"Installation unsuccessful" error message when you try to install Office XP SP3 from the Office Update Web site

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SUMMARY

If you receive the "Installation unsuccessful" error message when you try to update Microsoft Office XP to Office XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) from the Microsoft Office Update Web site, your Office installation may have been installed from an administrative installation point. To resolve this problem, either install the Office XP SP3 full-file package, or contact your network administrator to update your administrative installation point.

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SYMPTOMS

When you try to install Microsoft Office XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) from the Office Update Web site, you may receive the following error message:

Installation unsuccessful

Note To view the Office Update Web site, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/FX101321101033.aspx (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/FX101321101033.aspx)

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CAUSE

This problem may occur when you try to use the Office XP SP3 client (binary) update on a computer that has Microsoft Office XP installed from an administrative installation point.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods.

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Method 1: Download and install the Office XP SP3 full-file package

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Collapse this imageExpand this image

Download the English version of the Office XP Service Pack 3 full-file package now. (http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/1/f/91ffc6b2-0745-470b-8dd3-1285b85db12b/officexpsp3-kb832671-fullfile-enu.exe)
Release Date: March 9, 2004

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/119591/ ) How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.
Note To download and install a localized version of Office XP SP3, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=85AF7BFD-6F69-4289-8BD1-EB966BCDFB5E (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=85AF7BFD-6F69-4289-8BD1-EB966BCDFB5E)

To download and install Office XP SP3, follow these steps:

Click the Download the English version of the Office XP Service Pack 3 full-file package now link that is mentioned earlier.
In the File Download dialog box, click Open.

Note The Office XP SP3 full-file package is 57.5 megabytes (MB) and may take a long time to download depending on your Internet connection speed.
If you are prompted to install the update, click Yes.
Click Yes to accept the license agreement.
When you receive a message that indicates that the installation was successful, click OK.

Note After you install the update, you cannot remove it. To revert to an installation before the update was installed, you must remove Office XP, and then install it again from the original CD-ROM.

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