Can not install updates

[Joe]

Hello,
Have both office 2003 and project 2003 installed on the computer, which is
XPSP2. I can not get SP3 to install on both office and project. If I install
it for Office, then Project fails to install...if I install it for Project
then office sp3 fails to load.

I have verified that the OSE service is running, replaced OSE.exe, verified
registry settings are correct, used the local installation files tool from
MS, installed both software packages from CD instead of through GPO, rebuilt
the computer (5 times now) and installed office then patched 100% before
installing project and trying to patch as well as the other way around. I
have rebuilt the computer and installed only office (or project) updates
before any XP updates.

Account I am using has admin rights, admin has full rights to the
directories and registry. Again, this is a *new* build so there are no
registry cleaners involved, viruses, spyware, etc.

Any ideas?

 

[Joe]

I ended up slipstreaming SP3 into the Project installation files and that
worked...I can also apply follow-up patches.

It would still be nice to know why the software doesn't work like it should
though.