"Installation Ended Prematurely" error installing Office 2003

Unfortunately, this error is about as helpful as the standard Windows error reporting message.  Can you find the installer log?  Open it up and search for the word "error".  That might give you/us something more specific to go on.  Here's some info on how to use logs - maybe we can pinpoint the cause if we can find out exactly where it's failing: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826511/

The setup log file shows the following at the end:

     Successfully launched MsiExec....
     7/21/2006 10:00:44 AM  Chained install return code: 1603

     Exit code was an error.
     Shutting down chained setup processing.
     Set Verbose logging for subsequent setup.


     ***** Setup exits
     7/21/2006 10:00:44 AM
     (return = 1603)

And the last lines of the install log file shows:

     Property(C): UI_OutlookState = 3
     Property(C): UI_PowerPointState = 3
     Property(C): UI_WordState = 3
     === Logging stopped: 7/21/2006  10:00:44 ===
     MSI (c) (24:70) [10:00:44:121]: Note: 1: 1708
     MSI (c) (24:70) [10:00:44:121]: Product: Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003 -- Installation operation failed.

     MSI (c) (24:70) [10:00:44:152]: Attempting to delete file C:\DOCUME~1\mtroyer\LOCALS~1Temp\3975f32.mst
     MSI (c) (24:70) [10:00:44:152]: Unable to delete the file. LastError = 32
     MSI (c) (24:70) [10:00:44:199]: Grabbed execution mutex.
     MSI (c) (24:70) [10:00:44:199]: Cleaning up uninstalled install packages, if any exist
     MSI (c) (24:70) [10:00:44:199]: MainEngineThread is returning 1603
     === Verbose logging stopped: 7/21/2006  10:00:44 ===

Does that mean anything to anybody?

Phil

I know that error 1603 is a generic error and really doesn't help much.  But then, that doesn't help much either ;)

In the log file, can you find any specific entires that identify an Error with an error number and/or file/action information?  How about any return values?

You mentioned that this doesn't happen in a non-upgrade situation.  Do you have to upgrade the machines in question, or can you uninstall the Office 2000 and just install 2003 in this situation?

I found a few interesting errors.  Does the following look like anything?

     DEBUG: Error 2769:  Custom Action ISCacheLockedFeatureStates did not close 3 MSIHANDLEs.
     An internal error has occurred: (ISCacheLockedFeatureStates   3               ).  Contact your Information Technology department for assistance.
     Action ended 9:55:18: ISCacheLockedFeatureStates. Return value 1.

later:

     DEBUG: Error 2769:  Custom Action ISResetLockedFeatureStates did not close 1 MSIHANDLEs.
     An internal error has occurred: (ISResetLockedFeatureStates   1               ).  Contact your Information Technology department for assistance.
     Action ended 9:55:22: ISResetLockedFeatureStates. Return value 1.

later:

     Info 2898. An internal error has occurred.  (Tahoma8__UL   Tahoma   0   13         ) Contact your Information Technology department for assistance.

then later a whole string of lines like the following:

     MSI (c) (24:64) [09:55:27:384]: Failed to generate hash for file 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\MEDIA\OFFICE11\AUTOSHAP\BD18180_.WMF'. Error: 0x3
     MSI (c) (24:64) [09:55:27:384]: Failed to generate hash for file 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft    Office\MEDIA\OFFICE11\AUTOSHAP\BD18181_.WMF'. Error: 0x3
     MSI (c) (24:64) [09:55:27:384]: Failed to generate hash for file 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\MEDIA\OFFICE11\AUTOSHAP\BD18182_.WMF'. Error: 0x3
     MSI (c) (24:64) [09:55:27:384]: Failed to generate hash for file 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\MEDIA\OFFICE11\AUTOSHAP\BD18184_.WMF'. Error: 0x3

later:

     Info 2726. An internal error has occurred.  (UserInfo                  ) Contact your Information Technology department for assistance.

later:

     DEBUG: Error 2746:  Transform 1TTo1U invalid for package C:\WINDOWS\Installer\621843.msi. Expected product {90150409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0050048383C9}, found product {90120409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0050048383C9}.
     1: 2746 2: 1TTo1U 3: C:\WINDOWS\Installer\621843.msi 4: {90150409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0050048383C9} 5: {90120409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0050048383C9}
     MSI (s) (F8:20) [09:56:52:838]: Skipping validation for patch transform #1TTo1U.  Will not apply because previous transform was invalid
     MSI (s) (F8:20) [09:56:52:838]: Looking for patch transform: 2TTo2U
     MSI (s) (F8:20) [09:56:52:838]: Validating transform '2TTo2U' with validation bits 0x122
     MSI (s) (F8:20) [09:56:52:838]: Note: 1: 2746 2: 2TTo2U 3: C:\WINDOWS\Installer\621843.msi 4: {90170409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0050048383C9} 5: {90120409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0050048383C9}
     MSI (s) (F8:20) [09:56:52:838]: 1: 2746 2: 2TTo2U 3: C:\WINDOWS\Installer\621843.msi 4: {90170409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0050048383C9} 5: {90120409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0050048383C9}
     MSI (s) (F8:20) [09:56:52:838]: Note: 1: 2729

I'm sure there are more, but with verbose logging, the log file is a gazillion miles long.

Phil

Yeah, those log files are a pain to go through.  Maybe someone should write a log file parser app...

Is this a silent install?  Here's some interesting reading: http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.sms.swdist/browse_thread/thread/85efc9c4972ef0c3/8ea217cc25e9e4ff%238ea217cc25e9e4ff

The Errors 2726 and 2898  can apparently be ignored and are just debug messages (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=230879)

No, this isn't a silent install.  But thanks for the info on the 2726 and 2898 error codes.

I did find it interesting that in your second link the log file Microsoft says is the "Installer" file should end with _MsiExec.txt  My log file ends with _Task(0001).txt

I wonder if I have the wrong log settings.

Phil

I don't know.  I've done very little with transforms; just never had the need.  I was hoping to find something definitive for you by now.  I'll see if there's something else I can dig up.

In the past, when I helped people with problems like this, we'd just whack the old Office and install the new.  But it sounds like maybe that's not a solution here?

We tried uninstalling the old and installing the new and it did the same thing.  But we tried it only on one pc.  Perhaps I should try it on another.  It seems like the only time it installs without incident is when the pc is totally clean.

If we find that it installs fine for the most part if we uninstall Office XP first, I suppose I could do that.  I've got 28 pc's to handle which isn't terrible.  It just makes me mad when I can't figure out something like this.

Phil

I hear ya!  But sometimes you just have to realize that you can spend more time trying to fix a problem than just working around it ("shotgun troubleshooting").

What might help (or might not) is to whack the Office program files directory and registry keys (to make sure they're not there).  Here's some info: http://howtotroubleshoot.blogspot.com/2006/03/real-installation-of-office.html

Alternatively you might try just using the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility to make sure that it's really gone: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290301

A possible solution was offered, but an update from the asker would be nice.  I don't know that any additional help can be offered (at least from me).

I will be working on this this week.  I got interrupted by another project forced upon me by a server going down.  I should be able to do some testing on this soon and will post an update.

Phil

I look forward to seeing if you find out anything.  All I have been able to find is people having the problem but not finding a solution.

After working on this again with no luck, I finally placed a paid support call to Microsoft.  2 hours later I got my answer.  The problem is simply a bug in the version of the Office Resource Kit I had installed.  The tech downloaded 242649_ENU_i386_zip.exe which is basically an ORK patch.  After recompiling the custom build using the updated ORK, the installs work like a charm.

Thanks for the moral support!

Phil

Clean-up administrator:

My problem is resolved according to the note just above this.  Since the resolution was not actually dopyii's answer, I hat to mark his answer as the "accepted answer" so I don't confuse people.  Yet I'd love to give him the points since he was kind enough to help me.

I'll let you decide, but this case is closed.

Phil

I'm glad you're up and running.  I'm happy to help and don't necessarily need the points.  But, there is a good solution (yours :) so I think that a PAQ and refund are appropriate.

I apologize, but what is a PAQ and refund?

Phil