Help: "The update cannot be applied."

My Problem:

I keep getting the message "The Update cannot be applied" whenever I

try to run an Office 2003 patch (be it an Outlook junk mail update or

a Word Security update).

Also when I try to run Detect and Repair from any office application

I get the message: "The patch package could not be opened. Verify

that the patch package exists and that you can access it ... (etc)."

I'm pointing it to the package file it asks for right off the Office

2003 installation CD (STD11N.MSI).


What I've Tried:

I've tried what it suggests here to no avail -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884298

I've also ran the Windows Installer Cleanup utility - no luck.


The only changes I've made to my system that I can think of that

might be involved:

To free up much needed space on my Win XP drive I moved just about

all of the update packages (like in the $hf_mig$ folder and the

WindowsUpdate folders to an external drive).


I have Win XP SP2 and Office 2003 SP2.


Thanks.

-- Bill

William

Try this below and let us know if it worked for you.


1st Rename Office subkeys


Note: Removing the following registry keys may reset customized user
settings for your Microsoft Office programs.


1. Close all the applications.
2. Click on Start-Run, type in REGEDIT and click on OK.
3. Locate and select the following registry subkeys:


HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0


4. Right click on 11.0 and rename them to Old11.
5. Close the Registry Editor.


2nd. Detect and Repair Office 2003


1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start, point to and click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
3. Click Change/Remove Programs on the left pane.
4. Highlight Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 on the right pane
and click Change.
5. Insert the correct version of CD when it requires.
6. Select "Reinstall and Repair" and click Next.
7. Select "Detect and Repair errors in my Office installation".
8. Click Install and wait the process to end.


3rd. Install the Updates


--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"William Low" wrote in message ...
My Problem:

I keep getting the message "The Update cannot be applied" whenever I

try to run an Office 2003 patch (be it an Outlook junk mail update or

a Word Security update).

Also when I try to run Detect and Repair from any office application

I get the message: "The patch package could not be opened. Verify

that the patch package exists and that you can access it ... (etc)."

I'm pointing it to the package file it asks for right off the Office

2003 installation CD (STD11N.MSI).


What I've Tried:

I've tried what it suggests here to no avail -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884298

I've also ran the Windows Installer Cleanup utility - no luck.


The only changes I've made to my system that I can think of that

might be involved:

To free up much needed space on my Win XP drive I moved just about

all of the update packages (like in the $hf_mig$ folder and the

WindowsUpdate folders to an external drive).


I have Win XP SP2 and Office 2003 SP2.


Thanks.

-- Bill

Read the answers in your other post in the office.update group.

Please do not multipost . Unfortunately I did not catch this at the time when I posted my answers to you. in both groups.

http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

"William Low" wrote in message ...
My Problem:

I keep getting the message "The Update cannot be applied" whenever I

try to run an Office 2003 patch (be it an Outlook junk mail update or

a Word Security update).

Also when I try to run Detect and Repair from any office application

I get the message: "The patch package could not be opened. Verify

that the patch package exists and that you can access it ... (etc)."

I'm pointing it to the package file it asks for right off the Office

2003 installation CD (STD11N.MSI).


What I've Tried:

I've tried what it suggests here to no avail -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884298

I've also ran the Windows Installer Cleanup utility - no luck.


The only changes I've made to my system that I can think of that

might be involved:

To free up much needed space on my Win XP drive I moved just about

all of the update packages (like in the $hf_mig$ folder and the

WindowsUpdate folders to an external drive).


I have Win XP SP2 and Office 2003 SP2.


Thanks.

-- Bill