New user - OS Copy Question

[mrkinsopo]

Hi All.

Happily using DD and OS selector (just using XPSP2)...with one exception. MS Office does not operate correctly in the XP copies. If I try to re-install, repair, or even uninstall I receive an Installer error of some sort. I did not include screen shots initially, as one of you might know right off what this is about...but if more info is required, I'm happy to provide.

-rmkinsopo

[MudCrab]

Did you use the "Copy OS" feature of OSS?

If you did, it seems it's not working correctly or a folder needed by Office isn't getting copied.

Does Office still work correctly in the "original" XP?

I have never bothered with copies. I always do isolated installs.

[mrkinsopo]

Thanks, Mudcrab.

I did indeed use the OS copy feature. It is WAY faster than a seperate install...and seems to work fine for all other programs. Seems to me if it was missing a folder, then it would say "missing...." But you never know. Office works fine in the original source OS. I've tried twice, to make sure I did not miss something. But no luck.

I have not looked more thoroughly into the OPTIONS in OSS...say where one includes or adds files. Perhaps that is where the solution lies. But it is certainly unexpected that it would not let me install anew or repair...or even remove. In desperation I might try manually removing office and trying a re-install.

[MudCrab]

If Office is still working correctly in the original XP, then I wouldn't recommend uninstalling it (manually or otherwise) in one of the copies.

I assume that Office was installed before you made the "copy" of XP?

Can you be more specific on what "does not operate correctly" means? Is it not finding a file? Does it lock up? Features missing?

Also, what are the specific error messages (if any)?

----

The folders and files that get "copied" in OSS are in the properties for each OSS menu entry. Right-click to get properties and then look under Folders and Files. Perhaps something is missing?

For XP, OSS normally copies C:\Windows, C:\Program Files and C:\Documents and Settings for the folders. Each folder's properties can be set to Enabled or Disabled. I assume yours are all enabled. Perhaps there is some part of Office that is installed in a different folder? That's why I ask about any error messages. Do they specify a location of a file that's not being found?

[mrkinsopo]

Office is working fine in the original XP install. It was fully functional before the OS copy process.

I did view the OS folder options and the folders listed are the same you have listed. I made no changes there. One item I could try is to run a monitored install of office and view a report of what folders are involved..then add those (Parent) folders to the options.

Symptoms of problems include a couple of different annoyances, but the main deal breaker is that the Outlook Client cannot send receive. Even if I setup new mail accounts from scratch, it will not complete a mail transfer. The errors are generic network errors in the send/recieve dialog box, not authentication errors. I can retrieve the error codes if you like along with some screen shots...but I am also revisiting your suggestion of stand-alone installs.

Perhaps I would do better to partition the drive and then use ADD to copy the boot/xp partition...is that a possible option? Not anxious to do this as the OS copy works fine for everything else...and besides...once I get a problem to solve..........

Mark