OFF: Does Not Have the Format of a Valid Setup Script File

ID: Q147881

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Office for the Macintosh, versions 4.2, 4.2.1
Microsoft PowerPoint for Macintosh, version 4.0
Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1
Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
Microsoft Works for the Macintosh, version 4.0a
Microsoft Project for Macintosh, version 4.0
Microsoft Setup for Macintosh, versions 1.0, 1.0.1

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to run Microsoft Setup (from any program that uses Microsoft Setup), you may receive a message similar to the following:

The File Being Processed ("<name of STF>") Does Not Have the Format of a Valid Setup Script File.

CAUSE

The Microsoft Setup program is invoking a corrupt or invalid version of the STF (Setup Table File).

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, use the following steps:

Locate the STF on the hard disk.

NOTE: If your not sure what the name of the STF you need to open is, see the table at the end of this section.

Drag the STF to the Trash to hide it from the Setup program.

CAUTION: Do not delete the STF.

Run Setup from the initial installation location (your installation disk or compact disc).

If Setup runs without error, the changes are that the STF in the Trash is corrupt or invalid.

If you continue to receive the "No Valid Setup Script" error message, the Setup program may be finding a different STF on the hard disk or the STF on the installation disk may be damaged.

The STF file can have any of a number of file names. Use the table below to determine the name of the STF file for the product you are working with.


   Product name   Name of STF
   ---------------------------------------------

   Office 4.2     Microsoft Office Setup Table
   PowerPoint 4   Microsoft PowerPoint Setup
   Excel 5        Microsoft Excel Setup
   Word 6         Microsoft Word Setup
   Works 4        Microsoft Works Setup
   Project 4      Microsoft Project Setup

MORE INFORMATION

The STF has two main purposes:

To govern what actions take place during the initial setup. (When you run Setup for the first time, the Setup program uses a default STF, located on installation Disk 1.)

-and-

To keep track of specific information about subsequent installations; the STF keeps track of the most recent installation. (The original STF keeps track of which components have been installed. Then, during the final stages of the installation, a new STF is created on the hard disk. When you run Setup again in maintenance mode, the Setup program uses the STF on the hard disk.)

Because the STF on the hard disk is created during setup, the only way to rebuild a new valid STF is to remove and then reinstall the program that created the STF.

REFERENCES

For more information, see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

Q126999 Unexpected Results After Move/Delete/Rename Office Folders

Q126052 Change Folder Button Unavailable During Complete/Custom Setup

Q125862 Files Left After Remove All Version 4.2

Q124891 Office Err Msg: Not enough space on Destination Volume

Additional query words: 4.00 mac powerpt ppt ppt4 acme macme inf stf setup

Keywords : kbsetup kbmacsetup
Version : MACINTOSH:4.0,4.0a,4.2,4.2.1,5.0,5.0a,6.0,6.0.1; :1.0,1.0.1,4.0
Platform : MACINTOSH
Issue type :