When trying to change Excel 2003 install from Add or Remove Programs I get the error message
The installation source for this product is not available. Verify that the source exists and that you can access it.
In the past I have used the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility and completely reinstalled office 2003, checked the option to leave the source code on the computer for future adding features and I still get this problem.
I just tried to install Windows installer 3.0 but get the message that my system has a service pack higher than the version of the product I'm trying to install and then quits.
I have tried to install service pack 3 for office 2003 and get an error message stating the service pack could not be installed and then it quits.
I have had enough of MS BS problems trying to install patches and additional features, everytime I try this it appears that I have to start from the very beginning again. There must be some fix I have not found but I have been looking for a long time without success. Any help?
Does the setup ask you if you want to locate the source when it is not found? If so you might be able to reference a CD-Rom.
The lack of access might be due to rights on the folder where the setup files live... you might also be able to use a slipstremed version of Office with SP3 as your source as using the original media to update a PC that has the office service pack loaded will likely fail.
If someone has ran disk clean up, it has an option to remove old office files. This would explain the vanishing files. The installer should ask for an alternative location and allow you to use disk/cd.
Derek, The setup does not ask for to locate a source, I looked in the registry and to the best of my knowledge I think the installation source is set to the cd drive. The PC I'm working on is mine, I am the admin so I have all access rights
Dexter, Disk clean up has not been run on the installation files.
Do it back to front. If you have the disk insert it. You should receive an option to upgrade or reinstall office. Either fully re-install over top or customise and select the extra features you require.
Have a look at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\....GUID...\SourceList You'll need to search through the GUIDs until you find the Excel 2003 one, just look for ..\...GUID...\ProductName
Once found, look at the LastUsedSource, this is basically where it's looking for the files.
In the past when we had to do a mass unistall and the folder locations were all different, I created a script that would change the installation path so that they all looked in the same location. You can do this by Creating the following Registry Key if it doesn't exist already. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\....GUID...\SourceList\Net Then create a REG_EXPAND_SZ Value called 1 then type the path to your Office Files, for e.g. D:\ or C:\MSOffice\ or \\Server\Share\ etc..
I have tried all the solutions above without success. I decided I could not wait any longer and removed the office install via Windows Install Clean Up utility, then reinstalled office from scratch. Thxs for the tips anyway.
