Windows Installer Online Update and patch package problems

I recently installed Office 2003 SBE, then 2003 Business Contact Manager,
then SP2 for these. Now when I start Outlook 2003 it pops up with "preparing
to install" and the only option is cancel. It accesses the CD for a second,
then the floppy drive, then closes the window. I get the same problem when I
try to access Visio 2002 now. When I try to access the online update site, I
select "custom" and then it just hangs "looking for updates". When I tried to
run, or even repair, Visio 2002 I get; This patch package could not be
opened. Verify that the package exists and that you can access it, or contact
the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer
patch.

I did uninstall Windows Installer, per another newsgroups suggestion,
rebooted, and then windows automatic update notified me that it was available
and to install it. I did just that, but still get the same errors.

 

Suggestion:
You might have to use the windows installer cleanup utility and reinstall Office
2003 and Visio.
This problem may occur if the registry contains Microsoft Windows Installer
information from an earlier Office installation.
You receive the "This patch package could not be opened" error message in an
Office program
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;295823

--
==================================
TaurArian [MS-MVP] 2005-2007 - Australia
==================================
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
"Need more help? http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=ph;en-us;6527
(Links to web pages and MSKB Articles are posted for the purposes of keeping the
information current)


|I recently installed Office 2003 SBE, then 2003 Business Contact Manager,
| then SP2 for these. Now when I start Outlook 2003 it pops up with "preparing
| to install" and the only option is cancel. It accesses the CD for a second,
| then the floppy drive, then closes the window. I get the same problem when I
| try to access Visio 2002 now. When I try to access the online update site, I
| select "custom" and then it just hangs "looking for updates". When I tried to
| run, or even repair, Visio 2002 I get; This patch package could not be
| opened. Verify that the package exists and that you can access it, or contact
| the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer
| patch.
|
| I did uninstall Windows Installer, per another newsgroups suggestion,
| rebooted, and then windows automatic update notified me that it was available
| and to install it. I did just that, but still get the same errors.