'error 1311 source file not found' when reinstalling Office 03

[jim6149]

Hi,
Thanks in advance for the opportunity to ask for assistance.

When I repaired XP sp2 after a problem with Trend MicroCillin 2007 the
Windows installer started to play up. I ended up uninstalling MS office 2003
after having installer popping up every time I tried to open Office progs.
When I tried to reinstall MSO 03 but got the following error message:

'Error 1311 source file not found
c:\msocache\allusers\90000409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0150048383C9\E3561406.cab'

I tried Windows install cleanup to remove the installer problem then
installed Windows Installer 3.1 also tried a full file upgrade of Office sp3.
Only got 'patch could not be installed errors'. Then tried reinstalling XP
sp2 with current upgrades - no good.

I saw a post elsewhere about changing the permissions on msocache - but I
can't even find the darn file.

I tried copying the files off the cd onto my hard drive - no good either.

That's it, I'm out of ideas. Stuck again.

Any assistance much appreciated

Regards
Jim

 

[Mary Sauer]

See:
"Error 1311: cannot locate source file" error message when you install a 2007
Office suite or Office 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/818234/en-us
OFF: Error Messages When You Try to Run Office Setup on Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310777/en-us

 

[jim6149]

Hi Mary,
Thank you so much for your assistance - I have been trying for days to fix
this problem. About 3 minutes before you posted I called MS support so have
also recieved some help from them.
Mary, your admin log on makes sense also MS support theory is that remaining
hidden MSO files are preventing reinstall

Latest actions:
- D/loaded "Office removal bat" file
- Logged as Admin in safe mode
- bat file would not run

Next actions - remove old MSO files with SubInACL then run MSICUU2.

The very helpful young man from MS Support will call me again at 5pm (GMT+8)
tomorrow and walk me through the above actions - I'll post the outcome
tomorrow.

Incidentally - I searched for 'error 1311 source file not found' in google
and on the MS Support sites but did not pick up KB818234 .

Kind regards
Jim

 

[Mary Sauer]

I hope all goes well, we will appreciate what the walk through uncovered.

 

[jim6149]

Hi Mary,

The solution was to rename the old MSO Folders using regedit, then reinstall
from the CD.

I still do not understand what the cause of my problems was. But installer
is behaving itself again and MSO is back to normal.

Thanks again for your kind assistance.

Regards
Jim

 

[cybermuda]

I have read your posts with interest, as I received a very similar error
message when trying to reinstall MSO2003 from the original disk, but I don't
understand your solution - grateful if you could expand in layman's terms

I have searched my hard drive but can't find "msocache" so can't rename
anything using regedit

Thanks

 

[Mary Sauer]

Local Install Source (Msocache)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/825933/en-us

 

[Andrew Doble]

Thanks, Mary

I had uninstalled MSO2003 but had not deleted any Office set up files. I
don't understand why, when trying to reinstall, MSD2003 can't find that file.
Surely it would re-copy it to my hard drive if it didn't exist there already?

I have plenty of space on my hard drive, and it is not partitioned

 

[Mary Sauer]

Have you ever used the cleanup utility? Do you have your 03 disks? If you use
the cleanup utility you need to have your product number. You can run the Belarc
Advisor, it will have your number.
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/290301

 

[Andrew Doble]

Hi Mary

I did run the cleanup utility, thanks, as I was initially unable to
uninstall MSO2003.

However, now that it is uninstalled, I am unable to reinstall it using the
original disk. The install seems to progress okay, but then stops when it
cannot find A4561405.cab (and gives no opportunity to browse for it).

I have found A4561405.cab on an old back-up, so could copy it to the C:
drive, but I expect that the install will then detect another missing file.
Maybe copying all of the backed-up msocache to the C: drive would work?

For now, I have reinstalled MSO97 and that is working okay

Andrew