Help with missing 511974.MAINSP3ff.msp file after restore.

[suberjeme]

I just did a system restore after an bad installation of another program, and
poof Word won't boot up any more. I have tried downloading Service Pack 3
for Office XP (because I have Word 2002) but it says the service pack is
already installed. I lost the disk for it, so I can't clean it out then
reinstall. Any help?

 

[garfield-n-odie [MVP]]

See http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=814833 "PRB: Windows
System Restore Does Not Monitor Windows Installer Patch (.msp)
Files".

If you purchased a retail-box copy of Office XP, then see
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=326246 "How to replace lost,
broken, or missing Microsoft software or hardware". If you have
an OEM copy of Office XP that came preinstalled on your computer
by the computer manufacturer, then you should contact your
computer manufacturer for a replacement CD, because Microsoft
will not provide replacement CDs for OEM software.

 

[suberjeme]

Thanks for the response. I tried to uninstall Word but the add/remove
programs window keeps producing the same error message I had before when I
tried to boot the program. Is there another way to remove Word from my
computer other than add/remove programs? Or am I sunk?

 

[garfield-n-odie [MVP]]

See http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=295823 "You receive the
'This patch package could not be opened' error message in Office
2003, in Office XP, or in Office 2000". Why are you so eager to
uninstall Word? Do you have your Word 2002 CD to reinstall Word?
Can you provide your 25-digit product key for Word 2002 when
prompted by the setup program?

The first article I referenced explains that the problem is not
so much a poof Word application error, but more an operator error
caused by reverting to a system restore point that was earlier
than necessary.

The second article I referenced explains how you might obtain a
replacement for the Word 2002 CD that you supposedly lost. If
you uninstall Word, then you might need a Word 2002 CD to
reinstall Word. Before you uninstall Word 2002, use one of the
following utilities to retrieve from the Windows registry the
25-digit product key for your current Word 2002 installation:

Belarc Advisor
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Magical Jellybean Finder
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

Then, assuming you procure another Word 2002 CD, you can
reinstall the software using the new CD and the current product key.

 

[coal_brona]

Hi,

If some valuable file was lost you can still restore it with data
recovery tools such as Active@ Undelete and Uneraser (DOS). these are
truly powerful utils that never failed me before and worked really
great. You should definately try it out.

http://www.active-undelete.com/

http://www.uneraser.com/

 

[suberjeme]

Hmm, I'm sorry if I sounded eager to take Word off my system. I wanted to
see if there was any hope of getting rid of the problem before I tried to
possibly fix it. As I saw it yesterday, the only way even to remove Word was
via the add/remove programs and that didn't work. Until your previous posts,
I equated loosing the disk to loosing the key to it. So I should clarify
that I lost the key. Yes, I bought the software -- Word was OEM from Dell,
so I will contact them if one of the utilities doesn't work. Thanks for the
help and sorry if the info was misleading, I believe it answered all my
questions.

 

[suberjeme]

Thanks, i will try that if the other utilities don't work...