OL97: Error Message: "Trial Version Has Expired"

ID: Q171014


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Outlook 97
  • Microsoft Office 97 Standard Edition for Windows


SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to start any of the Microsoft Office 97 programs installed from the Kinko's evaluation edition after June 30, 1997, the error message "Trial version has expired" appears.

If you install the retail version of Microsoft Office 97 or Microsoft Outlook 97 without uninstalling the evaluation version of the corresponding program, the error message "Trial version has expired" appears when you try to start Outlook.


RESOLUTION

To properly update your installation, follow these steps:

  1. Uninstall Office (or Outlook, if you have the stand-alone version). To do so, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.


    2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.


    3. On the Install/Uninstall tab, select Microsoft Office 97, and then click Add/Remove.


    4. Insert your evaluation program CD, and then click OK.


    5. Select Remove All, and then follow the prompts.




  2. Run the Office Clean utility. To do so, follow these steps:
    1. With your retail Office (or Outlook) CD in the CD-ROM drive, click Start, and then click Run.


    2. Click the Browse button, and locate the ValuPack folder on the CD.


    3. Double-click the ValuPack folder to open it, and then double-click the OffClean folder.


    4. Click Offcln97.exe, and then click Open.


    5. In the Run dialog box, click OK.




  3. Delete the Office folder. To do so, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click Windows Explorer.


    2. Double-click the Program Files folder.


    3. Under the Program Files folder, double-click the Microsoft Office folder.


    4. Under the Microsoft Office folder, click the Office folder to select it, and then press DELETE on your keyboard.




  4. Install the retail version of Office. To do so, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.


    2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.


    3. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Install.


    4. Follow the steps in the Installation Wizard.




NOTE: If you removed an earlier version of Microsoft Office before or during installation of the evaluation edition, and then you purchased an upgrade version of Office 97, during the setup of Office 97 you will be prompted with a Locate dialog box. From this dialog box, you can point to Disk 1 or the CD of the earlier version of Microsoft Office when you are prompted for a program that qualifies you for the upgrade.


REFERENCES

For more information about Outlook evaluation edition setup issues, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q165553 Outlook Evaluation Edition Setup Issues

Additional query words: 90 120-day expire trial

Keywords : StpOthr
Version : WINDOWS:97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: September 27, 1999
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