Trouble Installing Software on "New" Computer

[autumnagain]

I'm in the process of installing all my software on my new (used) laptop. I reformatted the laptop HD, copied my personal files via an external HD, and installed most of my software without a hitch, but I keep encountering errors when installing Microsoft Office. It gets about halfway through, and then tells me that it can't read from a file, and to "check that the file exists and you can access it." Each time I get the error, I quit the installation; copy the file from my old computer, and start the installation all over again. It gets about halfway done again, and I get the same error for a different file. I have gone through this process at least a dozen times. I have used this same CD to install the software on 3 previous computers, and several hard drive upgrades, but I have never had trouble before. I can't see any scratches or dirt on the CD. I'm at a loss. Any ideas what might cause this or what can be done to correct it?

The OS on both systems in Windows XP.

[Sylvander]

What I did was to copy both the Windows [Win98SE] and Office installation file sets to a [FAT32] partition other than C: and ran the installation from there.
I used the "File Manager" on the free "Emergency Boot CD" [EBCD] to both copy the files from the CD's and then run the setup program. Post #4 on the EBCD thread below explains how I did that.
If the file sets are then left in place, when Windows or Office needs a file it fetches in a flash with no hassle [like asking for the CD to be in a drive named with the same drive letter as the drive had from which it was originally installed].
I don't know if this would work when attempting to install to an NTFS partition.

Is there plenty of space on the partition/drive to which you are attempting to install?
Is the version of Office compatible with XP?
I guess it is since it's also installed and working on the old PC with WinXP.

1. How to make a free “Smart Boot Manager” floppy
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41498
This makes it easier to boot a chosen drive [particularly the one holding the EBCD].

2. How to make a free EBCD bootable CD
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41485
This has a number of useful utilities included including "Image" [for DOS, by Terabyte] & "File Manager".

[autumnagain]

I probably have room to do that, but I have XP and the Dell installation CD rather than a Microsoft CD. It's a 40 gig HD with 30 gigs free. I also have 50 gigs free on the external HD.

When running the Office setup, it doesn't give me the option of "inserting disk" or browsing for the file when I get the error. It just says it can't read from such and such a file, and to check that the file exists and I can access it. The options are to retry or cancel. Retrying gives me the same error, over and over, and cancelling cancels teh whole setup process. So, if I did attempt setup as you describe, and encounter the same error, I don't think I'd be able to get to the file, or is there something I'm not understanding?

[autumnagain]

Well, I gave in and bought Office 2003, and it installed fine. Curious (and expensive). At least I have working software. Thanks for your help. :)