Cannot install SP3--missing PRO.MSI

[Jamie M]

Hi,

I am running Office XP on Win XP Pro. When I tried to update Office with
SP3, I was told I was missing the PRO.MSI file. I inserted my Office CD,
but it doesn't have a PRO.MSI file. I expect this is because I work for
a university and have a specially-licensed copy of Office; my CD says
"UNLICENSED SOFTWARE--Illegal without separate license from Microsoft."
(However, my university DOES have a license, and the copy is perfectly
legal.) My CD does have a PRORET.MSI file, which is perhaps the
replacement for PRO.MSI in the version I have?

Per the advice of the Office Update website, I downloaded the full
Office Update file, OfficeXpSp3-kb832671-fullfile-enu.exe. I tried
running this, but it still demanded PRO.MSI.

Could the problem be some leftover files from the first attempt I made
to install the update in the faster way? Or does Microsoft believe that
my copy of Office is illegal? I thought of just renaming PRORET.MSI as
PRO.MSI, but I figured that would be dangerous waters.

Thanks for any help,

Jamie

 

[Susan Ramlet]

Hi, Jamie M

Check the Windows Control Panel to see if there are other (earlier) versions
of Office installed. Uninstall them and try the update again.

 

[Jamie M]

Yes, there are! I have one that is 475 MB in size and one that is 380 MB
in size. Is there a way to tell which is the earlier version?

Jamie

 

[Susan Ramlet]

In the Windows Control Panel, there is an "Add / Remove Programs"
application. The names of the applications should tell you what's most
current (Office 2000, Office XP). Does it not?

 

[Jamie M]

Both versions were Office XP. I had to repair a corrupted file with my
install disks several months ago, but instead without my realizing an
entire new version was installed on top of the other (OEM) version of
XP, so that I had one retail version of Office XP and one OEM version on
the same machine simultaneously.

I ended up uninstalling both versions, then reinstalled the retail
version from my discs. SP3 installed fine after that.

Best,

Jamie

 

[Susan Ramlet]

Fantastic. Thanks for posting back--