Microsoft Office for Mac Update

[Richard Stephens]

I turned on my PC this morning to find a new update for Microsoft Office. I commenced installation of this and then the progress bar seemed to freeze and nothing more happened. After a while I closed down the computer expecting that I would be asked to reinstall the update. That didn't happen and now I am unable to open any of the Microsoft office software. A dialogue box opens saying that "Microsoft Word/Excel etc cannot be opened because of a problem.

I would be very grateful if anyone can offer advice on how I can get this fixed. I have no install discs as the software was provided on line through some tie up between Microsoft and the company I used to work for.

Hope someone can help!

 

[honestone]

I assume you mean Office 2011 for the Mac, and that you also have Outlook. Try and rebuild the Office database. Here is how you do it:

1. Hold down the Option key and launch Outlook. Rather than Outlook's normal interface, you'll get the Microsoft Database Utility. Select your identity (most people normally have only the one) in the list and click Rebuild. When it's done, you'll have a new Main Identity and the one it worked from, which now has an appended name of [Backed up 2012....].

2. Quit the utility and go to the Documents folder of your user account. Then /Microsoft User Data/Office 2011 Identities/ . Put the mail identity with [Backed up...] in its name in the trash. Before deleting it, launch Outlook again to make sure the rebuilt data is opened correctly. If so, empty the trash. Your deleted emails will now actually be removed from the hard drive.

3. If for some reason the rebuilt identity doesn't open (I've never had it happen), you can drag the new Main Identity folder to the trash and put the original back. Then remove the "backed up" part of the name so it just says Main Identity again. When Outlook is launched, it will use that one as if nothing had ever changed. All of the deleted emails you were trying to remove will be back with it, but you can at least try rebuilding it again instead of being stuck with a non working identity.

Assuming #2 worked, you could also confirm that Word and Excel work OK. Yiou can then try and apply the Office Update. Which Office Update are you trying to install?

 

[Richard Stephens]

I assume you mean Office 2011 for the Mac, and that you also have Outlook. Try and rebuild the Office database. Here is how you do it:

1. Hold down the Option key and launch Outlook. Rather than Outlook's normal interface, you'll get the Microsoft Database Utility. Select your identity (most people normally have only the one) in the list and click Rebuild. When it's done, you'll have a new Main Identity and the one it worked from, which now has an appended name of [Backed up 2012....].

2. Quit the utility and go to the Documents folder of your user account. Then /Microsoft User Data/Office 2011 Identities/ . Put the mail identity with [Backed up...] in its name in the trash. Before deleting it, launch Outlook again to make sure the rebuilt data is opened correctly. If so, empty the trash. Your deleted emails will now actually be removed from the hard drive.

3. If for some reason the rebuilt identity doesn't open (I've never had it happen), you can drag the new Main Identity folder to the trash and put the original back. Then remove the "backed up" part of the name so it just says Main Identity again. When Outlook is launched, it will use that one as if nothing had ever changed. All of the deleted emails you were trying to remove will be back with it, but you can at least try rebuilding it again instead of being stuck with a non working identity.

Assuming #2 worked, you could also confirm that Word and Excel work OK. Yiou can then try and apply the Office Update. Which Office Update are you trying to install?

I assume you mean Office 2011 for the Mac, and that you also have Outlook. Try and rebuild the Office database. Here is how you do it:

1. Hold down the Option key and launch Outlook. Rather than Outlook's normal interface, you'll get the Microsoft Database Utility. Select your identity (most people normally have only the one) in the list and click Rebuild. When it's done, you'll have a new Main Identity and the one it worked from, which now has an appended name of [Backed up 2012....].

2. Quit the utility and go to the Documents folder of your user account. Then /Microsoft User Data/Office 2011 Identities/ . Put the mail identity with [Backed up...] in its name in the trash. Before deleting it, launch Outlook again to make sure the rebuilt data is opened correctly. If so, empty the trash. Your deleted emails will now actually be removed from the hard drive.

3. If for some reason the rebuilt identity doesn't open (I've never had it happen), you can drag the new Main Identity folder to the trash and put the original back. Then remove the "backed up" part of the name so it just says Main Identity again. When Outlook is launched, it will use that one as if nothing had ever changed. All of the deleted emails you were trying to remove will be back with it, but you can at least try rebuilding it again instead of being stuck with a non working identity.

Assuming #2 worked, you could also confirm that Word and Excel work OK. Yiou can then try and apply the Office Update. Which Office Update are you trying to install?

 

[Richard Stephens]

Honestone thanks for your help but I have managed to solve my problem now.

 

[honestone]

Honestone thanks for your help but I have managed to solve my problem now.

Glad to hear that! What did you finally do to resolve the issue?