Comments on: Office 2003 keeps trying to re-install with registration errors!

Question: Office 2003 keeps trying to re-install with registration errors!

NotMyselfRightNow — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 05:38:18 -0800

Ack! Microsoft Office is revolting against me! Help! Save me! [More Inside, of course]

I have a Gateway 200X laptop that is about six months old, running Windows XP. I purchased and installed Office 2003 along with it, and am now starting to have difficulties with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

When I go to start up one of the programs, I get the following series of messages and errors (this being specifically taken from trying to open Word this morning):

(1) Preparing to Install

(2) Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003

(3) Error 1402. Setup cannot open the registry key HTKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common
(Click OK)

(4) Error 1402. Setup cannot open the registry key HTKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word
(Click OK)

[Program Starts]

(5) User Name. Please enter your full name and initials below:
Name: Owner
Initials: O
(Click OK)

(6) User Name. Please enter your full name and initials below:
Name: Owner
Initials: O
(Click OK)

And then the program starts for me. Things work, but it's frustrating as all hell to go through this every time I want to open up a program. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks!

By: seanyboy

seanyboy — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 06:03:04 -0800

Sound like either an Access rights or corruption issue to me...

options....
delete key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common or set the correct access rights.

To get rid of it...
Click Start, run, regedit [Return]
Find "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common"
Rename it to "Not-so-common"

To check access rights,
Click Start, run, Regedt32
Find "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common"
Click Security, and Permissions
Make sure that your user has full control.
If not, Go up a level at a time until the "inheritable user permissions" tickbox becomes unticked, and add yourself to the rights list with Full access.

By: seanyboy

seanyboy — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 06:05:21 -0800

Other option is that it really does say H(T)KEY_CURRENT_USER, in which case, I suspect something else may be the issue.
Plus - What I said above, you should apply to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Office\" instead of "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common"

By: NotMyselfRightNow

NotMyselfRightNow — Thu, 30 Sep 2004 06:36:31 -0800

Thanks, seanyboy. I'm at the office right now, and my laptop is at home, but I'll give it a try tonight!