Can't open Outlook 2003, can't even use System Restore

When I try to open Outlook 2003 or trying to uninstall an Office program or
when I try to run "detect & repair" from Word (which I can open) or when I
try to fun System Restore, I get the message "windows installer" "This patch
package could not be opened. Verify that the patch package exists and that
you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that this is
a valid Windows Installer patch program." I have done the recommended
remove and reinstall Windows Installer (now ver. 3.1). I have the Microsoft
Office disk in the CD reader. I can't get Outlook to open at all. My other
Office 2003 programs are now all "funny." Running out of ideas. Help
please!
--
JS

Be certain you have your product number handy if you use the cleanup utility

You receive the "This patch package could not be opened" error message in an
Office program
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/295823/en-us

--
Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
http://office.microsoft.com/
http://msauer.mvps.org/
news://msnews.microsoft.com

"forksgoldtrek" wrote in message
...
When I try to open Outlook 2003 or trying to uninstall an Office program or
when I try to run "detect & repair" from Word (which I can open) or when I
try to fun System Restore, I get the message "windows installer" "This patch
package could not be opened. Verify that the patch package exists and that
you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that this is
a valid Windows Installer patch program." I have done the recommended
remove and reinstall Windows Installer (now ver. 3.1). I have the Microsoft
Office disk in the CD reader. I can't get Outlook to open at all. My other
Office 2003 programs are now all "funny." Running out of ideas. Help
please!
--
JS