You receive a "Required registry information is missing and this application cannot run" error message when you start an Office 2000 program (236590)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 2000
  • Microsoft Access 2000
  • Microsoft FrontPage 2000
  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 2000
  • Microsoft Publisher 2000
  • Microsoft Word 2000
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Premium
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Professoinal
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Standard
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Small Business
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Developer
This article was previously published under Q236590
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you start one of the Office programs, the following symptoms may occur:
  • The program starts, but after several seconds, you receive the following error message:
    Required registry information is missing and this application cannot run. Please run setup to correct this problem.
    When you click OK, the error message goes away, but the program immediately quits.
  • If you run Setup again, as instructed, and then click the Repair Office option, you still see this error message when you start one of the Office programs.

CAUSE

This error message can be caused by missing, incorrect, or corrupted information in the following registry keys:

For systems with Microsoft Windows Installer 1.1 or earlier:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{GUID}


For Microsoft Windows XP and any system with Microsoft Windows Installer 2.0 or later:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\{GUID}\InstallProperties

{GUID} in the earlier registry keys is actually a 32-character string that varies according to the version of Office 2000 you installed. For example, the {GUID} for Office Premium is:

{00000409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}

The problem occurs when the value data for the ProductID string value is incorrect or corrupted.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. In the Open box, type Regedit and then click OK.
  3. Locate the following keys in the registry:

    For systems with Windows Installer 1.1 or earlier:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{GUID}


    For Windows XP and any system with Windows Installer 2.0 or later:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\{GUID}\InstallProperties

  4. If you only have one subkey that is a 32-character {GUID}, select that subkey, and go to step 6.
  5. If you have more than one of these {GUID} subkeys, select each one until you find the one whose DisplayName value matches your version of Office.
  6. For the selected {GUID} subkey, select the ProductID string value.
  7. On the Edit menu, click Rename.
  8. Type OldProductID and press ENTER.
  9. On the Registry menu, click Exit.
  10. Start any of the Office programs.
  11. Type your CD Key when the Microsoft Office 2000 User Information dialog box appears.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/13/2006
Keywords:kbtshoot kbstartprogram kberrmsg kbbug kbnofix KB236590
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