Ok, where to start?

This past weekend, I tried to upgrade my Win 98 SE computer to Win XP. Install went fine, everything looked beautiful and then I went to Windows Updates and get the latest patches. That's when the trouble started, but did not end.

Once I tried installing the Windows Geniune Advantage Validation Tool (KB892130) which was one it recommended, it asked to reboot to finish the install. Problem was, once it rebooted, every time it tried to load windows, it performed a scan disk because it kept telling me that there was a problem with the Registry. It kept finding files and converting them, but it never loaded windows. Each reboot would find more problems and convert and then reboot.

I tried booting in Safe mode to see if I could fix. It let me in, but once I tried rebooting the same thing started all over again.

So......

I tried installing Windows 2000, which is what I have on my laptop.

That installed fine too. Converted over to NTFS files from FAT32. Searched for and updated to Service Pack 4 (which took hours). I think I got it working fine.... EXCEPT (and this is the real problem)

Office (except Excel) only works if I'm logged in as Administrator, and not at all if I'm logged in as anything else. It keeps trying to load Windows Installer. (It also pops up every time I try to do a search in Windows until I eventually time it out by cancelling).

So I tried reinstalling Office from CD, but it won't work. I initially got an error 1606 Could Not Access Network Location. Doing a search on the Microsoft Knowledge Base only revealed that it was related to MS Works, which was never on my computer.

So next I tried UNINSTALLING Office to just do a clean install. But I can't even do that!!!! It keeps trying to load the Windows Installer and keeps looking for a "data1.ms1" file that doesn't exist. (again, MS KB says it's a Works file, not an office file).

Sorry if this is so long, but I wanted as much detail as possible, so you can understand what I've already tried.

I've been scouring the web for fixes (like upgrading office to SR1, 2 or even 3) but each of them won't install properly.

So now it's in your capable (I hope) hands. Any suggestions? Fixes? Workarounds???

This

http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9...1bd/msicuu2.exe

is the link for the Windows installer clean up utility from here

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;290301

Use it to remove Office, check add and remove for Office, run disc clean up to check the Office installation files are not there

Thanks for the speedy reply, but I'm a little confused. Both links are the same file.

Also, I installed it, but all it did was install but not run. I tried using Add/Remove programs and still get the same problem. It's trying to load the Windows Installer and look for the Office Disk used to originally install the program (which I don't have - it was stolen), hence I'm trying to use a new version but it won't work.

I put both links so you could check where the download was from

If you open the installer clean up you can select Office then run it and it will remove Office install files

Well, the utility seemed to work since it's no longer showing up in my Add/Remove programs, but the shortcuts remain, which makes me wonder how much it really removed. (Excel files went to standard "I don't recognize extension logo", but Word files are still showing the blue W).

Tried running the install again, and got back to one of the original errors that started this whole problem.... "Error 1606 Could Not Access Network Location <%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu/Programs/Administrative Tools\.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Is it a corporate version of Office?

Yes.

1. Click Start, and then click Run.

2. In the Open box, type regedit and then click OK.

3. On the File menu, click Export.

4. Check the dot is in all for Export Range

5. In the Save in box, select a location where you want to save the Registration Entries (.reg) file, type a file name in the File name box, and then click Save.

http://consumer.installshield.com/kb.asp?id=Q110724

I really appreciate the help you've offered me so far.

I did everything the link asked me to do. Some were set to the C: drive, most were set to %alluserprofiles% for my two logins. Added the one value missing and rebooted.

Tried the install and got stuck at the same place. For some reason it just won't access that folder option on my start menu. There has to be some setting that's not granting permission and I just cannot figure it out.

Could I possibly implore upon you for some other ideas?

This seems to have more keys to play with, can you let me know if they are the same as the ones from the previous link

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/886549/en-us