Trouble installing Excel Help file onto computer

Excel Help Install Issue

I have a question regarding installing the Help files into Excel already installed onto my computer (Dell Dimension desktop, XP, 512 meg RAM) from my legally owned MS Office 2000 Pro CD.

Two problems:

1. When I load CD #1 into my DVD drive, auto play starts to run, but quits before the Installation window actually comes up. I have to open the disc and click on Setup.exe. The screen then opens that shows the options of Repair, Add/Remove etc. No window comes up asking for my CD Key --- AS DOES HAPPEN IF I LOAD DISC #2 (which holds Publisher and Small Business Tools) , ie., auto play brings up the Disc #2 Installation screen and also the screen to enter my CD Key. So I assume something is wrong here in the reading of Disc #1. [The CD is kept in a safe storage case and there are no scratches or other damage to the disc.]

2. Nevertheless, when Setup.exe brings up the Repair/Add/Remove screen, I click on Add/Remove, click on the + sign of the Excel icon and under Help files click "Run all from My computer." A progress window comes up, runs to completion and says "MS Office 2000 Pro setup completed successfully "

I've also tried the Install on 1st Use method.

With either method I close out, open an Excel file and NO HELP file opens when I click on Help or hit F1.

ONE WEIRD THING from my last try at installation: With Install CD removed from drive and opening Excel and clicking on Help THE HELP FILE APPEARS WITH ALL INITIAL ASSISTANCE LINKS BUT THE ERROR SCREEN STILL COMES UP "No disk in the drive. Please insert a disk into Drive E:" I click to remove it and the Windows Installer screen pops up with "The feature you are trying to use is on a CD-ROM or other removable disk...etc. Insert MS Office 2000 Pro disk...etc. "

AND THEN, after I cancel the Installer screen, the Help remains showing, but clicking on any part of it to access the Help tips FREEZES THE WHOLE Help screen!!

More Weirdness---I close all open apps, REBOOT, again open an Excel file and hit F1. THE HELP FILE OPENS AND THE WINDOWS INSTALLER SCREEN COMES UP AGAIN WITH SAME SAGE ADVICE: "The feature you are trying to use is on a CD-ROM or other removable disk...etc. Insert MS Office 2000 Pro disk...etc."

BUT...BUT...BUT! Now when I cancel out and close the Windows Installer screen, it closes with no fuss (had to click multiple times before my magic reboot) and voilà the Help file remains, not frozen, and I can access any part of its content, hyperlinks and all!

So I guess one could say I got my Help file setup, but, you know, it surely will be a nuisance wrestling the Windows Installer screen each time I access Help.

Any ideas or solutions from you folks would be very much appreciated. (And why is it only my computer that develops all these weird symptoms!? )

Thank you for your time and attention.

TV Johns

 

Thanks, PeteC. I shall give this a try.