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  #1  
Old 01-26-2006, 09:16 AM
Sam Wereb Sam Wereb is offline
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Windows Installer Tries To Open at Random Times

Running Windows XP Home Edition and Internet Explorer 6. When I am browsing, Windows Installer often tries to open and install Microsoft Office 2000 SR-1 Premium. I try to cancel the installation each time, but cannot. Ultimately the installation will fail, stop itself and send me the message "The feature you are trying to use is on a CD-ROM or other removable disk that is not available." Then it prompts me to "Insert the Microsoft Office SR-1 Premium Disk and click OK," which I can't do because I don't have it, and would not do because I don't want it.

This seems to happen when I hit the same few sites, such as http://www.m-w.com and other reference sites like that.

What is happening here?
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  #2  
Old 01-26-2006, 10:57 AM
baks baks is offline
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Hmm...I'll give it a shot but there's not much to go on.

Scenario one: The message you seem to be describing is often seen on PC's with MS office installed and a portion of the program collection is started for the first time. You indicated you didn't have Office installed on your PC however you must have it installed already (at least in some capacity). What do you use for document editing? Spreadsheets? Email?

The other scenario is that you've got a new(-er) PC with some preloaded software. Often vendors will sell home computers with things like MS office, a Virus scanner, or other nifty but meaningless software packages. Usually these packages are time sensitive meaning you can install and use them however after a period of time you've got to buy a ####### to continue to use them. Each one of these preloaded software bundles has to be installed and MS Office does it in just the way you describe. If this is the case you can simply go into your control panel/add-remove programs, find and uninstall the MS Office package. Be careful though. You don't want to go uninstalling software you're actually using for something else (such as word, excel, outlook or powerpoint)! I wouldn't recommend doing this until there is much more communication as to what exactly you've got on your machine and what you are doing.

Have you tried to simply let the installer finish?
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  #3  
Old 01-26-2006, 11:06 AM
Sam Wereb Sam Wereb is offline
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Ahh... yes. I did once try to install a creatively-resourced copy of Office 2000 Premium but stopped the installation for some forgotten reason. This was a couple of years ago, but I'll try to find the CD and complete the installation.

I do have the standard Office suite that came bundled when I bought the PC.

Any idea why this happens only during browser sessions, though? That's the thing that bugs me.
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  #4  
Old 01-26-2006, 11:34 AM
baks baks is offline
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Could be any number of things however without seeing (or at least reading) an actual sequence of events .... . Remember the more information the better, no matter how trivial (like 'I was playing solitaire while listening to a web cast when I decided to surf for some new music') when attempting fixes like this. I can't count the times I struggled for days with a problem before the end user tells me 'Oh yeah! I forgot to mention I was doing <insert action here>'.

A guess is you've attempted to do some website design or editing and FrontPage (a MS web design software package) is trying to now load ... but that's a guess. Again I need more info.
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  #5  
Old 01-26-2006, 11:42 AM
Sam Wereb Sam Wereb is offline
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Thanks, baks. I appreciate your time. It happens like this:

I open my browser and go to a reference site, something like http://www.m-w.com, one that has a lot of active content - usually advertisements. Windows Installer starts and events proceed as I described them relative to the Office Premium SR-1 package. I am still trying to find the CD for that.

This never happens when I use any other program - only Internet Explorer. I don't use FrontPage. I use DreamWeaver MX 2004. I mentioned website advertisements - I am using the Google pop-up blocker. This seems to only happen when browsing a site with a lot of ads. Is that a clue or a coincidence?

Last edited by Sam Wereb; 01-26-2006 at 11:47 AM.
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  #6  
Old 01-26-2006, 12:23 PM
baks baks is offline
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What is listed in your installed programs under MS office and what do you use for your document editing etc? Also what patches/service packs do you have for your OS (operating system)? They all should be shown in your installed programs list, towards the bottom.

Last edited by baks; 01-26-2006 at 12:54 PM.
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  #7  
Old 01-26-2006, 02:41 PM
Sam Wereb Sam Wereb is offline
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I have Microsoft Works 6.0 and Windows XP Service Pack 2. I use Microsoft Word to edit documents most often, and Dreamweaver occasionally.

It happened when I went to these sites today: http://www.m-w.com and http://www.nationalreview.com. When I go back to test them, even right now, it happens every time my browser loads those sites. Maybe this is some kind of anti-capitalist liberal media subterfuge?
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  #8  
Old 01-26-2006, 02:46 PM
Sam Wereb Sam Wereb is offline
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Incidentally, a web search delivered this page http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1010140153 None of these problems describe mine, precisely, but they sound similar. Should I follow this advice?
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  #9  
Old 01-26-2006, 03:28 PM
baks baks is offline
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If you don't know what you're doing with the registry it's always better to simply not mess with it. If you delete the wrong key it can seriously effect the way your computer runs (or doesn't run after the deletion ).

The thread you point to suggests reinstalling the office suite as a possible solution. I think I've already suggested that. An alternative, assuming you do not use any of the Microsoft Office products, is to simply remove the program from your installed programs list.

Also the thread you referenced suggests that Office is trying to add a component that wasn't installed from the beginning. I kind of mentioned that in the first reply but not in such detail. I still think this is your problem. I'm not sure exactly what Office figures it's missing, especially if you aborted the original install, but it is trying to add a component that wasn't installed originally.

Bottom line: I would try to uninstall the MS Office 2000 suite. If you don't use it there is no use in it taking up space.

You didn't answer the other part of the question though. Do you keep your PC patched regularly? ESPECIALLY if you have a high speed internet connection? The reason I'm asking is one of the things that ran thru my head the first time I read your post was 'possible remote code execution?' (I really don't think this is your case however it was a security flaw in IE dealt with in the Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (905915)).

Ack! Hope this reply makes sense! I've been adding to it for almost an hour while dealing with other problems...
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  #10  
Old 01-26-2006, 04:25 PM
Sam Wereb Sam Wereb is offline
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---- Do you keep your PC patched regularly? ESPECIALLY if you have a high speed internet connection? ---

What do you mean by patched? I opt for regular security updates from Microsoft and I do have a high-speed connection. Is that right?

I read that same advisory, today. I don't think it's happening. There is nothing to gain from spying on my machine - only some highly specialized but trivial info.

Last edited by Sam Wereb; 01-26-2006 at 04:27 PM.
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  #11  
Old 01-26-2006, 04:44 PM
baks baks is offline
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That's exactly what I was asking. You're already getting the automatic updates.

When you talk about 'Works' does that mean you have the original productivity suite included with your computer (called Microsoft Works Suite, it included MS Word 2002...) or do you actually use Microsoft Works (it was a similar word processor to Word).

Again, take a peek in your installed program list and see if you have multiple copies of Microsoft (office, works, word ... whatever). Maybe this whole thread could have been avoided and we got rid of the Office 2002 edition and left the Works suite.

Boy this would be a whole lot easier if I could just get my fingers on your keyboard.
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  #12  
Old 01-26-2006, 05:17 PM
Sam Wereb Sam Wereb is offline
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Yes, I have automatic update ON.

I use Microsoft Word. It came bundled on this PC when I bought it from Dell.

The best way I know to view my installed programs is Start | Control Panel | Add or Remove Programs and let the list populate. When I do that I see the programs relative to our discussion, in order of appearance from top to bottom

Microsoft Office 2000 SR-1 Premium
Microsoft Word 2002
Microsoft Works 2002 Setup Launcher
Microsoft Works 6.0
Microsoft Works suite add-in for Microsoft Word
Windows Installer 3.1 KB893803
Windows XP Service Pack 2

I have never manually altered my registry.

I do have a partial installation of Office Premium, it seems. Here's the background regarding that.

When I first bought the computer my brother asked me if I had Office Premium. He sent a copy to me a few days later. I started to install it , but cancelled it after a few seconds. I was feeling guilty for not buying it and decided I shouldn't install it. This was when the RIAA had just begun to sue everybody for copyright violations with music files. I had written a paper in support of that and felt I would be a hypocrite if I installed unpaid software. Then I forgot about it as time went by.

Anyway, I'm guessing that what I need to do is delete it. I think it's trying to finish or perfect the interrupted installation from three years ago. Thing is, though, it only started doing this about a month ago. And that makes it harder to understand.

Last edited by Sam Wereb; 01-26-2006 at 05:19 PM.
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  #13  
Old 01-26-2006, 05:30 PM
baks baks is offline
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You got it boss. Delete only the Microsoft Office 2000 SR-1 Premium entry. The rest is part of the Works SUITE.

As to the 'why now...': There have been lots of advances recently with web page design and delivery. It's entirely possible that web sites you've been accessing for a long time have recently updated with newer software, leaving the page looking the same as you remember. MS Office 2000 has a lot of automatic components and integration with HTML and IE. Heck, you can turn on your active desktop and stick your favorite web page as your wallpaper!

If for some reason the program will not uninstall we can look at finding you a free Registry fixer/cleaner. I really wouldn't suggest poking around in your registry 'free hand'.

'Good nite. AFK till tomorrow
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  #14  
Old 01-26-2006, 07:58 PM
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cavetech cavetech is offline
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Hi Sam:

I've seen this many times. Just put the MS Office CD in and make it happy.

If you don't want MS Office uninstall it like mentioned above. If you can't uninstall it because of the old aborted install, then install it, restart your computer and then uninstall it.

You're on the right track with regular Windows Updates. Keep cleaning spyware out of your computer. You may not have anything of importance on your machine, but spyware is a bad thing and one day you may get something real bad or your machine can slow down because of them. You will also get spammed by the info they collect on you and send.

If you need links to free safe anti spyware let me know.


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