Nghia--
I understand. What this error indicates is that somehow your MSI has been
corrupted. I doubt you "uninstalled the Windows Installer." While it isn't
a frequent error, it isn't rare either. What usually works in most cases is
to follow the steps carefully in part one of the MSKB we are referencing.
I would not jump to part 2 which is to reinstall the MSI for Vista.
Here is a way you can tell if your MSI is present. Hit the Windows Key + R
simultaneously. That will bring up your run box, and in it type this:
"msiexec" and do it without the quotes. That will bring up a box that shows
the information on your MSI and copnfirm its presence--it will show your MSI
version present at the very top. For Vista RTM it's Windows Installer V
4.00.6000.0 and then it gives several possible command line switches. I'll
paste what you should see below.
Here's what I'd do now:
1) Check for presence of MSI by typing msiexec into your run box.
2) Repair it by following the steps very carefully in Part One of the MSKB I
linked.
3) If necessary and this does not work, you may have to do part two.
4) If those don't work, try to repair your Office 2003 this way:
How to install or repair and reinstall Office 2003 programs and features
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821593/en-us
5) If running Detect and Repair and the other steps in the above MSKB don't
fix this, then download the WICU (Windows Installer Cleanup Utility ) and
use it highlighting any Office 2003 related entries. It's simple--you
launch it and highlight the entries and then click "OK." That eliminates
registry strings and .dlls that are in the way of an uninstall or future
install.
Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301/en-us
Download is at the bottom of the MSKB (and this assumes that you fixed the
MSI (Windows Installer) with step one of the MSKB to do that you've been
given).
6) Uninstall Office 2003 from Add/Remove and reinstall it.
Good luck,
CH