MSACCESS 2003 Fails After SP2 Update

[Jon Abbott]

They did find that if you use per-machine installations rather than per-user

installations, the install will work---we don't do that. They also found it
has something to do with the registry entries for Jet. They gave me a
workaround where you could import the Jet entries from a working system and
get the broken system to work. Who has time for that???

How long did it take you on the telephone? I spent almost an entire working
day on the telephone in a single call attempting to convince them they (not
me) actually had a problem (maybe I do have time to do the import). That
runs the cost much higher than £50.

I can probably fix it myself based on that information. More later...

I spent 45 mins on the phone, first logging it through the US - who refused to
do anything about it because the product is being used in the UK - explaining
that the US would have to fix it didn't get anywhere! I then called the UK and
logged it, which took forever trying to spell everything out to their Indian
call center - that's the frustrating part over!

I asked to be put through to the Office team, to go through the detail. I
explained to them that the MSI package had problems with entries in the
Advertising tables, as the product installs manually okay. I also explained
the symptoms, how to reproduce it etc.

Anyway, cutting a long an tedious story short. I went through your SRX call
with them, they seem to have made quite a bit of progress with it, but were
nowhere near a solution.

I wouldn't expect a solution anytime soon, Microsoft and I are still working on
a bug in Excel 2003, where files don't always save as their filename, they end
up as 8 char random alphanumeric filenames. We've been working on it for over
a year now, and I'm still not convinced we'll have a solution this year!

Back to your description of the problem. If it's entries within the Jet
engine, I presume they've given you either some files or a registry fix. If
you can post which files they arel and paste any reg files in, that will help
me. I know what the problem is, just pinning it down within the acc11.msi file
is a nightmare, because it's a very poorly created. I've done debugging on it,
which didn't really get me anyware.

I'll look at the Jet engine advertising sections over the weekend and run some
tests whilst I await your info. If I can pin it down, I can create an MST that
you can apply through Orca to the MSI to fix it. I suspect it's probably just
one registry entry that's at fault, that's usually the cause if this issue.

Jon

 

[Jon Abbott]

They did find that if you use per-machine installations rather than per-user

installations, the install will work---we don't do that. They also found it
has something to do with the registry entries for Jet. They gave me a
workaround where you could import the Jet entries from a working system and
get the broken system to work. Who has time for that???

How long did it take you on the telephone? I spent almost an entire working
day on the telephone in a single call attempting to convince them they (not
me) actually had a problem (maybe I do have time to do the import). That
runs the cost much higher than £50.

I can probably fix it myself based on that information. More later...

I spent 45 mins on the phone, first logging it through the US - who refused to
do anything about it because the product is being used in the UK - explaining
that the US would have to fix it didn't get anywhere! I then called the UK and
logged it, which took forever trying to spell everything out to their Indian
call center - that's the frustrating part over!

I asked to be put through to the Office team, to go through the detail. I
explained to them that the MSI package had problems with entries in the
Advertising tables, as the product installs manually okay. I also explained
the symptoms, how to reproduce it etc.

Anyway, cutting a long an tedious story short. I went through your SRX call
with them, they seem to have made quite a bit of progress with it, but were
nowhere near a solution.

I wouldn't expect a solution anytime soon, Microsoft and I are still working on
a bug in Excel 2003, where files don't always save as their filename, they end
up as 8 char random alphanumeric filenames. We've been working on it for over
a year now, and I'm still not convinced we'll have a solution this year!

Back to your description of the problem. If it's entries within the Jet
engine, I presume they've given you either some files or a registry fix. If
you can post which files they arel and paste any reg files in, that will help
me. I know what the problem is, just pinning it down within the acc11.msi file
is a nightmare, because it's a very poorly created. I've done debugging on it,
which didn't really get me anyware.

I'll look at the Jet engine advertising sections over the weekend and run some
tests whilst I await your info. If I can pin it down, I can create an MST that
you can apply through Orca to the MSI to fix it. I suspect it's probably just
one registry entry that's at fault, that's usually the cause if this issue.

Jon

 

[Jon Abbott]

They did find that if you use per-machine installations rather than per-user

installations, the install will work---we don't do that. They also found it
has something to do with the registry entries for Jet. They gave me a
workaround where you could import the Jet entries from a working system and
get the broken system to work. Who has time for that???

How long did it take you on the telephone? I spent almost an entire working
day on the telephone in a single call attempting to convince them they (not
me) actually had a problem (maybe I do have time to do the import). That
runs the cost much higher than £50.

I can probably fix it myself based on that information. More later...

I spent 45 mins on the phone, first logging it through the US - who refused to
do anything about it because the product is being used in the UK - explaining
that the US would have to fix it didn't get anywhere! I then called the UK and
logged it, which took forever trying to spell everything out to their Indian
call center - that's the frustrating part over!

I asked to be put through to the Office team, to go through the detail. I
explained to them that the MSI package had problems with entries in the
Advertising tables, as the product installs manually okay. I also explained
the symptoms, how to reproduce it etc.

Anyway, cutting a long an tedious story short. I went through your SRX call
with them, they seem to have made quite a bit of progress with it, but were
nowhere near a solution.

I wouldn't expect a solution anytime soon, Microsoft and I are still working on
a bug in Excel 2003, where files don't always save as their filename, they end
up as 8 char random alphanumeric filenames. We've been working on it for over
a year now, and I'm still not convinced we'll have a solution this year!

Back to your description of the problem. If it's entries within the Jet
engine, I presume they've given you either some files or a registry fix. If
you can post which files they arel and paste any reg files in, that will help
me. I know what the problem is, just pinning it down within the acc11.msi file
is a nightmare, because it's a very poorly created. I've done debugging on it,
which didn't really get me anyware.

I'll look at the Jet engine advertising sections over the weekend and run some
tests whilst I await your info. If I can pin it down, I can create an MST that
you can apply through Orca to the MSI to fix it. I suspect it's probably just
one registry entry that's at fault, that's usually the cause if this issue.

Jon

 

[Michael]

Jon:

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

 

[Michael]

Jon:

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

 

[Michael]

Jon:

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

 

[Michael]

Jon:

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

 

[Michael]

Jon:

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

 

[Michael]

Jon:

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

 

[Michael]

Jon:

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

 

[Michael]

Jon:

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

 

[Michael]

Jon:

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

 

[Jon Abbott]

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the
problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once
can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

It's not come through, can you please post the reg key again (try plain text,
looks like you've pasted an HTML page).

If it's just a reg key, I can easily fix it. I suspect it's either missing
from the MSI or is not set to always install.

Jon

 

[Jon Abbott]

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the
problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once
can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

It's not come through, can you please post the reg key again (try plain text,
looks like you've pasted an HTML page).

If it's just a reg key, I can easily fix it. I suspect it's either missing
from the MSI or is not set to always install.

Jon

 

[Jon Abbott]

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the
problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once
can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

It's not come through, can you please post the reg key again (try plain text,
looks like you've pasted an HTML page).

If it's just a reg key, I can easily fix it. I suspect it's either missing
from the MSI or is not set to always install.

Jon

 

[Jon Abbott]

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the
problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once
can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

It's not come through, can you please post the reg key again (try plain text,
looks like you've pasted an HTML page).

If it's just a reg key, I can easily fix it. I suspect it's either missing
from the MSI or is not set to always install.

Jon

 

[Jon Abbott]

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the
problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once
can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

It's not come through, can you please post the reg key again (try plain text,
looks like you've pasted an HTML page).

If it's just a reg key, I can easily fix it. I suspect it's either missing
from the MSI or is not set to always install.

Jon

 

[Jon Abbott]

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the
problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once
can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

It's not come through, can you please post the reg key again (try plain text,
looks like you've pasted an HTML page).

If it's just a reg key, I can easily fix it. I suspect it's either missing
from the MSI or is not set to always install.

Jon

 

[Jon Abbott]

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the
problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once
can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

It's not come through, can you please post the reg key again (try plain text,
looks like you've pasted an HTML page).

If it's just a reg key, I can easily fix it. I suspect it's either missing
from the MSI or is not set to always install.

Jon

 

[Jon Abbott]

I'm pasting what they told me to do with the registry below:

Import the Jet registry key from a working computer. The following registry
key can be exported from a computer that is not exhibiting the problem (a
“good†computer) and imported to a computer that is exhibiting the
problem.
This will correct the issue. As always, great care should be taken when
working with the Windows registry, as some changes could render Windows
unusable. Both machines need to have the same OS and the “good†machine
should have Office 2003 SP2 installed and working properly (i.e. Access
launches normally). If a “good†computer does not currently exist, once
can
be created by installing Office 2003 from a CD, or another source other than
a user policy, and then patched to the SP2 level.

I'm more optimistic and hope a hotfix will be available shortly. They have
to get this problem solved because they're going to get hammered on it if
they don't. My history with them is hard to understand. Sometimes I get a
hotfix very easily and quickly; othertimes, I beg for one to solve a problem
that seriously affects me and I am totally ignored.

Michael

It's not come through, can you please post the reg key again (try plain text,
looks like you've pasted an HTML page).

If it's just a reg key, I can easily fix it. I suspect it's either missing
from the MSI or is not set to always install.

Jon