http://www.outlook-tips.net/archives/2003/20031027.htm - see if you have a
data file and a data.bak.

if you click Help, Activate, does it do the same thing? Do you have the
other office xp apps installed?

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Need Help with Common Tasks? http://www.outlook-tips.net/beginner/
Outlook 2007: http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ol2007/

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** Please include your Outlook version, Account type, and Windows Version
when requesting assistance **


"tomf" wrote in message
...
I have had Outlook 2002 installed for 4 years on this computer. I have
had
InBoxer installed for identifying spam for about 3 months. Every so often
Inboxer would not work and if it was re-installed all worked fine. Last
week
I reinstalled InBoxer and it would not work, Outlook identifed a problem
with
the program and disabled it when I opened Outlook. I re-installed Outlook
to
correct the problem and now when Outlook starts I receive a message that a
major change has been detected on my computer (no hardware changes have
been
made for some time) and Outlook needs to Activate. When I select next
from
the Activation window (Outlook installation CD is in drive), a Windows
Installation window pops up saying Preparing to Install. Nothing happens
from here with the computer. After some time the Installation window
disappears. Outlook only runs in a demo mode with most feature disabled.

I have tried to uninstall Outlook from the computer and get a error
message
saying..

This patch package could not be opened. Verfiy that the patch package
exists and that you can access it or contact the application vendor to
verfiy
that this is a valid Windows Installer patch package.

I have also ran the sfc program to correct and Windows errors.

Please Help!

Thanks!