Solved: Office XP with Frontpage installation prompt again and again

[moejoe]

My laptop (a hand-me-down) came loaded with Office XP - I don't have the installation software. For some unknown reason (I think because a while back I tried to access a web document that had Asian characters, but I can't be sure), every single time my laptop boots up and/or when I try to open up a Word or Excel document, I get the window "Preparing to install" and then "Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft Office XP Professional with Front Page" then a third window "Insert the Microsoft Office XP Professional with Front Page disk and click OK". I can click cancel and it goes away, but this happens every single time I start Excel or Word or the computer.
I dont have the removable disk, and when I go to the Microsoft site, I can't find the file(s) I need to get whatever is out there to stop this prompt. It's driving me crazy, and I don't know how to stop this from happening. Anyone know what to do?

 

[Gregor1234]

I have had this exact same problem using Office 2000 in Win95, Win 2000, and Win XP.
The Office XP problem may be different.

The solution that was ultimately employed required copying the Office installation CD files to folders on the hard drive, installing Office from there and leaving the installation files on the hard drive permanantly. (So, whenever Office thinks it needs to access the installation files, it finds them right there on the hard drive and doesn't bother me with a promt to supply them.) Unfortunately, you can't use this solution because you don't have the installation CDs.

I recall that there was an article about this it in the Microsoft Knowledge base that offered a fix that involved changing some registry settings. I've searched several possibilities but can't seem to find it now.

You may want to try searching yourself:
Try searching http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1

I don't know if you've ever searched the MS KB before but what you'll find is the solution is often described in articles that describe problems that are very similar but not identical to the one you're having. So the article may describe the same problem in a different version of office or may describe the same problem occuring under a different set of circumstances.

You may simply have to put up with ignoring the prompt.

Good Luck!

 

[moejoe]

It seems that I need to find the installation package "PROPLUS.MSI" to fix the problem. I was able to get my hands on a Windows XP Professional (re)Installation CD including Service Pack 2, but that isn't bringing me any closer to a solution (proplus.msi is not on the CD). I also searched MS KB, but haven't had any luck figuring out what (else) I can do.

I just tried to run Excel and found that cancelling out of those maddening installation prompts doesn't work anymore. Instead I get the message "fatal error during installation" and the Excel program will not start at all. I don't know what I did while trying to "fix" things - but now have made things worse. I have NO idea what to do now. Any pointers welcome.

 

[TheOutcaste]

Maybe this thread can help

http://forums.techguy.org/business-...ror-proplus-msi-needed.html?highlight=proplus

Good Luck

 

[moejoe]

Yes, this thread is exactly what I need to be looking at - thanks TheOutcaste for that advice. I'm trying the fixes recommended there and feeling more hopeful...

 

[TheOutcaste]

Glad to help. I see from your post in the other thread that you seem to have resolved the issue. If so, you can use the "Thread Tools" at the top to Mark the thread as Solved.

Jerry