Botched associations on a Mac...

[Ichinisan]

I'm not a Mac guy. I've been extremely lucky when helping my client that I have been able to solve their connectivity/networking problems even though I'm not at all proficient with a Macintosh computer, a testament to how intuitive the Mac really is. The extent of my knowledge with a Mac comes from messing around with this computer. My client thought that all was lost when the screen blew in her iMac (CRT), which is used to work from home. I was impressed that Apple had made a way to transfer files, settings and applications by simply connecting a firewire cable and holding a key while powering on!

After the transfer...guess which application is botched? Microsoft Office. Today I found that Office was nagging my client to purchase the full version. The new Mac Mini had apparently bundled a "Test Drive" trial version of Office 2004 (v11). When I browse in the Applications folder, I see more than one Office 2004 "Test Drive" folder (one was probably copied from the old computer). When running the uninstall utility from each, it tells me that it can't be removed because it's not installed! I found an Office X (v10) application folder on the desktop that had been copied from the old computer. I moved it to the Applications folder and did everything I could to associate DOC, XLS, and PPT files with the correct version of Office. Every time, the files keep trying to launch with the expired Office 2004 instead of the full-version Office X. If I Ctrl+Click, Open With>Office X 10.1, it will open correctly. I even use File>Get Info and associate/assign to all and it keeps reverting to Office 2004. I moved the two Office 2004 application folders to the trash. Even after restarting, the Open With option still shows Office 2004 as the default application. As long as the system *thinks* that there is a newer version of Office installed, it simply will not allow me to force permanent association with an older version. Is there any way to remove these traces and make it as if Office 2004 had never been installed?

Please help!

[edit]
I probably also should have mentioned that the Open With menu has more than one version of Office X listed, both of which work.

For instance, when I click on a word document:

Microsoft Word 2004 v11 (default)
----------------------------------
Microsoft Word v10.1.0
Microsoft Word v10.0.0

 

[halfadder]

This isn't the first time I've seen this problem. Dates as far back as Mac Office 4 (in the Mac OS 7 days).

Your best bet is to remove all traces of Office and then reinstall her version of Office X. Also be sure to download the (multiple) updates to Office X from www.microsoft.com/mac

Delete the full and trial versions of Office, either by putting their folders in the trash (and then emptying the trash) or with "rm" via the command line.

Also go into /Users/[her user name here]/Library/Preferences/
delete the files that start with com.microsoft.
delete the entire Microsoft folder

If you're still having problems, search the machine for "excel" or "microsoft" or "office" to find any remaining traces. You can also use the System Profiler to look or any remaining applications (AppleMenu->AboutThisMac->MoreInfo).

 

[Illusio]

halfadder is right. installing/uninstalling stuff on a mac is super easy. 9 times out of 10 all you have to do to install something is drag the folder from the cd to the applications folder. uninstalling just involves trashing the folder you want to remove.

Another thing you could try doing when you've done all the other steps is to repair the permissions. In your applications folder->Utilities, run Disk Utility, click on the hard drive icon in the program and hit repair permissions. That should help clear up some stuff.

 

[Ichinisan]

Well, reinstalling is not possible because her employer set up the computer from out of state. She does not have any discs that go with it. Will the RM command list applications that can be removed or do I have to know a parameter to go after it? I want to know as much as I might need before I go back there. Any tips on using the Mac command line? Does it basically work like the Windows/DOS command line? Do I prefix commands with a "/" or something?

 

[Ichinisan]

If dragging an application's folder to the trash would normally uninstall the application, it sounds like it would execute the RM command automatically for that particular application. If it didn't work when I trashed those folders, then I don't expect the RM command to work. It's worth a shot, though. Any other ideas before I go back?

Also go into /Users/[her user name here]/Library/Preferences/
delete the files that start with com.microsoft.
delete the entire Microsoft folder

Would this botch the working version of Office? I don't have access to the installation discs.

 

[NewBlackDak]

Highlight the file and Control-click(or right-click if you have an appropriate mouse), and click on get info(Command+I if you like the keyboard).
Go to the Open with arrow. Choose the version you want to open with, and click change all.

 

[Ichinisan]

Originally posted by: NewBlackDak
Highlight the file and Control-click(or right-click if you have an appropriate mouse), and click on get info(Command+I if you like the keyboard).
Go to the Open with arrow. Choose the version you want to open with, and click change all.

DOES NOT WORK!

*ugh

 

[omissible]

Forgive me if I'm being pedantic, but...did you empty the Trash? Nothing actually gets removed until the Trash is emptied.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Ichinisan
Well, reinstalling is not possible because her employer set up the computer from out of state. She does not have any discs that go with it. Will the RM command list applications that can be removed or do I have to know a parameter to go after it? I want to know as much as I might need before I go back there. Any tips on using the Mac command line? Does it basically work like the Windows/DOS command line? Do I prefix commands with a "/" or something?

No, it works like unix commands. You can look at the unix command thread at the top of the forum for hints. If you have any real questions, just post them here.

Also go into /Users/[her user name here]/Library/Preferences/
delete the files that start with com.microsoft.
delete the entire Microsoft folder

Would this botch the working version of Office? I don't have access to the installation discs.

It shouldn't affect the installation, except she may lose her preferences. You can move them (not copy) to a removable disk, like a USB thumb drive and try. If something breaks, move them back. If not delete them from said thumb drive.

EDIT: formatting.

 

[Ichinisan]

Thanks for the tips. I'll give it a shot.

 

[Ichinisan]

Originally posted by: omissible
Forgive me if I'm being pedantic, but...did you empty the Trash? Nothing actually gets removed until the Trash is emptied.

To my understanding, simply moving it to the trash is supposed to have removed certain associations, which it did not. It simply broke the association. Now an error is generated because it does not point to any valid application. It is not looking in the trash can or else it would find the application there and would not generate an error. From what I understand, the program should have uninstalled associations and other changes just by the act of moving it to the trash. I fear that if I empty the trash, any chance of properly uninstalling will be lost forever. I will try what halfadder and n0cmonkey suggested.

 

[NewBlackDak]

Try making another user, and getting the associations right with that one just to see if you can make it work.

 

[hopejr]

This problem is well known, and I call it "more than one version of MS Office on a Mac" problem. Microsoft actually recommends deleting the Test Drive before using another copy of Office. Unfortunately, you didn't know that so it didn't help.

Deleting the preferences and the test drive folder would be your best bets (and empty the trash). Doing this would make Office X as if it was a brand new installation. It would re-build all it's pref files from the defaults. Hopefully OS X would then know the right apps to use (maybe reboot the computer after emptying the trash and before opening any Office X apps).

 

[Ichinisan]

Thanks for the good advice. I'll get a chance to put it to use later this week.