'product busy with another task' problem

Anonymous
2013-05-20T20:42:11+00:00

i keep getting this when trying to install Office 365: 'something went wrong. Office can't do that right now because your product is busy with another task. Please wait for this task to complete and try again.'  I have already completed the fix to uninstall other Office products and i have performed a clean boot, but still the same problem....  please help i'm getting desperate!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-06-08T22:42:17+00:00

    This worked first time for me. Took about 30 seconds. Thanks for the post.

    To get to the Service Panel open "File Explorer", Right Click on "Computer", Click on "Manage".

    When Computer Management panel opens double click on "Services and Applications" then click "Services". You should now be able to scroll down until you find "Microsoft Office Service". Right click on it then click "Restart".

    You should now be able to install MS Office 365 without the error "product busy with another task".

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-06-05T12:45:51+00:00

    My laptop was accidentally turned off by my brother while MS Office was still "wrapping things up". I checked the programs and it seemed that the software was installed. But I encountered a lot of problems when I opened MS Word. So, I did the following:

           1. Open Control Panel

           2. Click Programs

           3. Click Uninstall a program

           4. Right click on MS Office 365

           5. Choose "Change"

           6. Then choose repair online

    MS Office started downloading again. Hope this helps. =)

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-06-05T12:00:57+00:00

    I have the same problem, product busy with another task's problem.  I have purchase office 365 and can't get it to install

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-06-05T03:32:35+00:00

    Method 1 in this tip does a more thorough job that the "normal" uninstall via Programs and Features (aka Method 2 in the tip). The Normal uninstall is designed with the assumption that you will be re-installing Office. It does NOT delete everything. It leaves configuration files like NORMAL.DOTM and other templates etc. and it also leaves configuration Registry entries.

    Well, that's pretty flipping stupid, the uninstall should at least ask, "Do you want to leave things behind to make a quicker reinstall or do you really want to uninstall?"  That an uninstall doesn't actually uninstall the program just seems like someone (Micro$oft Marketing, perhaps) decided to screw the customer over in an attempt to make it seem like Office uninstalls (and reinstalls) quickly (unlike most every other program).

    Microsoft need to send everybody who bought this Office program a link to a program that will fix the problem, instead of Microsoft Community persons giving advise in their jargon that isn't doing the job.

    MS love selling you the latest 'thing' but I have to use my older PC with Vista, at least Office is working.

    I've given up.

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