Office 2008 v12.1.0 to v12.2.0 upgrade failsand creates corrupt Office installation.

[MMortensen]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
Processor: Intel

So here's my story. I upgraded to Snow Leopard from Leopard on my macbook pro. (MacBook Pro 15" Intel Core 2 Duo late 2006 model) I was running Office 2004 under Leopard. Office 2004 worked under Snow Leopard but slowly. Decided to upgrade to Office 2008 since it works faster under Intel based macs and found a $120 upgrade online. But before I purchased the software I downloaded the trial version of Office 2008. The trial installs v12.0.0 of Office 2008 and then applies SP1, SP2 and finally update v12.2.1. This worked wonderfully and ran great under Snow Leopard. I then purchased the Office 2008 from the online retailer and received the installation disc. Tried to use the product key from the media to activate my trial version but that doesn't work. Why? I mean really why? I did some research and apparently you can't use retail box product keys to activate trial versions of Office 2008. Again Why?

What to do? I removed the trial version of Office 2008 and installed the retail boxed version. The version in the box was v12.0.0 and by the way my Office database was up to v12.2.1 from the Trial edition so I can not open it with Office v12.0.0. Apparently, the Service Packs make the Office database non-backward compatible. Whose brilliant idea was that? The retail version installs and then goes to do some updates. It applies SP1 and the SP2. Ka-boom! When Sevice Pack 2 v12.2.0 is applied it fails with a generic installer message. "Installation failed contact manufacture." However, the Trial Edition of Office 2008 is able to upgrade to SP2. The fun part of the failure is it corrupts the installation of Office 2008. The size of the Office installation folder is like half the size it should be and when you try to launch 'any' of the office applications they don't launch. No warning no nothing. Basically, it looks like it was copying files over and fails part way through and leaves a mess.

After many hours I wiped out the Office 2008 installation and upgraded to v12.1.9 ONLY. I had to abandon my Office database that was at v12.2.1 and just rebuild a new database from scratch. Thanks, all that work I did in my calendar to color code appointments was all lost.

I have read numerous other posts from people with similar but not exactly the problem I'm seeing. Anyone have any ideas?

BTW, I've tried all the boot without startup items, boot in safe mode, restart twenty million times, pray to the Bill doll, etc, with no luck. There appears to be a problem with the retail installation of Office 2008 and upgrading to SP2.

-mark

 

[Diane Ross]

After many hours I wiped out the Office 2008 installation and upgraded to
v12.1.9 ONLY.

The 12.1.9 update was rolled into the 12.2.0. I'm not sure what you did to
get this updater. See below on what's needed.

I did some research and apparently you can't use retail box product keys to
activate trial versions of Office 2008. Again Why?

Correct. The download version has activation.

There was only one upgrade to the database and as long as you have 12.1.0
installed the database you created will still be available with all the
changes you made with the trial version.

There is a problem for some users upgrading under Snow Leopard using the
AutoUpdater in Office. If you download the installers from Mactopia, you
should be able to update successfully. Restarting between each update is
important.

I'm surprised that your DVD installs 12.0.0. The newer DVDs come with 12.1.0
installed. You can check the Microsoft Component Plugin. It will show the
update.

/Applications/Microsoft Office
2008/Office/MicrosoftComponentPlugin.framework/Versions/12/MicrosoftComponen
Tplugin

Original DVDs of Office come with the installed version 12.0.0.

Install 12.1.0 SP1
Install 12.2.0 SP2
Install 12.2.1

Current shipping DVDs will install 12.1.0 (SP1).

Install 12.2.0 SP
Install 12.2.1

EWS Version 13.0.0 of Entourage for Exchange support requires 12.2.1 be
installed.

Your data is located in this location:

~/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Office 2008 Identities

Installing does not remove this folder.

Direct download links can be found at the end of this article or you can go
to Mactopia downloads and search for them there.

Troubleshooting Office for Mac with Snow Leopard

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2009/09/hot_topics_using_office_for_mac_with
_snow_leopard.html>

In case the above link does not work:

<http://tinyurl.com/ndmt4x>

Let me know if this helps.

 

[blackprophet]

Similar problem to the user above. I am running a new macbook pro with snow leopard, and downloaded the trial version of office 2008, and used it for a few days. I finally got a chance to get my hands on a physical version (home and student edition). I uninstalled the trial the best that I could, and then proceeded to install the retail version.

It installs 12.1, and if I don't allow it to attempt to run the update, the suite runs normally. If I try to update the software, it gets an error, and is unable to update, and then office will not run.

I have tried fixing permissions, and also made sure that everything with fonts checks out.

I also tried to download the updates from mactopia, and move them to the desktop. nothing, it still refuses to update.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Diane Ross]

Similar problem to the user above. I am running a new macbook pro with snow
leopard, and downloaded the trial version of office 2008, and used it for a
few days. I finally got a chance to get my hands on a physical version (home
and student edition). I uninstalled the trial the best that I could, and then
proceeded to install the retail version.

Did you get any instructions via an email when you downloaded?

It installs 12.1, and if I don't allow it to attempt to run the update, the
suite runs normally. If I try to update the software, it gets an error, and is
unable to update, and then office will not run.

Knowing what the error is would help.

Dos and Don'ts for a good install

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/install_08.html#basics>

In case the above link does not work:

<http://tinyurl.com/6cmyyc>

Check List to troubleshoot your install

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/install_08.html#checklist>

If you are still having problems after following these tips, please start
your own thread.

 

[MMortensen]

After many hours I wiped out the Office 2008 installation and upgraded to

The 12.1.9 update was rolled into the 12.2.0. I'm not sure what you did to
get this updater. See below on what's needed.

I downloaded the update v12.1.9 from the Mactopia site. I understand that v12.1.9 is rolled into v12.2.0 but I can't upgrade to v12.2.0. So I wanted to get the latest security fixes that I could possible install.

There was only one upgrade to the database and as long as you have 12.1.0
installed the database you created will still be available with all the
changes you made with the trial version.

But 'when' I had the trial version installed I was up to version v12.2.1. It appears like there were 2 updates to the database. Once with v12.1.0 and again at v12.2.0. When I installed the retail version I had to start over at v12.0.0 and can only get up to v12.1.0 thus my database was for v12.2.0 and was not compatible.

There is a problem for some users upgrading under Snow Leopard using the
AutoUpdater in Office. If you download the installers from Mactopia, you
should be able to update successfully. Restarting between each update is
important.

Did this. I downloaded the installers from Mactopia and still have the exact same issue of the SP2 corrupting the installation. I work in the software industry and I spent the better part of a Saturday trying to debug 'exactly' what and where the installer is failing with no luck. Looks to be around when the apple script is kicking off to shutdown running applications. BTW, I have all applications shutdown.

I'm surprised that your DVD installs 12.0.0. The newer DVDs come with 12.1.0
installed. You can check the Microsoft Component Plugin. It will show the
update.

Could be the retail version I purchase was old stock? It's in the realm of possibilities.

Let me know if this helps.

Do you work for Microsoft Diane? I would be more than willing to help out the QA dept with some test cases to reproduce this issue.

 

[Ben]

I too am having the exact same problem.
1. Snow Leopard
2. Installed Office 2008 DVD (12.1.0)
3. Restart
4. Update 12.2.0 (SP2) from Mactopia (after it didn't work with the
AutoUpdater)
5. Error occurs during install
6. Office refuses to open.
7. Frustration.
8. Delete all MS Office files and start again.

 

[blackprophet]

ok, I know that this is going to be a major pain for most people, but here is how I get it to cooperate for me.

1) Back up, save and move any files you want and need to a safe location.
2) Erase and run a clean Snow Leopard install.
3) Once snow leopard is updated and installed, restart
4) Run disc verification, and font verification.
5) Restart
6) Run the office install from the original discs.
7) restart
8) run disc and font verification again.
9) Download your first update, and mount it into the applications folder.

In between each install make sure that you restart.

There is a temp folder that is created each time you run an install that seems to prevent the next install from being able to find the data it needs to run its install, and restarting removes this directory.

Also, even doing the best I could to remove any residual files from a trial or a previous install, I must not have been able to get em all, because it took a clean os install, and office install to get it updated.

 

[Diane Ross]

I did find these instructions on this link: (this is for folks that dl the
trial version then bought the physical copy.

<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969826>

If you purchased the software from an authorized retail store, follow these
steps:

1. Do one of the following:
* In the Applications folder, delete the Office 2008 folder that
contains the trial version.
* Run the Remove Office utility in the Additional Tools:Remove Office
folder on the Office for Mac CD.

2. Install your version of Office 2008 for Mac by using the product key
that you find in the retail copy of Office 2008 for Mac that you purchased.

Note The Office 2008 for Mac product key is located on the back of the
Office 2008 for Mac DVD sleeve or on the back of the Install Guide.

 

[Diane Ross]

On 9/9/09 12:40 AM, in article (e-mail address removed)9absDaxw,

Sorry you had to do such a drastic move to get installed. Hope it pays off
in the end by getting you a really clean system with no old baggage. Thanks
sharing your fix.

Run disc verification, and font verification.

There are some newer versions of some fonts installed by Snow Leopard. You
might want to remove the older Microsoft ones. Some users have disabled
using Font Book they they stayed disabled, but others found they re-enabled.

More info:

Troubleshooting Office for Mac with Snow Leopard

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2009/09/hot_topics_using_office_for_mac_with
_snow_leopard.html>

In case the above link does not work:

<http://tinyurl.com/ndmt4x>

 

[Ben]

This is just ridiculous. How is the average user supposed to figure this
stuff out? I'm going to stick with 12.1.0 until the problem is solved and I
can update normally.

 

[Karim Daghay]

I too have exactly the same problem as Ben and MANY others:
- clean snow leopard install,
- install trial version, MAU installs all updates (12.2.1),
- remove trial version after a while,
- install retail box 12.1.0 (SP1 included) version, MAU runs, installs
12.2.2 (SP2) and then nothing works anymore.

I couldn't even run the un-installer, so I removed the MS office folder in
Applications manually and re-installed MS Office again but stayed now at
version 12.1.0 (the retail version).

Indeed, how is it possible the trial version works, including the updates???

MS/Apple cooperate and fix please. In fact, this is a shame. With some
regression testing, this should have been discovered. A test covering a clean
SL install with a retail box version (the latest one!) is not such an exotic
test. So I conclude this is a major MS Q&A issue.

 

[MMortensen]

Here is a follow up as I have resolved my issue. Based on the post from blackprophet it occurred to me the issue is with having the Trial version of Office installed first and then trying to install the a retail version. I took another iMac I own that has only Office 2004 as the test. I installed from my retail version of Office 2008 and it correctly installed v12.0.0, then updated to SP1 v12.1.0, then updated to SP2 v12.2.0 and finally update v12.2.1. All works without any failures of any kind. For good measure I rebooted between each update.

I tried and tried to clean up the Office 2008 installation on my macBook without any luck. There must be some 'hidden' files someplace that the Trial version left behind.

As a drastic move, I wiped my macBook clean and did a clean install of Snow Leopard. NOTE: I have TimeMachine backups of all my data on a Drobo (mirrored disks) because I never want to ever lose any data. I then installed from my Office 2008 retail discs. It installed v12.0.0, then updated to SP1 v12.1.0, then updated to SP2 v12.2.0 and finally updated to v12.2.1. Again I rebooted between each updated for good measure. I now have a working copy of Office 2008 v12.2.1 on my macbook. However, I had to do a drastic move of reformatting of my harddrive and a performing a clean install of Snow Leopard. I also was able to use my Office database I had from my previous v12.1.9 installation of Office without any issues.

Conclusion to draw here? There is something funky with the Office Trial and then trying to install a retail version of Office. I know Diane posted a knowledge base article about how to convert a trial version to a full fledged running version. However, the fact that the installer let itself corrupt the installation is just plain awful.

-mark

 

[Diane Ross]

Conclusion to draw here? There is something funky with the Office Trial and
then trying to install a retail version of Office. I know Diane posted a
knowledge base article about how to convert a trial version to a full fledged
running version. However, the fact that the installer let itself corrupt the
installation is just plain awful.

I'll forward this on to my contact. Thanks for the full report.

One note, just to be clear about your Entourage database and Time Machine
backups.

Using Time Machine to backup Entourage basics:

It's advised by the developers not to let Time Machine backup your Entourage
database. If the database is copied while being used, the backup could be
corrupt. You can set the Time Machine to exclude the Microsoft User Data
folder and create an iCal event to copy it over at night while not in use so
you get one backup daily in Time Machine.

<http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2008/01/alternative_method_to_use_entourage_
and_time_machine.html>

 

[Diane Ross]

On 9/10/09 9:09 AM, in article
(e-mail address removed), "Karim Daghay" <Karim

I too have exactly the same problem as Ben and MANY others:

Please vote in the Poll: Install MS Office 2008 on Snow Leopard (The
Entourage Help Blog) <http://tinyurl.com/mkbeb9>

This will show Microsoft and others what users are experiencing.

I've forwarded this to my contact so they are aware of the issues.

 

[Diane Ross]

Here is a follow up as I have resolved my issue.

Mark and anyone else having problems with the download trial and the
physical DVD install, can you contact me off list with details.

For example, did you install on Leopard then upgrade to Snow Leopard then
try to remove the trial? Was all this on Leopard?

The steps are important to try and track down what is going wrong. I'll
forward these on to Microsoft for testing.

Send me an email

dianeross at mvps dot org <-- fix before replying.

Prefix your subject with: newsgroup response

Or you can use the email in this message.

Thanks!!

 

[erodrig]

Same issues as everyone else.

1. I installed snow leopard
2. about a week later, I installed the trial version
3. on 9/18/09 I got the retail version, and installed it
4. SP1 update works fine
5. SP2 downloads and installs partway, in summary get error message
"installation failed"
6. can't open any of the apps
7. can't use Office Remove tool
8. remove everything manually
9. start over again!

I don't know what a "clean" install of Snow Leopard is meant...please help!!

 

[Diane Ross]

I don't know what a "clean" install of Snow Leopard is meant...please help!!

A clean install of Snow Leopard is to wipe a drive and install Snow Leopard.
Then you have to install all your applications and migrate your documents.

You can install Snow Leopard over itself like a combo updater. This might
help clear up issues that are at the system level.

Testing in a new User will quickly tell you if the problem is system wide or
if it¹s your User¹s folder that contains the problem.

Go to System Preferences --> Create a New User in Accounts. Switch to the
New User by logging out/in or use Fast User Switching.

If the problems go away in the new User, then it's your User's folder that
has the problems.

If the problems exist in the new User then it's at the system level. Install
Snow Leopard again. You also might need to install the applications again
also.

 

[LDworkin]

Mark,

I had the exact same problem you and others have described.

I have developed a fix that seems to work for my systems. I tried it on two test systems in my lab successfully. First I recreated the failure condition, verified the failure, then implemented the fix, and verified the fix. The fix only takes a few minutes.

As a result of the fix, I was able to install 12.2.0 and then 12.2.1.

I'm writing the fix on Word now. 12.2.1 starts, and handles much faster than 12.2.0

I'll post it shortly.

- Lonnie

The f> So here's my story. I upgraded to Snow Leopard from Leopard on my macbook pro. (MacBook Pro 15" Intel Core 2 Duo late 2006 model) I was running Office 2004 under Leopard. Office 2004 worked under Snow Leopard but slowly. Decided to upgrade to Office 2008 since it works faster under Intel based macs and found a $120 upgrade online. But before I purchased the software I downloaded the trial version of Office 2008. The trial installs v12.0.0 of Office 2008 and then applies SP1, SP2 and finally update v12.2.1. This worked wonderfully and ran great under Snow Leopard. I then purchased the Office 2008 from the online retailer and received the installation disc. Tried to use the product key from the media to activate my trial version but that doesn't work. Why? I mean really why? I did some research and apparently you can't use retail box product keys to activate trial versions of Office 2008. Again Why?

 

[LDworkin]

Diana,

I was able to resolve a similar issue by removing certain Microsoft files, and reinstalling.

I've attached a link to our internal instruction for resolving this issue, Perhaps you can pass it on to someone at Microsoft Mactopia to check out what we are doing and verify if we are on the correct track.

<http://www.compufor.com/pdfs/ID-012.00 OSX Office 2008 Upgrade Issue.pdf>

Regards, Lonnie

 

[Diane Ross]

I've attached a link to our internal instruction for resolving this issue,
Perhaps you can pass it on to someone at Microsoft Mactopia to check out what
we are doing and verify if we are on the correct track.

I've forwarded this on for testing. Thanks!!