Windows XP problem

[Hysteresis]

My operating system is Windows XP Home and has been for over 12 months. Over the last couple of days when ever I open a Word or Excel application AND on start up, I get a window indicatiog that my system is looking for 'Windows XP Professional with Front Page' and enters a search operation which returns the instruction to install the 'Windows XP Pro' disc in the Disc Drive. As my laptop was supplied with XP Home pre installed I don't have any discs.
My System has only just started this annoying operation and when I cancel the search, Word or Excel initialises under XP Home, but without the document requested.
I have no idea why my system has started to ask for the XL Pro disc, but how can I stop it asking, and therefore just start the XP Home application.

 

[tim west]

something in your startup folder maybe? check for a front page doc that may have accidently been put there.

 

[joe-90]

It sounds like you've lost a shortcut or moved a folder so the system can't find it. Try 'browsing' to the folder you want it to open then it'll know where it is next time.

 

[Watchmaker]

Or, download a version of Linux and abandon that overcomplicated, unhelpful, bug ridden operating system called Windows XP

 

[Alison556]

Have you tried using system restore to a point before it started doing that?

 

[Hysteresis]

Have you tried using system restore to a point before it started doing that?

I will try that but what is odd is that I have not installed XP Pro but any Microsoft application tries to sturt under XL Pro. When I cancel the error windows the application starts OK under XP Home. The error messages tells me that the aplication is looking for PROPLUS.MSI whatever that is.
I can't find anything in the start menu or a browse just ets me to the point of still looking for PROPLUS.MSI as suggested by Joe-90 and Tim West.
The fact that I can start up a Microsoft application after cancelling the error windows suggests to me that kmy system should now recognise were to find Word/Excel etc, but it still keeps trying to start under XP Pro.
I will try a restore next if I can remember how to do it.

 

[Alison556]

I did a search for you and this appears to be a common problem.

Read this link:

http://forums.techguy.org/business-applications/138371-error-proplus-msi-needed.html

Read it fully though because some solutions worked for some and not for others. There is a link for tweaks on page 3 of the link and that seems to have done the trick for most folks.

Good luck and let us know how you go.

 

[Hysteresis]

I did a search for you and this appears to be a common problem.

Read this link:

http://forums.techguy.org/business-applications/138371-error-proplus-msi-needed.html

Read it fully though because some solutions worked for some and not for others. There is a link for tweaks on page 3 of the link and that seems to have done the trick for most folks.

Good luck and let us know how you go.

Hi Alison,
I haven't had any luck after trying several of the suggestions. One problem I have is that a lot of the solutions seem to be suggesting the download of PROPLUS.MSI. This file seems to be relavant to XP Pro. I only have XP Home and as such I assume PROPLUS will be of no consequence. Just why my AP Home is asking for a download of XP Pro i am at a loss to understand. I ahven't managed a reload from a previous check point because I can't find the operation to achieve it. I am still looking. The XP applications still start up under XP home but only after I cancel the operation of looking for XP Pro and Front Page.
No further forward at the moment.

 

[Alison556]

Ooooh, that's weird. I'll keep looking and see if I can find anything else.

Has windows done an update in the last couple of days that may have started the problem? Have you installed anything new? Did you get a recovery disk with your laptop? I've always thought it was strange that when you buy a desktop you get the Windows disk but when you buy a laptop you dont.

Bear with me and I'll see what I can find out.

 

[Hysteresis]

Ooooh, that's weird. I'll keep looking and see if I can find anything else.

Has windows done an update in the last couple of days that may have started the problem? Have you installed anything new? Did you get a recovery disk with your laptop? I've always thought it was strange that when you buy a desktop you get the Windows disk but when you buy a laptop you dont.

Bear with me and I'll see what I can find out.

I am not aware of a windows update at least I can't remember one.
I haven't installed anything new.
As you say, I have a laptop and no recovery disc, although I did produce one about 6 months ago but If I recover to that I will lose some of the data of the last 6 months.
I have e-mailed billynda, who is theguy giving a lot of advice on the techguys site, and I await a reply from him presently. What is really odd is that I have XP Home and not XP Pro, so just why the machine is asking for XP Pro CD is far beyond my very limited knowledge.
I have checked my system configuration and I can confirm my OS is XP Home. After cancelling all the error windows, all the applications start up normally under XP Home.
I have been trying all day to make some head way but no luck as yet.
I fear I may end up just acceptinf the annoying requirement to cancel the error windows when ever the appear, but it is a real pain.
Thanks for the Help.

 

[doitall]

Reload can be found at;

Start-All Programs-Accessories-System Tools

 

[Alison556]

What version of Office is it you have?

I can imagine how much this is bugging you and it's bugging me now - we will find a solution!!!

 

[Alison556]

I might be getting somewhere.

It doesn't seem to be a problem with your Windows XP Home Edition - it's a problem linked to your Microsoft Office. That particular file problem is related to Microsoft Office XP Professional with FrontPage Edition.

Here's what Microsoft say about it:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA011185721033.aspx

Do you have the original installation CD for your Office? Or can you get a hold of one? This would appear to solve the problem. It seems to be to do with SP3 update on Office XP.

 

[Hysteresis]

What version of Office is it you have?

I can imagine how much this is bugging you and it's bugging me now - we will find a solution!!!

Thanks for your help.
My OP is Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2.
I have heard from the guy from techguys and he adviced I download PROPLUS and when the error windows come up direct the operation to the PROPLUS program. This I have done and it has changed the way the error is generated. I now get an error window saying :-
Error 1311. source file could not be found: C\Documents and settings\Ian Muller\Desktop\OFFICE1.CAB. Verify that the file exists and that you can access it.
I cancel this message and Word starts up OK under XP Home as before really.
So I am still no further forward.
You are dead right - this problem is bugging me, although I can still use all windows functions by cancalling error messages - it is just so annoying.
Thank you so much for your interest.

 

[Alison556]

It's not your operating system that's the problem - it's the Office software that has Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Frontpage, Access, etc on. What version of that are you using? I use Microsoft Office 2000 but it seems this file problem occurs on Microsoft Office XP Professional with Frontpage.