OFF97: Error Message: SR-2 Patch Cannot Be Applied to Your Computer

When you run either the Microsoft Office 97 Version Checker or the updated Microsoft Office 97 SR-2 Patch, you may receive the following error message:

This problem may occur when any of the following conditions is true:

• You do not have a Microsoft Office 97 product installed on your computer. -or-
  
  
• Critical Microsoft Office 97 files are missing or damaged. -or-
  
  
• Some of your Microsoft Office 97 files are base level, while others are SR-1 level or you have a later version of an Office program installed. This is known as a "mixed" installation.-or-
  
  
• The following conditions are true:
  
  
  • You have one or more of the following programs installed on your computer:
    
    
    • Microsoft Excel 97 Viewer
    • Microsoft Word 97 Viewer
    • Microsoft PowerPoint 97 Viewer
    • A runtime version of Microsoft Access 97
    -and-
  • You do not have a full version of any Microsoft Office 97 SR-1 program installed.

To resolve this problem, perform one or more of the following procedures as required by your computer's configuration:

• If Microsoft Office 97 is not installed on your computer, use your CD-ROM or floppy disks to install Microsoft Office 97. Note that you may also need to run the Microsoft Office 97 SR-1 Patch after installing Microsoft Office 97.
• If Microsoft Office 97 has been installed on your computer, you may need to reinstall it by performing the following steps:
  1. On the Start menu, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
  3. In the list of installed programs, select Microsoft Office 97 and then click Add/Remove.
  4. Click Reinstall to begin reinstallation of Microsoft Office 97.
  After reinstallation is complete, run the Microsoft Office 97 Version Checker. If it reports that you are ready to upgrade to SR-2, run the SR-2 Patch.
  
  
• If your computer contains a "mixed" installation of Microsoft Office 97 base level and SR-1 files, you may be able to correct the problem by downloading the latest SR-1 Patch from the following address:
  http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010449921033.aspx (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010449921033.aspx )
  After you have downloaded and run the SR-1 Patch, try running the Microsoft Office 97 Version Checker. If it reports that you are ready to upgrade to SR-2, run the SR-2 Patch.
  
  
• The SR-2 Patch is not designed to patch any of the viewers or runtime programs listed above. If no full versions of Microsoft Office 97 programs are installed, it is not necessary to run the SR-2 Patch.

NOTE: If you continue to have problems installing the SR-2 Patch, you may need to completely remove Office 97 and SR-1. For information on how to completely remove Office 97 and SR-1, please click the article numbers below to view the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

This behavior is by design of both the Microsoft Office 97 Version Checker and the Microsoft Office 97 SR-2 Patch.

The Microsoft Office 97 Version Checker, Sr2chk.exe, and the Microsoft Office 97 SR-2 Patch, Sr2aof97.exe, are both designed to return the error message shown above if a proper installation of Microsoft Office 97 SR-1 is not found on your computer. This may be the case if any of the reasons shown in the "Cause" section are true.

The Microsoft Excel 97 Viewer, Microsoft Word 97 Viewer, and Microsoft PowerPoint 97 Viewer allow you to view files created in your Microsoft Office 97 programs even if the programs are not actually installed on your computer. You can download these viewers from the following Microsoft web site: The runtime version of Microsoft Access 97 allows you to run custom applications created in Microsoft Access on computers where Microsoft Access is not actually installed. This version of Microsoft Access 97 cannot be downloaded; it is included with custom applications that are sent to you.

Because these programs are not full versions of Microsoft Office 97 programs, it is not necessary for them to be updated. The SR-2 Patch will not update these programs, and, if no full versions of Microsoft Office 97 programs are installed on your computer, the Microsoft Office 97 Version Checker and SR-2 Patch will both return the error message shown above.