Remove Hidden Data tool will not install

[sivaranjan]

I am on Windows 2000 SP3 with Office 2003 and RHD 1.1. If I am trying to open an Office product after trying ton install the tool then I am getting the message that it did not install properly and I have to try it again. It will never work for me. Does anyone has any kind of solution for this issue? Thanks.

[Beter 2 Burn Out]

Well, I dont get it why it allowed you to install it in the very first place and later on you are not able to install it since the installation is very simple. Have you tried disabling any kind of antivirus scanner that you are using and also try to exit all the programs that you are using? Can you tell me what is the exact error message that you are getting? Are you having any programs from a previous version of Office installed?

[sivaranjan]

Yeah, I have disabled the antivirus scanner and exited all the programs as well. It is an upgrade installation from Office 2000 to Office 2003 and this upgrade was able to remove all the previous versions. The message that I am getting is only telling me that I sould try to reinstall it again.

[duncan21]

Ken664,

I had another user come to me with the Remove Hidden Data Tool error today. I followed your instructions and checked the Disabled Items from within Word, but there was nothing listed as disabled. I tried the instructions from my previous post about resetting the toolbars and such (which had worked before) -- no luck there, either. Out of frustration, I resorted to creating a new profile and migrating the data from the old to the new one (Desktop items, My Document items, IE Favorites, etc) and this finally fixed the issue.

I want to say that the root cause definitely lies within the profile; however, I don't think anyone has come up with a "magic bullet" solution that takes care of the issue 100% of the time with a scalpel instead of a broadsword (i.e. creating the new profile).

[Ken664]

Here is the solution everyone, and no reinstalls or new profiles at all, and like everything, it is so simple (but missed by MS and my work IT technicians)!

Stumbled on this when fixing a similar loss of Acrobat PDF maker in my work laptop (fixes that problem too).

It seems to have come about because of Word running in 'safe mode' (at some point - who knows why). This disables any add-in modules. But when you restart Word normally, they are not re-enabled automatically - it has to be done manually.

Solution in 10 clicks :
Open Word
Click 'Help'
Click 'About MS Word'
Click 'Disabled items'
Select RHD tool reference
Click' Enable'
Click 'Close'
Click 'OK'
Close Word
Restart Word .... sorted.