Patch package problem

[Markb]

I installed a larger hard drive on my laptop and had the old drive "ghosted"
to the new one. When I try to update Office 2000 Professional I get the
following error message: "The patch package could not be opened. verify that
the patch package exists and thay you can access it, or contact the
applicaion vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer patch
package." I am at a loss as what to do. I cannot uninstall the program and
I cannot repair it. I am using XP Professional.

 

[garfield-n-odie]

Office does not like to be copied from one hard drive to another,
because that is one method a software pirate might use in order
to bypass the Office activation process. If you have your Office
2000 CD and the 25-digit product key, then:
1. Download the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility from
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=290301 and install it.
2. Use the utility to delete the Windows Installer registry
entry for Office 2000.
3. Reboot.
4. Uninstall Office 2000 by clicking on Start | Control Panel
| Add or Remove Programs | Microsoft Office 2000 | Remove.
5. Reinstall Office 2000 from the original CD.

 

[Markb]

Thanks. It worked perfectly!

Office does not like to be copied from one hard drive to another,
because that is one method a software pirate might use in order
to bypass the Office activation process. If you have your Office
2000 CD and the 25-digit product key, then:
1. Download the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility from
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=290301 and install it.
2. Use the utility to delete the Windows Installer registry
entry for Office 2000.
3. Reboot.
4. Uninstall Office 2000 by clicking on Start | Control Panel
| Add or Remove Programs | Microsoft Office 2000 | Remove.
5. Reinstall Office 2000 from the original CD.