Workaround Microsoft Office Installation Error 1706

What is "error 1706? or ?Setup cannot find required files? error?

The error 1706 is generated when the Microsoft Office CD is inserted into the CD-ROM to either install or repair one or more features. The reason for this error is improper location of the setup file. This means that the feature that was originally installed from a remote location is being installed from the CD on the local cd drive.

This can also happen when you are trying to install software from a network location that is no longer available. The mismatch between the two locations generates the error 1706.

Operating Systems affected are:

  • Microsoft Office XP
  • Microsoft Office 2003

Error that appears on the screen

?Error 1706 - Setup cannot find the required files. Check your connection to the network, or CD-ROM drive. For other potential solutions to this problem, see C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\1033\Setup.hlp.?

What causes Error 1706 and how to solve this problem

Office XP is a Microsoft product that includes applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook, Access etc. The files are big in size so they are placed on servers to allow installation from the network. If the location or the network path of the files is modified then the error 1706 is shown.

The Office XP CD compresses the Office software using file compression applications but when the files are placed on the network location they are uncompressed. This mismatch in formatting leads to Error 1706.

There are 3 ways to solve this problem:

  1. Using an Alternative Network Installation
  2. Creating an admin installation on the Hard disk
  3. Using the Office XP CD.

Alternative Network Installation – If the original location is changed or modified, you can use an alternative location for this process. This can be done by performing the following steps:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type\\new network path\Setup.exe /fvm packagename.msi.
  4. Click OK.

The new ?network path? is the new location and the ?package name? is the package you want to install from the Office Software. If this doesn?t solve the problem, proceed to the next step.

Admin Installation from your Hard disk – You can store the files from the CD to the hard disk if you do not have access to any network location. You need just above 700 MB to store the files on the system. To create it you need to perform the following steps:

  1. Insert the Office XP CD in the CD-ROM drive.
  2. Click Start and then select Run.
  3. Type CD-ROM_drive:\Setup /a (Here, type the CD drive letter instead of CD-ROM drive).
  4. In the Administrative Installation give the location of the hard disk where you want to place the files.
  5. Type the Product key and click Next.
  6. Click OK to finish the installation.

You can use the ?alternative network installation? step to install packages by replacing the network path by the location on the hard disk. If this still doesn?t solve the problem, proceed to the next step.

Using the Office XP CD – You can uninstall the Office installed from a network location using the Office XP CD. To achieve this you can follow the steps below.

  1. Close all Office Applications.
  2. Click Start and go to Control Panel .
  3. Click Add or Remove programs .
  4. Select Office XP from the list and click Uninstall .
  5. Select ?Yes? for the removal of Office.
  6. Once this is done you can put the Office XP CD in the drive.
  7. Follow the steps to ?clean install? the office product.

This should completely solve the problem with error 1706.