Xp reinstall Can't uninstall programs

[Guest]

I'm new to XP (Celeron/1.7/632 Ram Xp Home) as I have just obtained a PC
from a friend who was upgrading.
She left a few programs on it but I didn't really want them so (foolishly)
reinstalled XP from the CD.
This removed all the programs from the start menu but not from the PC.
They would all need re-installing from what I gather but I'm not concerned
with that as I didn't buy them in the first place and have my own copies.
Now, the problem is, trying to run Word 2002 (or other Office10 programs
like Frontpage) gives the message that it isn't installed for the current
user. Ok, fair enough,
I have my own copy of Office XP and have tried to install but my Program key
isn't being accepted.
The existing program doesn't appear in add/remove.
I'm presuming that the existing program wants the key it was installed with,
not mine (no, she hasn't got it any more) and that's why it won't accept mine
(bought and paid for, I hasten to add, and running fine on my WinMe PC).
The only information I can find starts "uninstall from add/remove" but it's
not there.
I have tried just deleting the folder and installing afresh but it still
won't accept my product key.
Ideally, I would like to uninstall the existing version and then install
mine (they are both the same versions)
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Hillneerg

 

[JS]

Since you are not concerned with the previous owners stuff and indicated
that you re-installed XP, did you do a 'Clean Install'?
Before you do the Clean Install verify all the existing product CD Key codes
you can using Belarc Advisor.
Belarc Advisor: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
It does a good job of providing a wealth of information including Driver
info.

How to do a Clean Install of Windows XP:
From Michael Steven's: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
more info: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm
and: http://www.theeldergeek.com/clean_installation_of_windows_xp.htm
also: http://www.bootdisk.com/

Also make sure you have the drivers you need for your motherboard, video
card, sound card, Etc.

Note: OEM Windows Installs usually come with a sticker on the PC or laptop
and may not match the factory installed key.

JS

 

[Guest]

I had thought of that but I have installed a lot of stuff myself (including
tuff downloaded from the Internet) since I have had it (I have only just
tried Word and found the problem) so a clean install would be a last choice
if all else fails.
I did the reinstall mainly because the sound drivers were faulty (it didn't
fix them, that required getting the proper ones on-line after looking at the
AC97 chip and finding out which ones to get).
It's just so annoying that I can't uninstall the thing.
Hillneerg

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I'm new to XP (Celeron/1.7/632 Ram Xp Home) as I have just obtained a PC
from a friend who was upgrading.
She left a few programs on it but I didn't really want them so (foolishly)
reinstalled XP from the CD.

Not foolishly at all. You should always do a clean installation when
you acquire a used computer. If I acquired a used computer, the first
thing I would do with it would be to reinstall the operating system
cleanly. You have no idea how the computer has been maintained, what
has been installed incorrectly, what is missing, what viruses and
spyware there may be, etc. I wouldn't want to live with somebody
else's mistakes and problems, possibility of kiddie porn, etc., and I
wouldn't recommend that anyone else do either.

This removed all the programs from the start menu but not from the PC.

Exactly how did you reinstall XP? It sounds like you didn't properly
do a clean installation.

 

[JS]

Have you tried the Uninstall option located on the Office CD?

JS

 

[Guest]

I did a reinstall from the CD that came with the computer.
There are a few options there and I chose the one reinstall to correct any
problems (the sound wasn't working)
No, it wasn't a clean install as I know the person I got it from quite well
and there's no chance there would be anything "iffy" on it nor would she have
altered anything (she is a just load it and use it person and wouldn't
attempt to do anyting else although she does have a habit of deleting stuff.
It was set to hide hidden folders though so I don't think she would have
deleted anything too important). There were a few free programs that I would
have had problems downloading as I am on dial-up that I was hoping to keep.
I did read, too late, that there is a warning that programs have to be
reinstalled to work. Alas, I had already pressed the button.
Of course, she's ditched the CD's that she had for newer versions so I can't
ask her for her settings etc. to see if that would help.
I have been through the Office10 folders and found one which seems to be a
clean-up tool. That seemed to remove it but that doesn't seem to have got rid
of whatever is stopping it accepting my product key for some parts.
The strange this is, after having used the clean tool and installing rom the
CD, (it asked me for my product key which I input and it then happily
installed everything. Excel, Outlook, and Access are working and have their
serial numbers and my name (under help/about) but Word and Frontpage still
ask me for my product key and won't accept it (although the others obviously
have). When I start them, a window flashes up "preparing to install" and then
the setup box for the product key (although it has already told me that
everthing installed ok).
I am having a problem understanding what is going on.
When I installed this on my laptop, it just installed.
Puzzled,
Hillneerg

 

[Guest]

An update.
I have found a solution to this. It's a little unothodox but it worked.
I think the problem was created because, after reinstalling XP, the programs
each needed reinstalling again. However, as they had been installed by the
previous owner, somewhere in the registry were her details so it wouldn't
accept mine while they existed for WORD and Frontpage (although it accepted
it for the remaining programs).
What I did was to rename the original folder as "oldOffice10", install
afresh from the CD (WITHOUT INPUTTING ANY PROGRAM KEYS), rename THAT folder
as "new Office10". Rename the original back to Office10 and then run the
uninstall program from the CD which deleted the original owner's program -
although I had to manually delete a file called MSOHEV.DLL which kept
stopping the uninstall. I then Installed Word as a single program using a
custom install, it then acepted my product key. I then proceeded to install
each program as an upgrade under "custom install" and it all worked. I have
left the folder "newoffice10" just in case.
Long-winded I suppose but it works and didn't involve altering the registry
by hand (shudder).
Hillneerg