Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Error! Unable to check for updates on this computer

Feb 7, 2004 10:10AM PST

When attempting to check for any needed updates to Microsoft Office XP for Students & Teachers, I get the following error message. This update process used to work for me. I have reported the error to Microsoft, but I do not get any response.

The Office Update site is unable to check for updates on this computer. This may be happening because of one of the following reasons:

You do not have administrative privileges for this computer.
There is a network problem and the detection catalog used by the Office Update site failed to download. Go back to the Downloads home page and try running detection again.
Windows Installer patch files (.MSP files) from previously applied Office updates are missing from the \Windows\Installer hidden directory on your computer. MSP files are stored on your computer after update installation completes because they need to be referenced for future update operations. If the files are missing you will not be able to apply Office updates. You may also be unable to uninstall Office products as a result of the same problem. Please contact Microsoft Product Support for assistance.
You installed Office updates in the past and then upgraded from Windows Installer version 1.0 to Windows Installer version 1.1. For more information see the KB article Windows Installer May Prompt for Install Source if Unavailable.


Search for Office updates in the Download Catalog

Report the error to Microsoft

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Re:Error! Unable to check for updates on this computer
Feb 8, 2004 10:23PM PST

You don't state:

1. Whether you have administrator rights on the computer in question.

2. Whether you tried the suggestions provided in the error message.

- Collapse -
Re:Error! Unable to check for updates on this computer
Feb 11, 2004 5:43AM PST

There's some discussion re this topic on MS
newsgroups (Office section). Apparently a lot
of people, including me, are having this problem.
I got the idea that MS is supposedly working on a solution. Some workarounds were suggested such as
manually downloading updates, then installing; running the updates from the temp. folder; deleting the IE cache,
checking/changing IE's security settings; deleting the
Office Update detection folder etc. etc.
These messages
were quite close to the beginning of the topics
under the Office section if you want to
check out the full details. Eandka

- Collapse -
Re:Error! Unable to check for updates on this computer
Jun 6, 2004 5:21PM PDT

I have been getting the same message for months now and have been unable to fix it.Can someone out there help.Thanx,