Office Installation Errors

How to Stop Office 2007 MSI Installer from Starting with Other Apps

Kushani Nimanthika Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to prevent the Office 2007 MSI setup window from repeatedly launching and searching for a missing ProWW.msi file when opening specific third-party applications.

How to Stop the Office 2007 MSI Installer From Starting With Another Application

Product: Microsoft Office 2007 and 2016
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Opening a third-party application after upgrading to or installing Microsoft Office 2016.
Observed behavior: The Office 2007 MSI installer unexpectedly pops up and tries to configure the software, searching for a missing file named ProWW.msi in the MSOCache folder.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator privileges on your computer before making changes to installed programs. Do not download the missing ProWW.msi file from unknown third-party websites, as this poses a significant security risk.

Solution 1Recommended

Completely Remove Office 2007 Remnants

Lingering files and registry keys from a previous Office 2007 installation often trigger the MSI installer. Removing them completely resolves the conflict.

Even if you uninstalled Office 2007, some hidden background files or MSOCache data might remain, confusing third-party applications.

Check Programs and Features

Open the Windows Control Panel, navigate to 'Programs and Features', and check if Microsoft Office Professional 2007 is still listed. If it is, right-click and select 'Uninstall'.

Run the Office Uninstall Support Tool

Download and run the official Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) to scrub any lingering Office 2007 registry keys and cache files from your system.

Restart Your Computer

Reboot your PC to apply the changes and try launching the third-party application again to verify the installer no longer appears.

Complete Removal: Using the official removal tool ensures that hidden setup triggers are completely deleted without harming your current Office 2016 installation.

Solution 2

Repair the Current Office 2016 Installation

Repairing your active Office 2016 setup can fix misconfigured default app settings that might be causing the older installer to loop.

Solution 3

Contact the Third-Party Application Developer

If the issue only occurs with one specific application, that software might be hardcoded to search for deprecated Office 2007 components.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ProWW.msi file?

ProWW.msi is an essential installation package file used specifically by Microsoft Office Professional 2007. It is typically stored in the hidden MSOCache folder on your local drive during the original installation to allow for future software modifications.

Why does a third-party app trigger the Office installer?

Some legacy or third-party applications are programmed to integrate with specific versions of Microsoft Office. If they detect missing components they expect from Office 2007, they will automatically trigger the Windows Installer service to try and configure those missing parts.

Is it safe to download ProWW.msi from the internet?

No, it is highly unsafe to download MSI or DLL files from unofficial, third-party websites. These files are frequently bundled with malware or viruses. You should always resolve installation issues by using official Microsoft tools or removing the conflicting software.

Will uninstalling Office 2007 affect my Office 2016 files?

No, completely removing leftover Office 2007 files will not delete your personal documents, spreadsheets, or presentations. However, if your default file associations reset, you may simply need to run a Quick Repair on Office 2016.

Installation & Activation