I started this as a "heeeeelp!" message, but now I can share what I did to fix the problem! 
I uninstalled Vicky v1.04, but I needed to install v1.03 (for various modding reasons best known to myself).
First I uninstalled v1.04. Then I deleted the C:\Program Files\Strategy First\Victoria\ folder. Then I rebooted. Then I installed my vanilla Vicky v1.00 from CD. At that time, I tried to install the v1.03 patch, but I got an error message that a newer version had already been installed.
That was rather odd.
So, after repeating that process a few times, trying other sources for downloading the v1.03 patch, etc., etc., I finally resorted to going through the entire registry looking for instances of "1.04"! And I found it here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Paradox Entertainment\Victoria
Apparently that particular key doesn't get removed or changed when Victoria is uninstalled or reinstalled (!)
So, after I changed the "version" value in that key to 1.00.00.0, I was finally able to install the v1.03 patch.
*does the happy h4xx0r's dance*
I uninstalled Vicky v1.04, but I needed to install v1.03 (for various modding reasons best known to myself).
First I uninstalled v1.04. Then I deleted the C:\Program Files\Strategy First\Victoria\ folder. Then I rebooted. Then I installed my vanilla Vicky v1.00 from CD. At that time, I tried to install the v1.03 patch, but I got an error message that a newer version had already been installed.
That was rather odd. So, after repeating that process a few times, trying other sources for downloading the v1.03 patch, etc., etc., I finally resorted to going through the entire registry looking for instances of "1.04"! And I found it here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Paradox Entertainment\Victoria
Apparently that particular key doesn't get removed or changed when Victoria is uninstalled or reinstalled (!)
So, after I changed the "version" value in that key to 1.00.00.0, I was finally able to install the v1.03 patch.
*does the happy h4xx0r's dance*
