Error 1706 (Office 2003 admin install)

[jobelche]

I have a WinXP unattended DVD. I have an admin install of office 2003 on the DVD. The install is not in the $OEM$. I am using the method described on http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/view/web/59/ to locate the admin install. I created a MST file using the ORK “Custom installation wizard” and set everything to “run from computer:” Everything works fine until a new user logs into the system and tries to run an office program like word.

When opening word, a window appears that says “Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003.” The blue bar gets about ¼ of the way across. Then I get an error message “Error 1706. Setup cannot find the required files. Check your connection to the network….”

Obviously, I cannot keep the DVD in the Drive just in case a new user ever logs into the PC. Many of the PCs will never have network access and so putting the admin install on the network is not a solution. The obvious solution is to put the office 2003 folder in $OEM$, but this leaves the installation vulnerable to the user “cleaning up” there Drive and wiping out the install files. I also considered running the non admin install and then scripting the patches but that is a lot of upkeep and would rather have one office install fully patched.

I’m not sure what is causing Office to look for files but not find them (the admin install changing the cab files).

I am looking for an elegant solution, preferably fixing office. I do not like the idea of storing an additional Gig of data on the users Drive just because office does not run correctly.

Thanks in advance.