Windows Vista/Office 2007: Not Installed for This User?

[Jim Gamma]

I just got called by someone for whom I do (free) tech support on an ad-hoc basis, where I installed Powerpoint 2007 a few weeks ago. They've been unable to access the program - they keep getting a "Not installed for this user" error, but running setup doesn't seem to work - nor did uninstalling and reinstalling, or repairing the installation.

I did some quick googling, it looks like it was a permissions issue. I managed to brute-force a solution: go to the program file's properties and set it to always run as an Administrator. This seems to have worked, but what surprises me is that the user they were using for this IS an Administrator account!

Anyway, I know it's not a good idea to have programs running as Administrator all the time, and the user now has to click an extra security box when they run Powerpoint, so I'm wondering, is there another (better) solution? Aside from uninstalling Vista and Office 2007, I mean. Has anyone else had this, and have any advice on how to stop it happening again?

 

[137th Gebirg]

During install, does it offer an option (like some Windows apps do) to install for all users or only for "this" user (meaning, whoever is logged in). If it allows for an install for all users, that should take care of the permissions problem. If not, I'd say wipe it and start over with XP. You wouldn't be the only one out there to do that!

Or, you could get a Mac!

 

[Jim Gamma]

No, even with the Customise option. First thing I tried.

Thanks for the advice re XP, and yes, a lot of people have swapped back... I guess I should pass that recommendation on. Don't think the Mac suggestion will go down too well, though.

 

[anais]

Try disabling User Account Control, launch all the Office programs once, then enable UAC if he/she wants it on. Could clear the admin trouble for the software you launch with UAC off.

 

[Jim Gamma]

OK, I'll look into that... thanks!

 

[Twilight]

Bizarre.

It definitely sounds like just a permissions issue - but Office was installed from an administrator account? And was the installation "for this User" or "for all Users"?

It should work fine if he's running it from an administrator account, who should be able to access all programs as an effective superuser.... not sure what's going on.

Was it installed under a different user account than the guy is now running?

Could it be a "CD-key" / authentication issue? Is he connected to the net when he tries to launch the program? (not sure if Office 07 does random Windows Genuine Advantage checks..)

 

[Jim Gamma]

Bizarre.

It definitely sounds like just a permissions issue - but Office was installed from an administrator account? And was the installation "for this User" or "for all Users"?

The installation didn't offer a "for this user"/"for all users" option, and was installed using an Administrator account - I should know, I installed it and it was working until a few weeks ago!

It should work fine if he's running it from an administrator account, who should be able to access all programs as an effective superuser.... not sure what's going on.

Yep, the lady is running it from an admin account.

Could it be a "CD-key" / authentication issue? Is he connected to the net when he tries to launch the program? (not sure if Office 07 does random Windows Genuine Advantage checks..)

Internet is connected and running, and there was no CD Key problem on install... if the key was wrong I'd expect it to have the problem there, and the same key is working (purchased a multi-user license) on her laptop.

 

[USS KG5]

I remember this problem years ago on Office 97 - if you installed it before you added a PC to a domain you would get this error.

Could it be something similar? The results were so drastic back then that ever since when setting up new PCs I have done the domain add first and the office install second!

 

[Jim Gamma]

No, no domain propogation issues - this is straight from the CD.

 

[USS KG5]

No, no domain propogation issues - this is straight from the CD.

No this was from the CD - literally unless you joined the domain before you installed office you would get this exact error on reboot.

 

[Jim Gamma]

See the thing that makes me think this isn't it is that it WAS working up until a week or two ago, and no new domain has been joined...

 

[USS KG5]

See the thing that makes me think this isn't it is that it WAS working up until a week or two ago, and no new domain has been joined...

OK - so we are talking XP in workgroup mode - have you tried creating a new user and logging in as them, then trying office???

 

[Jim Gamma]

No, we're talking Windows Vista, with an admin account, and the program works if it's opened as an administrator but not if it's opened normally.

 

[USS KG5]

No, we're talking Windows Vista, with an admin account, and the program works if it's opened as an administrator but not if it's opened normally.

Its probably UAC messing you up then - god Vista is horrible.

Have you tried turning UAC off - doing the office first run where it installs the user specific componenets and asks what your initials are etc, then if that works, try turning it back on and running office again?

 

[Jim Gamma]

That sounds like the best idea... but one of the people who was nearby when I did that last time freaked out about me disabling security settings. And since I'm only able to do stuff when I'm actually asked, I doubt it'll come up again, since it's now working by opening as administrator. Thanks anyway.

 

[USS KG5]

OK, no probs.

I'd tell whoever was freaking out not to worry though - UAC I find a step too far in security. I absolutely dread it coming with Windows Vista when I can no longer avoid it on my domain, it is just too pushy.

Whereas a lot of what MS is doing in security (I just had a few fun weeks "discovering" all the extra little bits in SBS 2003 R2) is good, I don't like UAC.

Does anyone here like UAC??