2002 Upgarde Followup

[Jan Il]

Hi all -

I posted a while back a problem I was having with upgrading from Office 2000
to OXP. My problems were not only limited to PPT, but many features in the
forms and reports in Access were not working properly either, such as
command buttons and Special effects. Word was a mess too, as I also
mentioned.

Well..with the help of some very kind folks on the Access and Windows ME
newsgroups, I finally found the root of the problem and the upgrade has now
been completed successfully. I want to thank all the many great folks here
who also helped in pointing me to the right trail to finally be able to
track down the mystery culprit.

I was unable to uninstall or reinstall either of the two Office programs.
When trying to uninstall, it would get almost to the end and then I got an
error message of 'Error 1336: There was an error creating a temporary file
that is needed to complete this installation'. It never said in which
folder, or file it could not create.

I in the course of troubleshooting I dug around in the bowels and basement
of all the files and trees of the PC, not really knowing what the heck I was
looking for. I stumbled onto a file that said msievent.log in C:\Windows.
Being desperate to check any type of .'log' file at this point,
I opened this log in Notepad, and there was a very detailed list of all
kinds of events, including the results of each, dating back to about march
this year to yesterday.

In reading through this log, I came across an entry that said;
------------------------
12/6/2003 17:28:50 (Error ) Product: Microsoft Office XP
Professional -- Error 1336. There was an error creating a temporary file
that is needed to complete this installation. Folder: C:\Config.Msi\.
System error code: 82
------------------------
I sent this to Dirk Goldgar, the Access MVP who was helping with the Access
issues for his review. Now...we had a clue..at least we knew then where it
was trying to create the temporary file. When I hunted up the Config.Msi
folder and checked the files, there were 32,137 files, all but two were Type
RBF files, the 2 were Type RBS files. Not knowing what they were for, I
went to the WinME ng and asked my MVP buds there what these types of files
related to. Turns out they are an over growth of junk from the Norton
Utility System Doctor, which I had installed a few months ago to use the
Speed Disk in partitioning my hard drive with Partitioning Magic. I didn't
want to do anything until I had the Office progs in order, so I forgot about
it. I was told to just delete the entire folder and reboot, then try the
Uninstall of the 2002 and 2000. Worked like a hot knife in warm butter.
;-))

Once the uninstall was done, I used the Eraser2k, and then a couple of extra
utilities suggested by one of the other Access MVP's. One is the
offclean.exe, which is on the CD for 2002, and the other is offcln9.exe on
the 2000 CD. The extra utilities ultimately were of great value, as the one
for 2000 alone cleared out a lot of residue that freed up over 30,000 KB of
disk space!

I then reinstalled just the OXP without the 2000 and all programs and
documents in all programs are working as they should.

Whew! After five days of almost non-stop troubleshooting, testing and
research, I feel like I've been pulled through a knothole sideways!

I know this is rather lengthy, but, I wanted to pass along the findings and
results for those who might be interested, and as a follow-up for all those
who have been working with me to resolve this problem here on the PPT
newsgroup.

Many thanks to all here for your time and help with this issue. I truly do
appreciate it very much.

Now...I'm going to go and passout quietly....zzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Jan Il]

Beat ya to it Steve....yes..it's supposed to be UPGRADE...

(snicker)

 

[Mike M.]

Hey Jan, one woman's upgarde in another womans upgrade...... Glad you
sorted out your problem. That wasn't so bad was it? <g> I can imagine my
75 yo father trying to figure that out.

 

[Michael Koerner]

I'm sure that your dad would have no problem sorting this out. Being from the
same generation, olden days logic works wonders in these day and age. ;-o))

I must agree that Jan did some excellent detective work in getting her problem
fixed.

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Hey Jan, one woman's upgarde in another womans upgrade...... Glad you
sorted out your problem. That wasn't so bad was it? <g> I can imagine my
75 yo father trying to figure that out.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Beat ya to it Steve....yes..it's supposed to be UPGRADE...

Considering what it's put you through, I thought "En Garde" might be more
apt.

Thanks for that post. That need to go on my mental list of mysterious
problem troubleshooting tips: Log files.

I still want five minutes alone in a soundproofed room with the ass who
thinks up these error messages. The one moment in time when they know
exactly what file is causing the problem, where it's supposed to be, or
where they want to put it but can't and they toss the opportunity to tell
you what you need to know to make it work. Unbelievable.

 

[Jan Il]

Hey Mikey!

Hey Jan, one woman's upgarde in another womans upgrade...... Glad you
sorted out your problem. That wasn't so bad was it? <g> I can imagine my
75 yo father trying to figure that out.

I sure had a lot of up's 'n down's...and said a few up's 'n down's, too.
Ok... ok...after a while I said a whole lot of 'em! <G>

Well...ya could say I've taken up fencing agaiin.....got the front yard done
last week...working on the lower 40 this week to keep the neighbors goats
out. ;-)

Now don't go selling old folks short.....they can think up more ways to get
into more fixes faster than you can get 'em out of 'em. In my case it's
like having two 3 years old in the house.....who tend to turn into a couple
of Sea Gulls at times...MINE! MINE! MINE! Both my folks were only
children......and now I know why....<g>

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Michael -

I'm sure that your dad would have no problem sorting this out. Being from the
same generation, olden days logic works wonders in these day and age.

;-o))

Yeah...I'm sometimes amazed at some of the logic my dad comes up with from
time to time. Scary. But, it usually works out ok for him anyway. Mom, on
the other hand is very down to earth in her logic. If it looks like a duck,
walks like a duck, and sounds like a duck, then it's a duck. But, then I
remind her of the turkey that thought it was chicken.
For days she just sits and looks at dad and asks.."Why is there air...??"

I must agree that Jan did some excellent detective work in getting her

problem fixed.

Thanks Michael, this was a real mind bender for me. Well....yeah.. some
days just trying to figure out getting out of bed in the morning can do
that, but... this was a first encounter of it's kind for me. Going through
all the bazillion files and folders with no real clue of what I was looking
for made me feel like I was traveling into the abyss. I'm sure glad I
tripped over that file when I did, 'cause it looked like the bottom was
coming up awfully fast. <g>

Jan

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Hey Jan, one woman's upgarde in another womans upgrade...... Glad you
sorted out your problem. That wasn't so bad was it? <g> I can imagine my
75 yo father trying to figure that out.

Beat ya to it Steve....yes..it's supposed to be UPGRADE...

(snicker)

 

[Jan Il]

"> > Beat ya to it Steve....yes..it's supposed to be UPGRADE...

Considering what it's put you through, I thought "En Garde" might be more

apt.

Well..I did think I was challenging windmills...and the windmills kept

Thanks for that post. That need to go on my mental list of mysterious
problem troubleshooting tips: Log files.

Your welcome. When I find something that is a bit out of the ordinary, to
me anyway, I like to pass it along, as someone else might be able to use the
info at some point. Plus, with all the time and assistance received here
with this issue, I wanted to let folks know that their efforts had a very
positve outcome. All the PPT operating problems I had been having are now
resolved, at least as far as I can tell at this point. ;-))

I still want five minutes alone in a soundproofed room with the ass who
thinks up these error messages. The one moment in time when they know
exactly what file is causing the problem, where it's supposed to be, or
where they want to put it but can't and they toss the opportunity to tell
you what you need to know to make it work. Unbelievable.

Yeah..and I'd like to have the next 30 minutes with 'em with a cattle prod
and bunch of toothpicks for propping open their eye lids for a couple of
days. If I had not just happened to have noticed that file 'cause it just
looked different, then decided to open it in Notepad...I would probably
still be trying to figure out the problem yet. It turned out to be the only
clue to the whole method of finding the solution. Sorta like the Rosetta
Stone.

It really is senseless of programmers to create error messages and then not
even tell you what, or where, or suggest some method of how to find an
answer. Do they just think up all these error numbers then write some vague
message to go with that pops up in your face at any old bump in the road?
If not, then they should at least be more informative. What is the use of
telling you that an error has happened and then not tell you what it's all
about? It's like when someone posts here saying only "I have a problem."
Perhaps they forget that not all users are as techy as they are, or mind
readers, and a bit more info is required for us to relate to the messages
to find a clue or an answer.

I gotta tell ya...I was really surprised at all the different logs, text
documents and other types of thingies that the various programs use to
record what happens on your computer. I never knew there were so many
different kinds, even for the same programs. Some of it is really good to
know about, and comforting to know that this information is avaliable to you
on your computer. Others are truly very scary, and makes you realize just
how easy and simple it is for something, or someone, to invade your world
and you don't even know it.

I have noted several logs that are good references and am going to back them
up from time to time to a CD to make sure I have a good record source for
reference, just in case I ever need to go back and check a series of events
to see what and when a problem began, and what might have contributed to it,
such as this kind of situation. Sometimes it' pays to be a packrat.... <g>

Jan

 

[Mike M.]

Well, now I have to chime in from the other side. Being a long time
programmer I have had my share of pulling my hair out trying to word/phrase
error messages. Many of the errors are the result of "other" components
maybe not written by programmer who bumps against it. All we know is some
code we tried to execute didn't succeed and aren't given the slightest clue
as to why. So we just have to throw up an error number 0xCD00110B and hope
nobody calls! In fact, much of the Windows API and system calls are like
this. Then there are other times if I tried to explain to a user what
really happened (technically) they would pull their skirt over their head
and run screaming from the room. So once again I pull out the old familiar
error number 0xCD00110B and ask them to try again later. ;-)

HTH <g>

 

[Jan Il]

Well, now I have to chime in from the other side. Being a long time

programmer I have had my share of pulling my hair out trying to
word/phrase error messages.

Well...that does explains a few things.....<vbg>

Many of the errors are the result of "other" components

maybe not written by programmer who bumps against it. All we know is some
code we tried to execute didn't succeed and aren't given the slightest

clue as to why. So we just have to throw up an error number 0xCD00110B and
hope

nobody calls! In fact, much of the Windows API and system calls are like
this.

'k..I see your point, but, I'm no technical or program expert by any
stretch, and I just got lucky, pure and simple, in finding that particular
log file.

Then there are other times if I tried to explain to a user what

really happened (technically) they would pull their skirt over their head
and run screaming from the room. So once again I pull out the old familiar
error number 0xCD00110B and ask them to try again later. ;-)

This is my point, most users don't know what all this information that isn't
information is trying to tell them. (Note: remember to wear jeans on visit
to office regarding techincal information....<VBG>)

Jan

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

It really is senseless of programmers to create error messages and then
not

even tell you what, or where, or suggest some method of how to find an
answer.

Reminds me of my brother when he was little. He'd sit at the dinner table
and just ... scream until he got what he wanted. Wouldn't point, wouldn't
ask for it, though by that time he could talk enough to do so. Programs are
like that. They whine but won't tell you what they're whining about. Sick.

 

[Mike M.]

Awwwwww, what I posted before is just a bunch of hooey. We are really just
bored, lazy and too busy surfing the net to bother with meaningful error
messages! Who cares if a bunch of users complain to the support people.
That's what they are there for. <lazy g>

http://www.slacker.com/

 

[Echo S]

woohoo! (bout time!)

Echo