"Error applying transforms. Verify that the specified transform paths are valid" error message when you run the Office 2000 Setup program (299699)


The information in this article applies to:

  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Premium
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Professoinal
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Standard
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Small Business
  • Microsoft Office 2000 Developer
  • Microsoft Access 2000
  • Microsoft Excel 2000
  • Microsoft FrontPage 2000
  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 2000
  • Microsoft Word 2000
This article was previously published under Q299699
WARNING:This information is preliminary and has not been confirmed or tested by Microsoft. Use only with discretion.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 run the Microsoft Office Setup program, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following:
Error applying transforms. Verify that the specified transform paths are valid.

CAUSE

This issue may occur when all the following conditions are true:
  • You are using a computer manufactured by Dell Computer Corporation.
  • Microsoft Office was preinstalled on your computer by the manufacturer.
  • You upgrade your operating system from Microsoft Windows 98 to Microsoft Windows 2000.
  • You run the Microsoft Office Setup program to add, reinstall, or repair an Office component.
Office was preinstalled on your computer by your manufacturer with a transform, and this transform is not available on your original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Office CD.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use either of the following methods.

Method 1

Remove Office, run the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility to remove the Windows Installer registry settings, and then reinstall Office. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Use the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel to remove Office from your computer.
  2. Download, install, and then run the Windows Installer CleanUp utility to remove the Windows Installer registry settings associated with your products installation.

    For additional information about how to download, install, and use the Windows Installer CleanUp utility, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    290301 Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility

  3. To use the Windows CleanUp utility, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click Windows Installer Clean Up.
    2. Select the program that you want to remove, and then click Remove.
    3. Click OK, and then click Exit.
  4. Reinstall Office by using your OEM Office 2000 CD.
Note Because the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility removes Windows Installer-related registry settings and not the Office program files, make sure that you install Office in the same folder where it was originally installed. This prevents duplication of files on your hard disk.

Method 2

Create a verbose log file during the set up of the Office Setup program to determine the transform that was used to install Office on your computer. Rename the transform file, search and remove entries associated with the transform from the Windows registry, and then reinstall Office. To do this, follow these steps.

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.
  1. Click Start, click Run, and then type path\setup.exe /l*v C:\Officelog.txt in the Open box.

    In this example, path is the path of the location of your Office source. The command creates the verbose log file, Officelog.txt, on the root of drive C. You can specify any path and file name for this log file.
  2. Click OK.
  3. Start WordPad, and then open the log file that you created.
  4. Review your log file to find the name of the transform that was used to install Office on your computer. The transform file has an .mst extension.
  5. Click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files or Folders.
  6. In the Search for files or folders box, type the name of the transform, and then click Search Now.
  7. In the Search Results pane, right-click the transform file, and then click Rename.
  8. Rename the file that with the .old file name extension.
  9. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
  10. On the Edit menu, click Find.
  11. In the Find what box, type the name of the transform, and then click Find Next.
  12. Delete the registry key that is associated with the transform, and then press F3 to repeat the search.
  13. Repeat step 13 to locate and to delete all registry entries that are associated with the transform.

    The following registry location may contain entries for the transform:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\Installer

  14. Quit Registry Editor.
  15. Reinstall Office by using your OEM Office CD.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how to create a verbose log file during Office Setup, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

237957 How to use an Office 2000 Setup log file to troubleshoot Setup problems

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/13/2006
Keywords:kbtshoot kbstartprogram kbsetup kberrmsg kbprb KB299699
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