My computer is frustrating me to no end. This morning I woke up to find that Microsoft Word would not open. Every time I tried to open it, it tried to install Microsoft 2000 over and over and over again. I tried to reboot the computer but it did not work. I tried to restore to an earlier time when the known settings were working, it did not work. I tried to set the computer back to yesterday and it told me nothing had changed.

I tried to talk to HP techs. First they told me to restore, and defrag. I did both. Then they told me something else. Next they told me that I must be mistaken, never had the software and it was a sixty day trial (I've had the computer for two years and I have the disks .)

So I googled and I could not find any information on the problem. I thought uninstalling all of my Microsoft programsL publisher, works, and 2000 would be a good idea. Nope. Now the link beeps at me and tells me Word is not installed. I cannot uninstall anything with the microsoft name because it all tries to load Microsoft 2000.

I can't figure the glitch out at all and it is driving me crazy. I swear my computer is being possessed by Bill Gates.

I am running Windows XP on a Hewlitt Packard computer. I did download Internet Explorer 7 on the 19th and on the 27th, I added Family Tree Maker and GenSmart. I have since removed Gensmart because I thought maybe it was the culprit. I had Family Tree Maker 9 for years so I don't think that is messing it up.

Please help. I am a writer and a mom of a little girl in school and we depend on having word there for us. Thank you.

By Microsoft 2000 I assume you are referring to Office 2000? Is this correct?

And you have the disks to Office 2000?

Have you tried reinstalling Office 2000 from those disks?

yes I'm sorry i did mean office 2000 and yes, I tried reinstalling that too. it didn't make one bit of difference.

Did you try Uninstalling Office from Add/Remove Programs?

Yes, it won't uninstal. I can't uninstall anything with Microsoft in the title. It just keeps trying to reinstall Office 2000, every stupid program. i have been at this all day. I'm sorry to even bug anyone, usually I am good at this but this one has me stumped.

In Add/Remove programs there should be one entry for Office. This contains all these programs you mention. Is this what you have tried to uninstall?

What exactly happens when you say this tries to reinstall Office? Does it let you reinstall? Can you reinstall from the disk? If not what happens? What are the verbatim error messages?



You can manually delete in the following manner:

Uninstall Programs Manually

Just because Windows XP has the Add/Remove Programs feature it doesn't mean your application will appear in the list. Furthermore, even if it does appear, it's no guarantee that the uninstall feature will work. When you run across one of these situations the items listed below will help in getting rid of the application. Be aware that these steps may not remove everything associated with the application and can impact other applications on the computer. Have a backup or restore point and use caution.

*

Find the directory for the application and delete all the files in the directory. Delete the directory. e.g. click C: under My Computer then Program Files etc.
*

Open regedit (start/run regedit) and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE and find the folder for the application. Delete the folder.
*

Open regedit and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE and find the folder for the application. Delete the folder.
*

To remove the application entry from Add/Remove Programs (if present) open regedit and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Uninstall and find the folder for the application. Delete the folder.
*

Some applications have Services attached to them. If this is the case, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servic es, locate and delete the service.
*

In Windows Explorer, navigate to the individual user settings and delete program references. Common places to check would be:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs and delete relevant entries.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup and delete relevant entries.
C:\Documents and Settings\%YourUserID%\Start Menu\Programs and delete relevant entries.
[Do this for each User ID listed]
C:\Documents and Settings\%YourUserID%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup and delete relevant entries.
[Do this for each User ID listed]

If no entries were found in the previous step and the application launches automatically, navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
and delete the entry.




You might also check out the Installer Cleanup Utility:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;290301

When I was trying to uninstall from the add/remove list it would just try to install over and over again until eventually it would time out or I would cancel. I just did everything you recommended so far it seems to be working well. But now that I have my Office back, Microsoft Works will not remove from the add/remove programs list. I wanted to test it because before it would just try to start Office 2000. Now it configures and then says "Setup is unable to register tasks." It then shuts down and I get a "Fatal Error during installation." Could this be my disc drive not reading the CD Rom right or is it something else?

Microsoft Works is a "washed down" version of Microsoft Office.

Many OEM's include Works whereas Office is an independent program that needs to be purchased.

There is nothing in Works that is not in Office. There is no reason to have Works if you have Office.

If it is causing problems remove manually as you did above.

If you have Office you do not want/need Works.

You know I never even checked out works. I just knew that it came with my computer and had no clue what it did. LOL Well I guess I will just delete it then. Thanks

No problem. Let us know how it goes and if we can help further.