Preparing to Install everytime a document is opened

[sd]

Hello,
I have a problem with office applications. When a file is
opened by double clicking it, the office products come up
with 'preparing to install', then it comes up with an
error saying it can't find installed features.
When installing the software, I chose custom and installed
everything to the hard drive.
Is there a way to solve this, I had a few suggestions. eg
registry settings and disabling windows installer using
gspedit.msc, but that isn't very convenient when I want to
install other software.

 

[sd]

I forgot to mention that it is Office XP.

 

[Alex]

Add this to the registry (copied and pasted from a .reg file I made)
....

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common]
"OSAShortcut"=dword:00000001
"UserData"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal
Server\Install\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common]
"UserData"=dword:00000001
"OSAShortcut"=dword:00000001

 

[Pavel]

Hello,
I have a problem with office applications. When a file is
opened by double clicking it, the office products come up
with 'preparing to install', then it comes up with an
error saying it can't find installed features.
When installing the software, I chose custom and installed
everything to the hard drive.
Is there a way to solve this, I had a few suggestions. eg
registry settings and disabling windows installer using
gspedit.msc, but that isn't very convenient when I want to
install other software.

Have you solved this problem? If not I think I have the solution.

 

[Pavel]

Have you solved this problem? If not I think I have the solution.

Well, I had the same problem and then one day it hit me. It happens every
time I clean my system. You know, deleting the TMP files, BAK files, OLD
files and such.

Here it is!

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Microsoft\Office\Data\Data.bak

DO NOT DELETE DATA.BAK. All problems are solved.

 

[Anonymous]

I have data.bak, and yet I get this problem every single time I open ANY
office document.
I am still looking for the solution.

 

[Pavel]

Have you recently installed Office 2003? The Office 2003 does not use
DATA.BAK anymore but it uses OPA11.BAK in the same directory. Make
sure that you do not delete this file.

Pavel

 

[Gerry]

I don't clean out any BAK files.
This was all working fine until WinXP crashed and had to be reinstalled,
then I reinstalled Office XP as well.
Now, it is every single time I open any office document (or start a new
one).