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Excel 2007 recurring configuration when Outlook receives messages

My end user has a 4-month old Dell Vostro running WinXP Pro SP3 and Office Basic 2003. I installed Excel 2007 upgrade as an admin user, and all seemed fine for a couple of days, and then the following message started popping up when Outlook was receiving messages:

Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft Office Excel 2007

I have tried leaving the Excel 2007 CD in the drive and allowing multiple configuration passes, creating new shortcuts to the program itself, scanning with MalWareBytes and Systemworks, selecting the Classic Start Menus, and a number of other tricks suggested by various sources. Has anyone come up with a definitive cure for this problem, which seems to be experienced in various forms by many users?

John

The message usually means that Office was not installed fully / properly. Consider fully uninstalling Office (use Microsoft Install Cleanup), restarting and reinstalling Office. When you do the reinstall, choose almost all the installation options (I don't install foreign languages and proofing in my case).

Also see if a different user profle has the same problem as it may be a profile error.
... Thinkpads_User

warleftd

ASKER

Are you suggestng uninstalling Excel 2007 and Office Basic 2003, or just Excel 2007? Should I also reinstall Excel 2003 and then install the Excel 2007 upgrade?

Since this was an upgrade install, I do not believe I had any choice as to which options to install.

There is no other user on this machine.

John

You can try just Excel, but I would be inclined to uninstall everything. Also, I recommend using only one version, but I do not know if you can do that. It would seem that the upgrade approach with a different version for Excel has probably caused the problem.

When I said "try another profile", you can always create a Test User to see if there is a profile problem.
... Thinkpads_User

warleftd

ASKER

The end user wanted Excel 2007, which came as an upgrade to multiple prior versions of Excel. I would assume that if Microsoft sells the Excel 2007 upgrade it is designed to upgrade the other versions for which it is specified.

I will try just Excel, and if that does not work, I will uninstall Office 2003 and Excel 2007, run Install Cleanup, and then reinstalll both in that order.

John

Let us know how you proceed. There is not enough in Excel 2007 (IMHO) to justify upgrading just one component. So I would see if your user will go for the entire 2007 package. I have Office 2003 on my XP Pro Desktop and Office 2007 Pro on my Windows 7 laptop. I am happy with Office 2007, but Office 2003 continues to perform well and interoperable in terms of my files. ... Thinkpads_User

Joanne M. Orzech

Not sure if this will help but for what it's worth
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/825941

warleftd

ASKER

End user was aleady using the Classic Start Menu, so this suggestion, while appreciated, did not help.

Thanks.

warleftd

ASKER

I uninstalled Excel 2007 using Add/Remove Programs - it uninstalled successfully. I then reinstalled it, applied SP2, and went into Outlook. The Excel 2007 configuration window popped up, I cancelled out of it, and it disappeared for about 20 minutes, then reappeared. Still not fixed.

John

At this point my suggestion is to remove everything and go with one single unified suite - either 2003 or 2007. I have not had these problems with either suite, but then I do not mix and match (regardless of what Microsoft says). ... Thinkpads_User

warleftd

ASKER

I will suggest this to the end user, but he is unlikely to accept the suggestion. He is quite happy with Word and Outlook 2003; he wants Excel 2007 just for compatibility with several other users.

Joanne M. Orzech

Outlook 2003 is not really meant to work with Office 2007.... but see someone's suggestion found here:
http://help.lockergnome.com/office/Problem-Outlook-2003-Office-2007--ftopict1002079.html

"I managed to solve the problem by reapplying Sp2 to Outlook 2003 before
installing Office 2007. Now everything works just fine..."

warleftd

ASKER

We have decided to switch this end user totally to Office 2007, which should eliminate any incompatibility with Office 2003. While this approach is somewhat painful, due to the additional cost in terms of dollars and time, it seems like the only way to resolve the issue.

warleftd

ASKER

We installed Office 2007 across the board and the problem disappeared. Thank you, Microsoft! It appears that the problem is within the software and is a basic incompatibility, and something you do not realize until it happens to you.

Spread the word.

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