OFFXP: Error Message: Has Not Been Installed for the Current User
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Office XP (Setup), when used with:
the operating system: Microsoft Windows 98
the operating system: Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
This article was previously published under Q302846
For a Microsoft Office 2000 version of this article, see 233529.

SYMPTOMS
When you start one of the Office programs, you receive the following error message

Office program has not been installed for the current user. Please run setup to install the application.
where Office program is the Office XP program that you started.

When you try to start Office Maintenance Mode Setup in the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel, you receive the following error message:

This action is only valid for products that are currently installed.
CAUSE
These error messages can occur if all of the following are true:
You are using Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) or Microsoft Windows 98. -and-


You have Profiles turned on. -and-


The Start menu is not being shared by all users. This means that the Include Start menu and Program groups in user settings option is selected on the User Profiles tab of the Passwords Properties dialog box. -and-


You have not run Setup for Office.
RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, run Setup for Office.

In this configuration, each user who has an existing profile on Windows Me or Windows 98 must run Setup for Office. The only users who do not have to run Setup are those who do not have an existing profile on the computer. When they log on for the first time, the default user profile is copied into their profile. This default user profile includes all of the registry information and shortcuts necessary to start Office programs.

The first user who runs Setup in the configuration sets the installation location for Office. Any subsequent user cannot change this location, even if the user performs a custom installation. Also, the time required to install Office for second and subsequent users is substantially less than the time required for the first user, assuming that comparable features are installed. This is because Setup does not recopy any files that are already installed.

If you are the second user or a later user who is running Setup in this configuration, you can select a different set of Office features than other users can. If you do, you see a different set of Office shortcuts on the Programs menu. This is because the Start menu is set to per-user. You selected the Include Start menu and Program groups in user settings check box on the User Profiles tab of the Password Properties dialog box.
MORE INFORMATION
If you have Profiles selected, but the Start menu is being shared by all users of the computer, you only have to install Office once. This configuration is selected if the Include Start menu and Program groups in user settings check box is cleared on the User Profiles tab of the Passwords Properties dialog box.