You may 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"

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.

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:

Step 1: Download and install the Windows Installer CleanUp utility

1. Download the Windows Installer CleanUp utility.
   
   The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
   
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   Download the Msicuu2.exe package now. (http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe)
   
   For more 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 prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.
2. In the File Download dialog box, click Run when you are prompted to run or to save the file.
3. In the security warning dialog box, click Run when you are asked whether you want to run this software.
4. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to install the Windows Installer CleanUp utility program.

Step 2: Use the Windows Installer CleanUp utility to remove Windows Installer registry information for Microsoft Office

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Windows Install Clean Up.
2. In the Installed Products list, select every copy of Office and every copy of an Office program. To select multiple entries, press and hold the CTRL key, and then click each entry that you want to remove.
3. Click Remove.
4. Click OK.
5. Click Exit.

Step 3: Reinstall Microsoft Office

You can now reinstall Microsoft Office on the computer. Make sure that you install Microsoft Office in the same folder where Microsoft Office was installed before. If it is possible, use the same installation options that you used before to install Microsoft Office.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to download, install, and use the Windows Installer CleanUp utility, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: