UNSOLVED
C
Computer_Geeket
4 Posts
0
1266
March 31st, 2004 04:00
Office XP cannot find windows installer
I have a customer who is attempting to install Office XP onto her Dell computer (not sure of the model at this point. will find out more later re: that) and she is getting the message: Windows Installer cannot be located...blah blah blah.
We have tried everything from checking the location in the registry (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=324516) to copying and pasting the installation file to various directories and nothing is working.
I am having her do a repair tonight but do not really expect this to work as no other fixes that I know of have thus far.
I work off of Windows XP Pro upgrade from Windows 98SE. I am going to assume that Windows Home is basically the same, meaning that most of the system files are in the system32 folder not the typical c:\windows folder.
I have noticed other posts that are SIMILAR to this problem, but does not address this specific problem. She currently has MS Works, I believe, on her system as this was standard with the Dell package.
Anyone have any ideas on this issue??
540
0
Posted March 31st, 2004 04:00
Thank you for the quick response, Denny.
I am going to take a leap and 'assume' that you are meaning to expand from the command prompt? Or would that be also through the run window? given the characters that you are using, I would think it would be the command prompt.
The first option seems to be the easiest. I will send her an email and let her know this information BEFORE she does the reinstallation of Windows.
Sheesh! Such work just to install a simple program suite!
540
0
Posted March 31st, 2004 15:00
Computer_Geekette,
Your assumption is correct. You enter the expand command after going to Start|Run and entering cmd to open the command prompt.
540
0
Posted March 31st, 2004 17:00
Now it is telling her that she has the wrong operating system. It says she is running windows 95, even tho she reinstalled xp.
540
0
Posted March 31st, 2004 21:00
I did refer her to a technician in our area that I have worked with for years. When speaking to him on the phone re:her problem, he mentioned that he had indeed run across something very similar the past couple of months and it turned out to be a virus of some sort. I imagine he will back up her data and wipe the hard drive for her, if she allows him to do that. If not, I have an alternate program with which she can do her website work with.
Thanks for the input, Denny.
540
0
Posted March 31st, 2004 21:00
Computer_Geekette,
I can't imagine what has caused that glitch. I would suggest that further troubleshooting would be more profitable if done on-site rather than via email, as it's not possible to know exactly what is being done to the system at the other end of an email connection.
Denny Denham
2 Intern
•
18798 Posts
540
0
Posted March 31st, 2004 04:00
If the file is corrupted it could be replaced with System File Checker (Start|Run, type sfc /scannow and OK). A repair reinstall should also replace it although it will require her to reinstall all the Windows Updates she has installed since receiving the computer.
Another option is to expand the file from the I386 folder using expand X:\i386\msiexe.ex_ c:\windows\system32\msiexec.exe where X: is replaced by the drive letter of her CD-ROM drive.