[Ham-Computers] Re MS XP And Missing Files

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

A friend has a Windows XP Home Edition system with MS Office XP. (this is
licensed software, no copies here!) It has worked fine for a year. Now when he
tries to load any MS Word or Excelle file that he had previously saved, he gets
an error message teling him that he needs to install a file first. This is some
sort of .msifile. There is no such file on the installation CD. The installation
is then aborted. 	
	
Is there any known quirk with this XP version of Office that would cause this?
If not, suggestions as to the cause and a fix?	
	
Hopefully not a removal of the program and a fresh install!	
	
What about a firewall program, such as Zone Alarm, causing this? He did recently
upgrade it.  	
	
Thanks.		
Reply to Bob at: kc8dne at arrl.net