"Can't open registry database" error message occurs when you run the Workgroup Administrator utility

To resolve the problem, remove Access 2000 or Office 2000 and then reinstall them. To do this, follow these steps:

Note Before you remove Access 2000 or Office 2000, make sure that all Office applications (such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word) are closed. Make sure that you have your setup disk available.

1. Remove Access 2000 or Office 2000.
   For additional information about how to remove Access 2000 or Office 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   
   
   203370 How to completely remove Access 2000 from your computer
   
   
2. Try to find the following files and folders when you remove Office 2000. You must rename or delete these files and folders:
   
   • Msaccess.exe file
   • Microsoft Office folder
     
     Note Before you delete the old Office folder, make sure that none of your data files are stored in subfolders of the Office folder.
   Verify that these files do not have duplicates on your computer. You must delete or rename these files.
3. If your computer operating system is Windows 98, before you reinstall Office 2000, follow these steps:
   
   1. Click start and then click
      Run.
   2. In the Open box, type
      msconfig to run the System Configuration utility.
   3. On the General tab in the
      System Configuration Utility dialog box, click
      Selective Startup.
   4. Click to clear the following check boxes under
      Selective Startup:
      
      • Process the Config.sys file
      • Process the Autoexec.bat file
      • Process the System.ini file
      • Load startup group items
      
      Note If you have real mode drivers for the CD drive, then install Access 2000 or Office 2000 from a flat file. Read the section "Setup from Flat File in the following article.
      For additional information about how to install Access 2000 or Office 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
      
      
      238012 Office 2000 stops responding during setup on Windows 98
      
      
   5. In the System Configuration Utility dialog box, click the Win.ini tab.
   6. Click to clear the Windows check box.
      
      
      You do this to make sure that the folder is not loaded and run during the startup.
   7. Click OK.
   8. Restart the computer.
4. Run the Setup.exe file on the root of the Office CD to install Access 2000 or Office 2000. Restart the computer after you successfully complete the installation process.

Note If you performed step 3, run the System Configuration utility. Select the options that you cleared in step 3d and step 3f.