Microsoft Office 2003 Trying To Install ?

“Every time I try to open Internet Explorer and go to the web, it tries to install Microsoft Office 2003 Professional Edition. I already have that installed on my machine…”

If you would like to discuss this problem in the forums, click here 

The Machine

• Windows XP – SP2 (Service Pack 2)
• Intel based
• Was recently updated the day before during a thunder storm. I don’t know if the storm had anything do with this or if it was the updates.
• This computer is a hand-me-down inside this none-profit organization.
• The computer is kept updated and is scanned regularly for viruses & spyware.

The Problem
When trying to open Microsoft Internet Explorer a dialog box comes up and starts to install, what looks like, Microsoft Office 2003 or at least one of its components.

If you try to open or run any type of Microsoft program such as IE6, Office 2003, or any type of Microsoft tool this installer runs and tries to locate the install files for Office 2003.

You can cancel this installer and continue to load IE6 and surf the web, but on the other hand you cannot open any type of Microsoft Office product. Once you cancel the installer you get an error that says it cannot locate the pro11.msi file, but I doubt it will install if you actually put the install CDs in the drive.

Google Research

Google wasn’t too helpful. Everybody that had this same problem ended up getting no replies or none of the suggestions was worth anything.

The Fix

The only fix I’ve come across when Office tries to install itself every time you open a Microsoft application. Uninstall Microsoft Office. I have not found a work around, If I do I will post it here, but like many other people on the internet, they have had little success in doing so. Reinstall office should do the trick.

Tools to Think About

• Offcln.exe Instructions:

  1. Insert the first disk of your Office CD set in the CD-ROM drive.
  2. From the Start menu or desktop, double-click My Computer.
  3. Right-click the icon for your CD-ROM drive, and then click Open.
  4. Double-click Files, and then double-click Pfiles.
  5. Double-click Msoffice. Then double-click Office11 or Office10 .
  6. Double-click Offcln.exe.