Do you get the error: "The expected version of the product was not found on the system" when installing a SharePoint Update?

Article
06/19/2009

Issue Details

Consider this scenario: You try to install a cumulative update [CU] for SharePoint 2007 or WSS 3.0. During the beginning of the installation of the update, you may get this error:

"The expected version of the product was not found on the system"

For example:

You installed MOSS 2007 SP1 with Italian Language Pack with Language Pack SP1. You install SP2 for MOSS; but you forget to install the SP2 for the Italian Language Pack. Then if you try to install April 2009 CU, then you will get the above given error message.

What is the cause?

This issue normally occurs:

- if you have language pack(s) installed for WSS / MOSS AND
- The language pack(s) do not have correct Service pack applied to them

How to resolve this error?

Option 1: Install the correct Service Pack for the language pack; then install the CU.

Option 2: Install the CU; then install the Service Pack for WSS/MOSS; after that install Service Pack for the Language Pack.

For example:

In the case of April 2009 CU, install the CU to the farm [Assumption here is the SharePoint farm is already installed with SP1+Language Pack SP1+some cumulative updates] first.

Then install Service Pack 2 for WSS/MOSS; after that install Service Pack 2 for the Language Pack(s).

References

Here are the links to download the language pack [Note: You should select the correct language and then click "Change" button in the relevant Download pages of the Language Packs Service Packs to get the preferred Language Pack]:

WSS 3.0 Language Pack SP1 - x32

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=05046B1D-DD7B-456A-8838-8D978C5F3579&displaylang=en

WSS 3.0 Language Pack SP1 - x64

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=C7CF102B-5DD8-4D86-BE5A-D56F63EF37A4&displaylang=en

WSS 3.0 Language Pack SP2 - x32

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=085E5AC8-58F6-4CF9-8012-33B95EE36C0F&displaylang=en

WSS 3.0 Language Pack SP2 - x64

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=2C2B6CAF-B46D-45EB-AC4D-DEAAA48C3A2C&displaylang=en

The 2007 Microsoft Office Servers Language Pack SP1 - x32

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/info.aspx?na=47&p=4&SrcDisplayLang=en&SrcCategoryId=&SrcFamilyId=c7cf102b-5dd8-4d86-be5a-d56f63ef37a4&u=details.aspx%3ffamilyid%3d3A6C26FD-0BEB-40D5-8CBA-15164FAAB150%26displaylang%3den

The 2007 Microsoft Office Servers Language Pack SP1 - x64

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/info.aspx?na=47&p=1&SrcDisplayLang=en&SrcCategoryId=&SrcFamilyId=c7cf102b-5dd8-4d86-be5a-d56f63ef37a4&u=details.aspx%3ffamilyid%3d56681742-7D2C-4A6F-9178-DACD32AADC6C%26displaylang%3den