .doc then you need the latest version of Openoffice (3.1).

Dave

EDIT
Bryn - I just remembered....the one issue I have had is that my CV (created in OpenOffice and saved as Word .doc) would not be read by one online job agency when it tried to parse the file. Every other agency has been able to parse and display it and it opened correctly in word viewer and on a PCwith just word installed.

 

[BigShot]

It was in the last place I looked.

I certainly hope so.
It'd have been a bit daft to keep looking.

 

[pren]

Hi, thanks (again) for all the replies.

I downloaded OpenOffice in the end. So far, it does seem to work fine between OO and MS Office so the lady of the house is happy. 8-[

ODDSOCKS: thanks for that tip re; forcing the save as MS format. I'll bear that in mind.

I think I had recieved an update from microsoft the day before the broadband connection and Office went for a burton. What's involved in reverting to the pre-update version (bearing in mind i've used System Restore to go back a week before the update)?

BIGSHOT: I did check a few other places (fridge, kettle, behind the sofa, up the chimney)) after I'd found it but, nope. Better to be sure tho! :lol:

Muchos Cheerios!

Bryn

 

[Majorlarf]

Or you could get 2007 for £35

 

[gidon]

Pren
If you can find out the version I probably have an installation disk I can send you? 3 years old it's most likely XP or 2003 version.
If you don't know run "regedit" (start | run | regedit). Look under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office and look at the folder number that has the applications in it.
Or if it's for home use and depending on what applications you need have a look at MajorAlf's suggestion - Office 2007 is really very nice - and if you've not used OneNote before it's worth it for that alone - great application.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[pren]

Having had a bit of a play with a friends 2007 ed, I think I'm going to invest in that.

Openoffice is ok, but MS 2007 is new and shiny!! :lol:

Many thanks!

Bryn