Works 2000: Upgrading Works 4.5 Leaves the Start Menu Cluttered and Works 4.5 Remains Useable (239350)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Works 2000
  • Microsoft Works Suite 2000
This article was previously published under Q239350

SYMPTOMS

After you upgrade Microsoft Works 4.5 to Microsoft Works 2000, all of the Works 2000 shortcuts may appear on the Start menu and all of the Works 4.5 shortcuts may also appear. This can happen when Works 4.5 is not first removed (this normally occurs automatically).

The exact symptoms that you observe depend on which folder each version of Works was installed in.

If Works 4.5 and Works 2000 are installed in the same or the default folder, you observe the following symptoms:
  • The Works folder on the Start menu contains shortcuts for both Works 4.5 and Works 2000. Each shortcut appears to be duplicated and you cannot easily determine which version of a Works application will start when you click the shortcut.
  • The Microsoft Works folder (directory) has nearly twice the number of files that it should have.

    NOTE: This is not harmful, but it does use disk space that you may need at some time.
  • There are two desktop shortcuts for Microsoft Works. Both desktop shortcuts launch the Works 2000 Task Launcher.
If Works 4.5 and Works 2000 are installed in different folders, you observe the following symptoms:
  • The Works folder on the Start menu contains shortcuts for both Works 4.5 and Works 2000. Each shortcut appears to be duplicated and you cannot easily determine which version of a Works application will start when you click the shortcut.
  • There are two desktop shortcuts for Microsoft Works. One starts the Works 2000 Task Launcher and the other starts Works 4.5.

CAUSE

Works 4.5 Setup is unable to run. Works 2000 Setup cannot use the Works 4.5 Uninstall program. The most likely reason that the Works 4.5 Uninstall program cannot run is that the .stf file is contaminated, has been moved, or is missing.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Reinstall Works 4.5 to repair the .stf file.
  2. Run the Works 4.5 Setup program and remove Works 4.5.
  3. Reinstall Works 2000.
  4. Click Start, and then delete any Works application shortcuts that do not start a Works 2000 application.
  5. If more that one Microsoft Works icon is on the desktop, delete the icon that does not start the Works 2000 Task Launcher.
  6. If more than one Microsoft Works shortcut is on the Start menu, delete the shortcut that does not start the Works 2000 Task Launcher.
NOTE: You can delete the Microsoft Works folder (directory) and reinstall Works 2000, but you may lose any documents or database data stored there, and the icons and shortcuts on the desktop and Start menu are not removed.

MORE INFORMATION

To work around this issue, delete the icons and shortcuts that do not open the appropriate Works 2000 application.

NOTE: This workaround does not delete the Works 4.5 program and does not recover the disk space used by Works 4.5. To delete an unwanted icon or menu item, right-click the icon or menu item, and then on the shortcut menu, click Delete. You can delete an icon on the desktop by dragging the icon to the Recycle Bin on the desktop.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/24/2004
Keywords:kbpending kbprb KB239350
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