OpenOffice.org 2&3 fails installation in Vista64

[pcguy]

Have tried installing Openoffice 2 and 3 in Vista64 with the same result in a Administrator account. The installation process errors out with the message in the attached screenshot. I have tried the following:disabled Antivirus and Windows Defender, Run As Administrator on the setup.exe and .MSI file, tried a new administrator account, tried copying the offending file to the System32 directory, tried OpenOffice 2&3, tried different installation destination directory, tried installing Framework.net 2 and 3.


None of the suggestions in the forums here that I could find seemed to help. Also noticed that version 3 install goes through and installs Java update 7 even though the newer update 10 is already installed on the machine.

Any other suggestion or am I out of luck?

Error.jpg (19.2 KiB) Viewed 10495 times

[bobban]

1) install to another folder
2) try deleting that folder

other people who had this problem found that the folder was locked by another process for some reason.

[pcguy]

Tried installing into another folder several times. The problem folder shown actually shows up with the windows shortcut icon when using Windows Explorer. I can not navigate to where ever it supposedly links to nor can I find out where that is. Right mouse clicking on the "directory" in question provides no clue.

[bobban]

How about manually creating that folder beforehand, and then install into it. Possibly test copying a file to it, creating a file in it etc beforehand too.

[pcguy]

How about manually creating that folder beforehand, and then install into it. Possibly test copying a file to it, creating a file in it etc beforehand too.

The problem is that the destination mentioned in the error only exists in XP and not Vista. In Vista it appears to be a symbolic link elsewhere (shows up with a windows shortcut icon in Windows explorer). However if I use an administrator account and in Windows explorer click on this "shortcut" link I get a "C:\programdata\ microsoft\windows\templates is not accessible" error.

UPDATE:

As explained here http://www.svrops.com/svrops/articles/jpoints.htm these "shortcuts" are actually junction points and above directory apparently is being pointed to by \ProgramData\Templates. The way I read that article it seems to indicate that the \Programdata\microsoft\windows\templates should exist and be able to be traversed in Windows explorer however in my case it is not.

[pcguy]

It appears that the problem as outlined above is related to Vista Business 64 bit. I installed it on a friend's computer recently and they are using Vista Home Premium 64 bit and it had none of these problems.

[bobban]

The problem is that the destination mentioned in the error only exists in XP and not Vista.

Oh I used to have a Vista box with that behavior. Long time ago now since I moved on to better things (XP), but I remember that instead of the usual 'program files' folder, I think every user gets a virtual 'program files' folder tucked away in their 'user' folder (in the 'virtual store' although I thought every version of Vista would use this). How this is affecting your permissions to install I am not exactly sure. I assume you have installed other applications on this machine? It is possibly a bug with the OO installer although I would have thought we would have more people complaining if this was the case.

Is it possible to install to a 'non-system' location? Like C:\temp, or even better D:\Apps

Turning off UAC temporarily could also get you through this.

[pcguy]

The problem is that the destination mentioned in the error only exists in XP and not Vista.

Oh I used to have a Vista box with that behavior. Long time ago now since I moved on to better things (XP), but I remember that instead of the usual 'program files' folder, I think every user gets a virtual 'program files' folder tucked away in their 'user' folder (in the 'virtual store' although I thought every version of Vista would use this). How this is affecting your permissions to install I am not exactly sure. I assume you have installed other applications on this machine? It is possibly a bug with the OO installer although I would have thought we would have more people complaining if this was the case.

Is it possible to install to a 'non-system' location? Like C:\temp, or even better D:\Apps

Turning off UAC temporarily could also get you through this.

Thanks for the suggestions but have done the UAC shutdown and different directory. The installer still has to install the templates into that directory and can not. It is Vista Business 64 bit that is the problem. This directory in two other versions Home Premium 64 and an 32 bit version does not have this problem with the directory. I have done a recovery install from factory supplied Vista and it made no difference.

I have installed Firefox and Thunderbird without any problems.

[bobban]

It appears that the problem as outlined above is related to Vista Business 64 bit.

Seems to be. I also installed OO on my mum's vista (home basic) box, and I am looking through that now trying to familiarize myself with the problem. On her machine, the "C:\programdata\ microsoft\windows\templates" is a regular folder (although hidden) and I can navigate into it through explorer, and indeed it does have some templates inside it.

So the problem is that the OO installer explicitly wants to install something to this directory, and is not understanding the virtual path Vista has for it on your machine. At what level is this directory virtual? In other words, how far can navigate into that path before it becomes a shortcut? This folder must exist somewhere...understanding where this data is now will help resolve this problem. If you can't personally navigate into it, and create files in it etc, then an installer has little chance.

Have a look at this thread in the Vista part, and possibly change your security settings on this folder:
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewCon ... lId=329117

[pcguy]

Thanks for the suggestion but I may have to forgo using OpenOffice on this computer and go to the darkside and buy MS Office or at least try a trial version from MS website and see if that works.

[bobban]

It's a shame not to be able resolve it....I wish I had access to a machine with this OS, then I could better find out what is going on....but good luck anyways.

p.s. I believe this is where the appdata really is ,and where the junction point should be pointing to

C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming

[pcguy]

Actually according to http://www.svrops.com/svrops/articles/jpoints.htm c:\ProgramData\Templates points to c: \ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates and I have seen the same time on a couple of other websites. Something in Vista Business 64 bit is causing this problem and until Open Office people figure it out I think others are going to wind up seeing the 1304 error during installation.

[bobban]

You're right, I got confused. I have a friend who has this OS, and I am quite curious about this issue. I will hopefully have access to his box in a few days and if I find any further information I will post back to here.

[pcguy]

Actually just have him/her go to that directory in Windows Explorer in an Administrator account and see if they can view a list of the files in the templates directory.

[bobban]

Sorry, but they are currently uncontactable because they are away, and don't have access to their Vista pc. Also, it's more friend of a friend so I can't pester them too much. As soon I can I will let you know, but it's not going to be today at least, but hopefully tomorrow but no promises.

[bobban]

Well, I got access earlier than I hoped is the good news. The bad news is that OO installed perfectly which was a surprise.

I can confirm that they also these junction points in the ProgramData, and when I click on 'Templates' I also get the access denied error same as you. I did actually check that the 'real' Templates folder exists by typing in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates" in the address bar of Windows Explorer, and it opens up normally. The folder was empty and I could create folders in it, and copy files into it also as long as I said ok to the usual nag boxes. Maybe you should test that you can do this too.

If you can do this I am not sure where this leaves you...if you can't then it's just a matter of finding out which bit of vista security is blocking you.

[bobban]

Actually I just found a method on this page that actually does allow you to navigate through junctions. It's probably worth a shot tinkering with this...
http://thevistaforums.com/lofiversion/i ... 14479.html

I will post the important stuff here for convenience.

There is, in fact, a way to access these junction folders: change the ownership.

Right click on the "folder", e.g. the c:\Mike\Application Data. Then select these options/tabs/buttons as they appear:
Properties - Security - Advanced - Owner - Edit
Then select your account (Mike), and check the box that says "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects"
Apply
Click Yes to replace all permissions
Click on all the Ok's to get you back out.

Voila! You can access that folder (presumably it is actually accessing the real locations).

Hope this helps

[pcguy]

Yes I think I had tried that before I reinstalled Vista from scratch. Still did not help.

[rknowlso]

I am having the same trouble with 32bit Vista Business.
Acer Laptop, fresh factory install.
Explorer would even crash when I tried to access c:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates.

On a whim I tried deleting the templates "junction point" & recreating it as a folder.
OpenOffice installed fine after that.
I am not sure if this solution will cause troubles later.

[pcguy]

Templates is suppose to be the destination directory and at least in my case it wasn't. Instead it was a junction point which pointed back, I believe, back to the old XP type directory.