Setup Err Msg: "Bad Setup Version Field"

• Microsoft Access 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Access for Windows, version 2.0
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Office 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Office for Windows 95, versions 7.0
• Microsoft Office for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.2, 4.2c, 4.3, 4.3c
• Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows
• Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0c
• Microsoft Project 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Project for Windows, version 4.0
• Microsoft Publisher for Windows 95, version 3.0
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Works for Windows, version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

When you run the Setup program for one of the programs listed at the beginning of this article, you receive the following error message:

   Bad Setup Version field

   Processing Top Level information failed

   -and-

   Setup was not completed successfully

CAUSE

You receive these error messages when you run the Setup program if you have modified the program's setup table file, Setup.stf, using a text editor that replaces tabs in the Setup.stf file with spaces.

For example, if you use the MS-DOS Editor, Edit.com, to modify the Setup.stf, tabs in the Setup.stf file are replaced with spaces when you save the file. This modification causes the Setup to fail when the Setup program tries to read the Setup.stf file.

WORKAROUND

WARNING: This modification may not be supported by Microsoft. Microsoft support engineers will support some modifications to a BACKUP copy of the Setup.stf file. Note also that while support engineers may help customers modify specific lines of an STF, we will not rewrite the entire file in order to achieve a desired configuration. As a general rule, support is limited to options that can normally be changed by a user during a standard installation of the application.

In Microsoft Office for Windows 95, version 7.0 and Microsoft Office 97 for Windows programs, use Notepad to modify the Setup.stf file.

To avoid receiving this error message in versions prior to Office for Windows 95, version 7.0, use a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel, to modify the Setup.stf file. You should always make a backup of the Setup.stf file before making any changes.

If your Setup.stf file has been edited incorrectly, you must rename or delete the Setup.stf file, and run the program's Setup program again to create a new copy of the Setup.stf file.

MORE INFORMATION

You can create a script to run Setup automatically and control how Setup installs an program. The information that controls how the program is installed is contained in the program's Setup.stf file.

For more information on editing the Setup.stf file, run the Acreadme.hlp file located on the setup Disk 1, and choose the "Network Installations" topic, and then choose the "Creating Custom Installations for Workstation Users" topic.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q111248
   TITLE     : XL: Saving .STF File in Excel May Cause Setup Error Messages