Topic: Unable to install Office 2003?

[mistybear]

A friend has been trying to install Office 2003 on her computer and is getting this error;

WINDOWS SCRIPT HOST
 
 
Script:     D:\  autorun.vbs

Line:       12

Char:       1

Error:       .\ Setup.exe is not a valid Win 32 application

Code:       800700C1

Source:    WshShell. Exec

At first we thought it was a faulty disc, so I tried it in my computer and it wouldn't install by itself but I went into the drive and right clicked and clicked on install and it did attempt to install. It couldn't go any further as I have Office 2003 already installed.

So we assumed that the disc wasn't faulty.

Michael did some googling and found that if they are running a 64bit version of XP then that error code will happen. And they are running 64bit version in both of their computers.
But she still thinks it's a faulty disc, Michael begs to differ, me, I'm not sure?

This is the googled bit that Michael found.

Error Message:
Setup.exe is not a valid win32 application.
Translation:
This error appears when you attempt to install a program designed to run on older versions of Windows on the new 64-bit version of the operating system.

Solution:
You won’t be able to install or run 16-bit applications on the new 64-bit version of WinXP. The solution is to obtain a 32-bit or 64-bit version of the program you are trying to install. In some cases you can obtain a 32-bit installer for the application and then still run the older application, even in 16-bit mode.

http://www.smartcomputing.com/TECHSUPPORT/detail.aspx?guid=&ErrorID=21321

[Sandra]

This is the problem with 64 bit OSs. They sometimes need different programs and different drivers to the ones that worked on 32 bit.
If it would install then theres a chance you could have selected the compatability option to run as an earlier version but the program needs to be installed first.
Her best bet would probably be to to install Open Office, if they do a 64bit version.

[mistybear]

Hi Sandra, long time no see. 

So are you sure that is correct, it is a compatibility issue with her 64bit os?

Does Office 2003 or 2007 do a 64bit version?

[Sandra]

It looks like 32 bit programs can sometimes work on 64 bit OSs afterall  
I have just come across this :

Q. Why do some of my programs install into the Program Files Directory, and others into the Program Files (X86) directory?
A. Windows XP Professional x64 Edition redirects the \Program Files directory for all programs that are 32-bit during the installation to the \Program Files(x86) directory. Programs that 64-bit are installed into the \Program Files directory.
 
Also another page I saw said that 2003 will run on a 64 bit OS so I am unsure why it wont do so in your friends case.
 
Just come across this article :

When the system requirements for Microsoft Office 2010 were first posted, we noticed that Windows XP 64-bit was mysteriously absent. We contacted Microsoft, and the company explained that while deciding on which versions of Windows to support in the next release of Office, it weighed the user experience behind the versions against broadly dropping support.

"For the Microsoft Office 2010 release, we will not support Windows XP 64-bit," a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed with Ars. Upon further inspection, we also noticed Windows Server 2003 support was missing. "For the best productivity and user experience, the benefits of 64-bit computing with Office 2010 is best experienced by utilizing the newly introduced 64-bit version of Office 2010 with Windows 7 (64-bit) or Windows Vista (64-bit) version." In short, Microsoft does not think the experience will be good enough on its previous operating systems.

For the sake of comparison, here are the supported versions of Windows for Office 2010 and its two predecessors (for newer releases of Windows, older versions of Office may require service packs to work):

•Office 2003: Windows 2000 SP3+, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2.
•Office 2007: Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2. Office 2007 is a 32-bit application that will run on a 64-bit version of Windows, but there may be some feature limitations.
•Office 2010: Windows XP (32-bit only), Windows Server 2003 R2 with MSXML 6.0 installed, Windows Vista SP1+, Windows Server 2008 SP2+, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2. Except for XP, 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows are supported. Terminal Server and Windows on Windows (WOW) (which allows installing 32-bit versions of Office 2010 on 64-bit operating systems) are also supported. Naturally, running a 64-bit version of Office 2010 is not possible on a 32-bit version of Windows.
While this is the first time the software giant is releasing 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Office, and on one DVD no less, it's a bit disappointing that neither of them will work on Windows XP 64-bit or Windows Server 2003.

Frankly, we believe Microsoft would kill off Windows XP 32-bit support for Office 2010, which is scheduled for release in June 2010, if it could. Alas, Windows XP 32-bit is still the world's most popular operating system, so the software giant is grudgingly porting everything it needs to make Office 2010 work on the eight-year-old OS.

According to that then 2007 is 32 bit and will work on 32 and 64 bit OSs, doesnt really say that 2003 will and the latest 2010 wont 

[mistybear]

From what I can find out, it appears to be the XP64bit that's the problem. Vista and Windows 7 64bit systems are fine. One guy told me that XP64bit wasn't intended to be a desktop OS, and that it does have issues with other Microsoft software.

It seems that not much works with XP64bit. 

I also have seen on other forums with someone having the same problem, that persistence can finally win out. I suppose it just depends on how many times you are willing to try installing it.

"For the Microsoft Office 2010 release, we will not support Windows XP 64-bit," a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed with Ars.

Perhaps that says it all.

It's not like Microsoft to admit that a piece of their software is cr*p.

[sam]

did you give up wit this in the end? Sorry only just had chance to go back through a bunch of things I missed.

Does look like you aren't going to have much look. But to not sound like their salesman there are other alternatives (e.g. openoffice) if you wanna keep XP64.

[mistybear]

Hi Sam, yes we gave up. Not sure what she's going to do now, probably try office 2007 instead.

[sam]

okies... if you don't wanna give microsoft cash - tis the perfect chance to try some open source software...

[Simon]

I would agree with that, Sam.  Nothing to lose at all. 

[mistybear]

I'll suggest the Open Office to her, and thank you for the suggestion.

[sam]

I'll suggest the Open Office to her, and thank you for the suggestion.

well if you need a hand let us know.

[mistybear]

Thanks Sam, I will.