Installer Patch Error

[Ed]

A recent hard drive crash (or unknown virus) caused
most files greater than 2MB on my XP Pro PC to be
truncated to 0 bytes, including a number of the Windows
Installer MSD and MSI files. I have restored most from
back-ups, but I do not not have backups for the Installer
files that were truncated.

As a result, when I attempt to reinstall or uninstall
Office XP, I get an error that the Patch Package cannot
be opened. I read the MSI log files (see excerpt below)
and it looks like it's bombing on one of the 0-byte MSP
files.

Moving the offending files out of the Windows\Installer
folder, running the KB recommended Installer Cleanup
Utility, and following the methods in KB article #315346
have all failed. I can't uninstall and reinstall Office
XP as a result. The error message I'm seeing is: "This
patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch
package exists..." (see the log excerpt for the full text)

How do I get around this and get a clean install of
Office?

I also posted this in the general Windows setup newsgroup.

Ed
---------------------------

MSI (c) (D8:E8): TRANSFORM: Modifying 'File' and 'Patch'
rows added by this patch transform to have
appropriate 'Sequence' values. Offsetting values by 5998
MSI (c) (D8:E8): TRANSFORM: Modifying 'PatchPackage'
table row added by this patch transform to use 'Media_'
value 100.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): TRANSFORM: Modifying 'Media' table row
added by this patch transform to use 'DiskId' value 100
and 'Source' values
MSPSRC8F5734D4E8EE449C97AEB4F9BE9932BF.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Opening existing
patch 'C:\WINDOWS\Installer\3e934215.msp'.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Note: 1: 2203 2:
C:\WINDOWS\Installer\3e934215.msp 3: -2147287038
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Couldn't find local
patch 'C:\WINDOWS\Installer\3e934215.msp'. Looking for it
at its source.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Resolving source.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): User policy value 'SearchOrder' is 'nmu'
MSI (c) (D8:E8): User policy value 'DisableMedia' is 0
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Machine policy
value 'AllowLockdownMedia' is 0
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Media enabled only if
package is safe.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Looking for sourcelist for
product {C23E729B-950A-4557-A091-32A117EFF42C}
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Adding {C23E729B-950A-4557-
A091-32A117EFF42C}; to potential sourcelist list
(pcode;disk;relpath).
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Now checking product
{C23E729B-950A-4557-A091-32A117EFF42C}
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Media is enabled for product.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Attempting to use
LastUsedSource from source list.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Processing net source list.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Trying source C:\Program
Files\OfficeUpdate11\Cabs\511072\.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Note: 1: 2203 2: C:\Program
Files\OfficeUpdate11\Cabs\511072\511072.MAINSP2op.msp 3: -
2147287037
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Source is invalid due to
missing/inaccessible package.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Note: 1: 1706 2: -2147483647 3:
511072.MAINSP2op.msp
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Processing media source list.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEMGMT: Resolved source to: ''
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEDIR ==>
MSI (c) (D8:E8): SOURCEDIR product ==> {C23E729B-950A-
4557-A091-32A117EFF42C}
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Opening existing
patch '511072.MAINSP2op.msp'.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Note: 1: 1314 2: 511072.MAINSP2op.msp
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Unable to create a temp copy of
patch '511072.MAINSP2op.msp'.
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Note: 1: 2203 2: 511072.MAINSP2op.msp
3: -2147287038
MSI (c) (D8:E8): Note: 1: 2729
DEBUG: Error 2203: Database: 511072.MAINSP2op.msp.
Cannot open database file. System error -2147287038
1: 2203 2: 511072.MAINSP2op.msp 3: -2147287038
This patch package could not be opened. Verify that the
patch package exists and that you can access it, or
contact the application vendor to verify that this is a
valid Windows Installer patch package.
511072.MAINSP2op.msp
MSI (c) (D8:E8): MainEngineThread is returning 1635
=== Verbose logging stopped: 12/30/2003 0:40:26 ===

 

[Susan Ramlet]

Hi, Ed,

The Windows Installer cleanup utility is for Installer 1.x. Can you verify
whether you have 1.x or 2.x?

 

[Ed]

Susan, Tks for ur reply. I have ver. 2.0.2600.1106 of
msiexec.exe. Any ideas on how to proceed? Tks--Ed

 

[Brian]

A recent hard drive crash (or unknown virus) caused
most files greater than 2MB on my XP Pro PC to be
truncated to 0 bytes, including a number of the Windows
Installer MSD and MSI files. I have restored most from
back-ups, but I do not not have backups for the Installer
files that were truncated.

As a result, when I attempt to reinstall or uninstall
Office XP, I get an error that the Patch Package cannot
be opened. I read the MSI log files (see excerpt below)
and it looks like it's bombing on one of the 0-byte MSP
files.

Moving the offending files out of the Windows\Installer
folder, running the KB recommended Installer Cleanup
Utility, and following the methods in KB article #315346
have all failed. I can't uninstall and reinstall Office
XP as a result. The error message I'm seeing is: "This
patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch
package exists..." (see the log excerpt for the full text)

How do I get around this and get a clean install of
Office?

I also posted this in the general Windows setup newsgroup.

I recently had a similar problem and managed to restore my system files
using sfc /scannow. However, the Office XP situation remained much as you
describe it - I could neither repair nor uninstall nor install although all
Office XP products were functional.
At this point, the way to resolve this is to use Regedit to disable the
installer entry in the registry that tells the Installer that the program is
already present.
Click Start/Run then type Regedit and click OK.

1) Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products and locate the product name
(in the right hand panel) There is an entry for every product called
ProductName
2) Rename the product id key (the long string of numbers in the left-hand
panel) to something starting with an underscore (to have a backup)
3) Reinstall the product

There is even no need to reboot the PC. This worked perfectly for me so I
hope it helps you too.


Brian

 

[Susan Ramlet]

Hi, Ed,

Yup--basically, these are the steps to manually remove the installer data
(these were copied from a helpful Microsoft person, so they're pretty
explicit):

1. On the Start menu, click Run.
2. In the Open box, type "Regedit" (without the quotation marks) and then
click OK.
3. Locate and expand the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\Installer\Products
4. Below the \Products key, select each 32-character {GUID} until you find
the one whose ProductName value matches your version of Office.
5. With the 32-character {GUID} for your Office product selected, export
this entry for backup.
6. Then please delete the entry from your computer. Restart computer.
7. Then please insert the Office Installation CD to run Setup for Office
again to reinstall Office on the computer to the original folder on your
computer.
8. After installation, please check the issue again.

Hope that helps--

 

[Ed]

-----Original Message-----

I recently had a similar problem and managed to restore my system files
using sfc /scannow. However, the Office XP situation remained much as you
describe it - I could neither repair nor uninstall nor install although all
Office XP products were functional.
At this point, the way to resolve this is to use Regedit to disable the
installer entry in the registry that tells the Installer that the program is
already present.
Click Start/Run then type Regedit and click OK.

1) Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products and locate the product name
(in the right hand panel) There is an entry for every product called
ProductName
2) Rename the product id key (the long string of numbers in the left-hand
panel) to something starting with an underscore (to have a backup)
3) Reinstall the product

There is even no need to reboot the PC. This worked perfectly for me so I
hope it helps you too.


Brian

Brian,

This worked like a charm. Tks! BTW, what are sfc &
scannow and how do these help with the file restores?

Ed

 

[Guest]

Susan,

Tks. This works, although the reboot is not necessary.
See Brian's reply to the orginal post.

Ed

 

[CORNORSTONE]

Linda, I followed your most excellant instructions,
however, none of the GUID's listed microsoft office 2000
or v.9 or whatever. I am still unable to install or
uninstall office. Do you have any other ideas I could
try?

 

[the lurker behind the cornrows]

I'm sorry, I meant Susan.

 

[Susan Ramlet]

So, after following those steps, you still get the exact same error message,
or does some other thing happen?

 

[Brian]

This worked like a charm. Tks! BTW, what are sfc &
scannow and how do these help with the file restores?

Pleased to hear that it worked.
System File Checker is an MS tool that verifies the presence of all system
files and makes sure they are not corrupted.
If you right click the Start button and then left click Open Command Window
Here, you get a DOS like screen. Type sfc /? and you will get a description
of the various sfc alternatives. For me, sfc /scannow is the best one. You
just leave it to run, with the Windows XP CD in the drive and it goes
through the lengthy process very effectively. You may get some questions
about whether or not you wish to replace some files so it is best to check
frequently while it is running. Also best to turn off your screen saver and
power saving options.

Brian

 

[the lurker behind the cornrows]

thanks, but never mind, now. I found them in H_KEY_CLASSES_ROOT. Now the
only thing that doesn't work is "search". And if you don't know anything
about that, I'll just try Microsoft's site.