Office 2003 and 2007 compatability

[StaceyBrill]

I have been using Office 2003. Unfortunately when I got my new laptop
up and running it had Vista & Office 2007. It did the Office 2007 90
day free trial. I am near the end of the trial and hate it of course
and want to go back to Office 2003, however 2003 on my other computer
will now not open any of my documents because they have all been
tainted by 2007. Even if they were created in 2003 and never opened
or edited in 2007, they still will not now open in 2003. Help! I'm
going nuts here.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Uninstall the trial version of Office 2007, then
restart your computer.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------

I have been using Office 2003. Unfortunately when I got my new laptop
up and running it had Vista & Office 2007. It did the Office 2007 90
day free trial. I am near the end of the trial and hate it of course
and want to go back to Office 2003, however 2003 on my other computer
will now not open any of my documents because they have all been
tainted by 2007. Even if they were created in 2003 and never opened
or edited in 2007, they still will not now open in 2003. Help! I'm
going nuts here.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

You're saying that you have some Word files (presumably *.doc format) that
have never been touched by Word 2007, yet cannot be opened by Word 2003 when
you copy them back to your old computer?

This cannot possibly have anything to do with Word 2007. Word 2007 does not
"taint" files it hasn't opened and saved. Even if the files are in .docx
format, Word 2003 can still open them if the Office 2007 compatibility pack
(free from Microsoft) is installed.

If Word 2003 can no longer open the files, then something is wrong with Word
2003 on your old computer. Try starting Word in safe mode--hold down Ctrl as
Word is starting, then click Yes to starting in safe mode.

When you say "cannot open", what exactly happens when you try? Is there an
error message? Does Word 2003 say that they're not Word files? If so, then
it sounds like a virus might've coincided with your moving to the new
computer and Office 2007 trial (was antivirus software installed?), which
while unfortunate, would not have anything to do with Office 2007.

 

[Bob I]

Install the compatibility package
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...70-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en

 

[Earle Horton]

There is a converter for free on the Microsoft download website too.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=941B3470-3AE9-4AEE-8F43-C6BB74CD1466

«Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007
File Formats
Brief Description
Open, edit, and save documents, workbooks, and presentations in the file
formats new to Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007.»

It might be a good idea to install this, just in case you have to share
documents with someone using Office 2007.

Cheers,

Earle