Article ID: 932857 - Last Review: September 12, 2011 - Revision: 4.0

You receive an error message when you try to install or run an Office program: "This patch package could not be opened" or "The installation source for the product is not available"

View products that this article applies to.
System TipThis article applies to a different operating system than the one you are using. Article content that may not be relevant to you is disabled.
This article may contain a link to the Windows Installer Cleanup utility (MSICUU2.exe). If you were directed to this article to solve a problem by using the Windows Installer Cleanup utility, please contact your software manufacturer for installation support on the product, or see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article for steps to troubleshoot uninstallation issues with products that use Windows Installer:

2438651 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2438651) How to troubleshoot problems that may occur when you install, uninstall, or upgrade a program on a Windows-based computer
Notice
Please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article for steps to troubleshoot uninstallation issues with products that use Windows Installer:
2438651 How to troubleshoot problems that may occur when you install, uninstall, or upgrade a program on a Windows-based computer  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2438651/ )

Expand all | Collapse all

SUMMARY

When you try to install a Microsoft Office program or run an Office program for the first time, you may receive an error message. This article lists common error messages that you may receive, and it contains step-by-step methods that may help you install and run an Office program.

This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.
You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.
Back to the top

Symptoms of the problem

When you try to install an Office program or run an Office program for the first time, you may receive one of the following error messages:
  • This patch package could not be opened. Contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer patch package.
  • The installation source for the product is not available. Verify that the source exists and that you can access it.
  • This patch package could not be opened. Verify that the patch package exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer patch package.
  • The feature you are trying to use is on a CD-ROM or other removable disk that is not available. Insert the Office program disk and click OK.
    Note In this error message, Office program is a placeholder for the name of the specific Office program that you are using.
If you are signed on to the computer by using an administrative account, you may receive the following error message:
Fatal error during installation
Back to the top

Steps to resolve the problem

Step 1: Download and run Microsoft Fixit 50123 from the following article:
  1. How to fix MSI software update registration corruption issues (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971187)
 Step 2: Repair or reinstall Microsoft Office
Back to the top

Similar problems and solutions

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
324906  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324906/ ) Cannot start an Office program after you install Service Pack 3 for Windows 2000
290301  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301/ )
How do I uninstall Office 2003, Office 2007 or Office 2010 suites if I cannot uninstall it from Control Panel?
Back to the top
APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Office XP Developer Edition
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Developer Edition
  • Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003
  • Microsoft Office XP Professional Edition
  • Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003
  • Microsoft Office XP Small Business Edition
  • Microsoft Office Access 2003
  • Microsoft Access 2002 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Excel 2002 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft FrontPage 2002 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft FrontPage 2000 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
  • Microsoft Outlook 2002 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Outlook 2000 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 2002 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Office Publisher 2003
  • Microsoft Publisher 2002 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Publisher 2000 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Word 2002
  • Microsoft Word 2000
  • Microsoft Works Suite 2006
  • Microsoft Works Suite 2005
  • Microsoft Works Suite 2004
  • Microsoft Works Suite 2003
  • Microsoft Works Suite 2002
  • Microsoft Works Suite 2001
  • Microsoft Works Suite 2000
  • Microsoft Office Basic Edition 2003
Back to the top
Keywords: 
kbmsicuu2 kbsetup kberrmsg kbceip kbexpertiseinter kbtshoot kbprb KB932857
Back to the top