Windows 7: Office 2003 Causing Windows Update Error

Ladies and gents,

I have encountered an extraordinarily odd problem on freshly reformatted Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit machine. I reinstalled Windows, all the updates, then tried to install Office 2003. When returning to Windows Update I got a 8024402F error. I used System Restore to take me back before the installing office, tried Windows Update. Installed Office 2003, same error.



The reason for the reformat was the same error, which I tried to resolve by deleting the SoftwareDistribution folder. It seemed to work, but then a Windows Update attempt hung on checking for updates for nearly 10 minutes. I got frustrated and rebooted, and the machine would not boot at all. Not even in Safe Mode. System Restore via the recovery environment generated numerous errors. No clue what might have caused all this, but needless to say I am reluctant to try solve this error by canning the SoftwareDistribution folder.

Has anyone encountered this? The culprit update must be sometime in the last month or so. The customers first told me about getting errors saying Windows Update was failing about two weeks ago, and said they were around for a while before that.

Any ideas much appreciated.

Joel.

If you have the machine to hand, please run the Windows Update Posting Instructions and post the requested data.
As far as I am aware, there should be no problems installing Office 2003 on Windows 7 - I know that MS certainly supported the configuration when 7 was released.

Yes Noel they did... at the time. The configuration worked for over a year. As my message stated, whatever this is, it is the result of a relatively recent update. Fortunately I have found reasonably viable workarounds.

As for the bits on the list....

1. Will have to do this tomorrow.
2. SFC reported no issues.
3. Already given.
4. Again will do this tomorrow.

I have Office 2003 Professional installed on both Win 7 64 bit and Win 8 Pro 64 bit. I have no problems on either although the update from the Office 2003 install does not work. At the end of the installation it asks if you want to check for updates - that is the part that does not work. The Windows update found Office 2003 SP3 and installed it.

In ref to Win 8, Microsoft says it is not compatible but I, and one of my clients, both have it installed in Win 8. I use it primarily for MS Word and Outlook and both of these work without problems.

Interesting to know, Fireberd, that you are not having issues. It is most unusual, but I have checked everything too thoroughly. Adding Office 2003 to the mix of the currently up to date Windows 7 install sends the updates to hell. System Restore, works again, try again, it fails. It looks like this is going to be one of those horribly obscure and strange problems for which the chances of a definitive answer are small.

Try installing Office 2003 as "Administrator" and see if that makes a difference. Make sure its all uninstalled and restart the PC before reinstalling.

If its users that are having problems, their logon security level may be the problem.

There is only one account. The Office 2003 install works fine. It is Windows Update that is the problem. I suppose running the Office setup as Administrator might be worth a go at least in theory, but before the reformat the problem essentially happened in reverse. Office 2003 installed fine, Windows Update worked, but then some update came along that threw the proverbial spanner in the works.

I wonder if it's the VS bits in Office that at causing the problem?
IIRC, Office 2003 installs a VS Runtime as well, and this may need to be updated offline first (have a look in both the installed updates list, and the Installed Programs listing to see if it's there)

I thought so too, so I tried an absolute bare bones Outlook only instead with VB Script disabled and all the tools and extra features shut down. Same result. I suspected .NET also but that was not related either.

I may have an Office 2003 I can install into an updated VM - I'll have a play when I can, and see if I can repro.