Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-19

How to Fix error 1402 Error – Word 2007 won't run, tries to reinstall, fails with error 1402

Error 1402 in Word 2007 on Vista 32-bit, unable to access registry key.

Quick Answer: Try running regedit as Administrator and propagating changes down to sub-keys.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 🔍 Why This Happens
  2. 🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps
  3. ✨ Wrapping Up

Word 2007 has stopped working on a computer running Vista (32-bit), causing an error when trying to reinstall. The issue is frustrating because it prevents users from accessing their Microsoft Office applications, and the usual troubleshooting methods have been unsuccessful.

This problem affects users of Office 2007 Home/Student edition installed on computers with Vista (32-bit) operating systems.

🔍 Why This Happens

  • The error occurs due to a corrupted registry key. When Word tries to reinstall itself, it encounters an issue with the HKEY_Local_Machine\(Software\(Classes\_wll\(.) registry key, which is required for proper installation.
  • Another possible cause could be file system corruption or damage to the winword.exe executable, which is missing in the Office install directory.

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Reassigning Registry Permissions

  1. Step 1: Open the Registry Editor (Regedit) as an administrator. To do this, press the Windows key + R, type `regedit` and press Enter. Then, click on the 'Advanced' tab in the Regedit window and check the box next to 'Run this program as an administrator'.
  2. Step 2: Navigate to the HKEY_Local_Machine\(Software\(Classes\_wll\(.) registry key using the Regedit interface. Right-click on the key and select 'Permissions', then click 'Add' to add a new user or group. Assign the highest permissions possible (Full Control) to the SYSTEM and Everyone groups.
  3. Step 3: After updating the permissions, navigate back to the HKEY_Local_Machine\(Software\(Classes\_wll\(.) registry key and try to reinstall Word 2007. If the error persists, proceed with alternative methods.

Repairing System Files

  1. Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as an administrator. To do this, press the Windows key + X and select 'Command Prompt (Admin)'.
  2. Step 2: Type the command `sfc /scannow` and press Enter to scan for corrupted system files. If any issues are found, let the tool fix them automatically.
  3. Step 3: After repairing system files, navigate to the Office install directory and verify that the winword.exe executable is present. If it's missing, try reinstalling Word 2007.

✨ Wrapping Up

To resolve the issue of Word 2007 failing to run with error code 1402, try reassigning registry permissions or repairing system files. If these methods do not work, consider seeking further assistance from Microsoft support or a professional IT technician.

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