# Office update, now excel won't open



## leesah (Dec 29, 2004)

Win98SE-PentIII
I updated MSOffice a few days ago, and now I am having the strangest problem with Excel. When I try to open it or Excel documents from the start button, a installer window pops up and says "Preparing to install" then I get another 1 saying "Windows Installer failed to install the program associated with this file. Please contact system administrator." BUT if I go to my harddrive and find Excel the hard way, it will open and then I can open my files. Just not through the shortcut on Start.??
I am not sure which updates I installed, and running the Office disk gets me the same message about the installer. All the other Office programs work, Word & Access. 
My files still open-it's just annoying. Does anyone know how I can fix this? Thank you!


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## Glaswegian (Sep 16, 2005)

Hi

What OS and what version of Office are you using?


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## leesah (Dec 29, 2004)

OS:98SE, Office:2000


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## Glaswegian (Sep 16, 2005)

Hi leesah

Sorry - didn't see the Win98 at the start of your post. The only thing I can find is this

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;238387

It relates to users sharing the Start menu etc. Have a look and see if it helps.

Regards


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## leesah (Dec 29, 2004)

I found that too, but no, it did not help. I wish I could restore like you can in XP. Thank you for looking for me though!


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## Glaswegian (Sep 16, 2005)

Have you tried a Repair of Office? Or a Repair of Excel?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;264625


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## leesah (Dec 29, 2004)

I tried your link and followed the instructions but disk 1 of Office, with Excel on it, pops up a window that says "This patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch package exits and that you can access it." 
When I search for "patch package" on the Microsoft site, it suggests I download and run Windows Installer CleanUp utility. This will, I THINK, uninstall Office altogether. I am reluctant to do this because I can not get disk 1 to run now and what if the utility does not fix it, only uninstalls Office-then I'm screwed.?? I dunno what the heck I did, but it looks like I won't be able to fix it.


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## Glaswegian (Sep 16, 2005)

leesah

Do you have the original disks for Office 2000? If yes, then you will be able to re-install later. By the sounds of it, I think you will have to uninstall Office and then re-install. The Windows utility you mention will clear any Registry entries but you should uninstall via Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs first.


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