Can't uninstalled expired trial version of Office 2007

[giantsjoe]

I purchased an HP laptop for my daughter which had a trial version o
Office 2007 home and student preinstalled. She tried and liked Offic
2007, so I purchased a retail copy. When I tried to activate the retai
key I couldn't. I tried to install the retail version over the tria
version, and got an error that the .msi file was currupt. I tried t
uninstall the expired version of Office, through Control Panel
Programs and Features (Vista), but it gave me the same error. I rea
that other people are having the same problem, and a knowledge base wa
refered to in a number of threads. So I printed KB 928218 and tried it
At first I thought I had fixed the problem because it now allows me t
start the install program and enter my product key, but after that i
tells me that the install file on the DVD is in an invalid location.

Does any one have any suggestions? Why would Microsoft make Office s
hard to uninstall? It's almost like trying to remove adware or spyware

 

[DL]

When you installed from dvd over the trial version you corrupted the
add/remove procedure thereby necessitating use of the KB article -
unfortunately its not made clear that any trial should be removed prior to
installing frm cd/dvd, any version.
After you uninstalled as per the kb, did you then clear all temp files &
reboot, then check add/remove dialogue for any reference to Microsoft
Office, and uninstall any prior to useing the dvd?

 

[giantsjoe]

Yes. When I removed the programs through the msi files each of th
Office 2007 references in Programs and Features deleted in turn excep
for the base Office 2007 progrm which didn't delete until after th
reboot

 

[Doug in TX]

What is the exact text of the error message?

 

[giantsjoe]

Doug and everyone who replied to my question,

Thank you. I resorted to doing a windows restore to put Office back on
my daughter's computer. Office still wouldn't except the purchased
product code. Then I found a repair Office option under the Help menu.
It ran through about twelve items with no problem found, untill the
twelveth item. After that I click Activae product and it took the
code.

Thanks again.