Windows Installer runs everytime Word/Excel is opened

K

KMK123

First a little history. This is the second time I'm posting for help on this
subject. The 2 replies I got the first time recommended actions I aready
took or did not apply to my setup. Had Windows XP (the only OS and only on
the master HD) and Office Pro 2003 SP2 (the only version of Office installed)
on one small internal hard drive, running without problems. Installed
another larger hard drive. Used Western Digital software to copy all of
small HD to larger HD. Made larger HD master/main/boot drive. Made the
smaller HD the slave, reformatted it, use it now for the destination of
Norton Ghost backups/restore points for the master HD. When I opened Word
after all that got:

Windows Installer
This patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch exists and
that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that this
is a valid Windows Installer patch package.

I read posts here about the same problem, found and used the following
solution provided in replies: See http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=295823
"You receive the 'This patch package could not be opened' errror message in
Office 2003, in Office XP, or in Office 2000". That article describes
Windows Installer CleanUp Utility which I installed and ran. Then
reinstalled Office 2003. That cleared the "Patch package" problem. Going to
Help/About in Office program shows 2003 SP2 version.

Now for my current problem. When I open Word and Excel I get something I
did NOT get before:

Dialog box #1:
Windows Installer
Preparing to install...

Dialog box #2:
Installing components for Microsoft [Word or Excel]
Installing: Microsoft Word featue

The process can take an annoyingly long time before a Word window opens even
after the second dialog box closes (for Excel the second dialog box appears
for a split second and a window opens quickly after that) . To top it off,
(and this is the reason I know this wasn't happening before) I have Norton
Ghost installed and set to creat a new recovery point any time a new
application is installed, and it is now kicking off every time Word is opened
for the first time every user after they log on. Is there a way to get back
to not having the Windows Installer to run when opening Office 2003 Word or
Excel?

I have seen several other folks posts here requesting help on the same
problem, some of them got and following recommended fixes, including using
the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility, they still have the problem, and no
other advice or explanation follows. Does anyone know if Microsoft is even
aware of this problem for Office 2003? I searched the MS Knowlege Base for
this problem and only found something for Office 2000, not 2003.

Thanks in advance for any help
 
B

bxb7668

I'll make one suggest that I don't see in you post. Have you logged on
and opened an Office application using an account with Administrator
rights? You must do this once for the appropriate registry entries to
be created.

Brian

KMK123 said:
First a little history. This is the second time I'm posting for
help on this
subject. The 2 replies I got the first time recommended actions I
aready
took or did not apply to my setup. Had Windows XP (the only OS and
only on
the master HD) and Office Pro 2003 SP2 (the only version of Office
installed)
on one small internal hard drive, running without problems.
Installed
another larger hard drive. Used Western Digital software to copy
all of
small HD to larger HD. Made larger HD master/main/boot drive. Made
the
smaller HD the slave, reformatted it, use it now for the destination
of
Norton Ghost backups/restore points for the master HD. When I
opened Word
after all that got:

Windows Installer
This patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch exists
and
that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify
that this
is a valid Windows Installer patch package.

I read posts here about the same problem, found and used the
following
solution provided in replies: See
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=295823
"You receive the 'This patch package could not be opened' errror
message in
Office 2003, in Office XP, or in Office 2000". That article
describes
Windows Installer CleanUp Utility which I installed and ran. Then
reinstalled Office 2003. That cleared the "Patch package" problem.
Going to
Help/About in Office program shows 2003 SP2 version.

Now for my current problem. When I open Word and Excel I get
something I
did NOT get before:

Dialog box #1:
Windows Installer
Preparing to install...

Dialog box #2:
Installing components for Microsoft [Word or Excel]
Installing: Microsoft Word featue

The process can take an annoyingly long time before a Word window
opens even
after the second dialog box closes (for Excel the second dialog box
appears
for a split second and a window opens quickly after that) . To top
it off,
(and this is the reason I know this wasn't happening before) I have
Norton
Ghost installed and set to creat a new recovery point any time a new
application is installed, and it is now kicking off every time Word
is opened
for the first time every user after they log on. Is there a way to
get back
to not having the Windows Installer to run when opening Office 2003
Word or
Excel?

I have seen several other folks posts here requesting help on the
same
problem, some of them got and following recommended fixes, including
using
the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility, they still have the problem,
and no
other advice or explanation follows. Does anyone know if Microsoft
is even
aware of this problem for Office 2003? I searched the MS Knowlege
Base for
this problem and only found something for Office 2000, not 2003.

Thanks in advance for any help
 
K

KMK123

All user accounts on the PC have Administrator rights.

bxb7668 said:
I'll make one suggest that I don't see in you post. Have you logged on
and opened an Office application using an account with Administrator
rights? You must do this once for the appropriate registry entries to
be created.

Brian

KMK123 said:
First a little history. This is the second time I'm posting for
help on this
subject. The 2 replies I got the first time recommended actions I
aready
took or did not apply to my setup. Had Windows XP (the only OS and
only on
the master HD) and Office Pro 2003 SP2 (the only version of Office
installed)
on one small internal hard drive, running without problems.
Installed
another larger hard drive. Used Western Digital software to copy
all of
small HD to larger HD. Made larger HD master/main/boot drive. Made
the
smaller HD the slave, reformatted it, use it now for the destination
of
Norton Ghost backups/restore points for the master HD. When I
opened Word
after all that got:

Windows Installer
This patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch exists
and
that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify
that this
is a valid Windows Installer patch package.

I read posts here about the same problem, found and used the
following
solution provided in replies: See
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=295823
"You receive the 'This patch package could not be opened' errror
message in
Office 2003, in Office XP, or in Office 2000". That article
describes
Windows Installer CleanUp Utility which I installed and ran. Then
reinstalled Office 2003. That cleared the "Patch package" problem.
Going to
Help/About in Office program shows 2003 SP2 version.

Now for my current problem. When I open Word and Excel I get
something I
did NOT get before:

Dialog box #1:
Windows Installer
Preparing to install...

Dialog box #2:
Installing components for Microsoft [Word or Excel]
Installing: Microsoft Word featue

The process can take an annoyingly long time before a Word window
opens even
after the second dialog box closes (for Excel the second dialog box
appears
for a split second and a window opens quickly after that) . To top
it off,
(and this is the reason I know this wasn't happening before) I have
Norton
Ghost installed and set to creat a new recovery point any time a new
application is installed, and it is now kicking off every time Word
is opened
for the first time every user after they log on. Is there a way to
get back
to not having the Windows Installer to run when opening Office 2003
Word or
Excel?

I have seen several other folks posts here requesting help on the
same
problem, some of them got and following recommended fixes, including
using
the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility, they still have the problem,
and no
other advice or explanation follows. Does anyone know if Microsoft
is even
aware of this problem for Office 2003? I searched the MS Knowlege
Base for
this problem and only found something for Office 2000, not 2003.

Thanks in advance for any help
 
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