Automatic updates - Office XP vs Office 2003?

[Steve]

Hello,
I purchased "Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003" and installed it on
a machine running Windows XP. The past couple weeks, the automatic updates
icon pops up a message telling me that there are updates available. It is in
fact 1 update, titled "Critical Update for Office XP on Windows XP Service
Pack 2 (KB885884)".

So my question is this: is an Office XP update applicable to Office 2003?

Generally, in the past I have seen separate updates for each Office version.
Thanks in advance for any advice offered.

 

[Sky King]

Hi, Steve;

That update can sometimes incorrectly identify the version of Office you
currently have installed. The test for applicability is made based on a
file named "mso.dll" that is installed on your system.

If you check, it is likely that your system will have this file:

..:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Office10\MSO.DLL

This is the Office XP file, and the one triggering the update.

The normal Office 2003 one is located as .:\Program
Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE11\MSO.DLL

I've no idea where that second version of the file comes from, as it
will show up on a system that has never had any prior version of Office
installed. Possibly from one of the .Net Framework installation(s).

Curiously enough, if you allow 885884 to install via AU or even install
it manually, the above version 10 file does NOT get updated to the
version in the KB article
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;885884). And
an entry is made in the WindowsUpdate.log file that the update isn't
required. Despite that, WU History shows that the update is installed
and it is not offered again.

Anyway, to answer your question: Yes, sorta. You can either "hide"
the update or just let it install so you won't be nagged about it again.


--

....Sky

Tom "Sky" King
=============

 

[Steve]

Hello Tom,

Thanks very much for your response. I appreciate your time and advice.

You are right on the money... in the "Microsoft Shared" folder there are 2
Office folders; named "Office10" and "OFFICE11". I wonder how that happened?

This machine is a "refurbished" HP zv5410us notebook PC, which I picked up
really cheap ($400) as a close-out at a local computer store. Maybe previous
purchaser installed Office XP. I'm surprised that HP would not have
reformatted the drive prior to shipping the machine out as a refurbished unit.

Anyway, thanks very much.
Regards,
Steve