Office 2007 and Office XP on same computer

[Geoff Budd]

When I installed Office 2007 a few months ago, I decided not to uninstall
Office XP that I already had. So, during the Office 2007 install process, I
chose to have setup install it into folder "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office
2007" (leaving the Office XP files in folder "C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office"). This works fine as I can launch Powerpoint (XP or 2007), or Excel
(XP or 2007) without any problem.

However Word is a different issue altogether. If I launch Word 2007 after
having previously launched Word XP, the Office 2007 Configuration Process
kicks in, with the message "Configuring Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007"
(whilst it spends about the next 60 seconds apparently reinstalling Word 2007
before launching it).

Similarly, if I launch Word XP after having previously launched Word 2007,
the Windows installer kicks in, with the message "Preparing to install"
(whilst it spends about the next 60 seconds apparently reinstalling Word XP
before launching it).

I had thought that by having Office XP and Office 2007 in completely
different directories in C:\Program Files, there would be no interaction, but
that is apparently not the case. I am running under Windows XP, Home
Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 3.

Does anyone have any idea why I get this problem? It only affects Word.

Thanks,

Geoff

 

[DL]

Office versions, since 2K, install by default to a version specific folder
(\Office\12)
In choosing not to upgrade the earlier version, for whatever reason (?),
unless you uninstalled Outlook 2002, prior to the installation, then you
will be still using Outlook 2002, which will not give you full intergration
with the Office 2007 components.
The Word 'problem' is a known issue, I believe I have seen a work around
solution in this group

 

[Earle Horton]

"Information about using 2007 Office suites and programs on a computer that
is running another version of Office"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928091

Earle

 

[LVTravel]

When I installed Office 2007 a few months ago, I decided not to uninstall
Office XP that I already had. So, during the Office 2007 install process,
I
chose to have setup install it into folder "C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office
2007" (leaving the Office XP files in folder "C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office"). This works fine as I can launch Powerpoint (XP or 2007), or
Excel
(XP or 2007) without any problem.

However Word is a different issue altogether. If I launch Word 2007 after
having previously launched Word XP, the Office 2007 Configuration Process
kicks in, with the message "Configuring Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007"
(whilst it spends about the next 60 seconds apparently reinstalling Word
2007
before launching it).

Similarly, if I launch Word XP after having previously launched Word 2007,
the Windows installer kicks in, with the message "Preparing to install"
(whilst it spends about the next 60 seconds apparently reinstalling Word
XP
before launching it).

I had thought that by having Office XP and Office 2007 in completely
different directories in C:\Program Files, there would be no interaction,
but
that is apparently not the case. I am running under Windows XP, Home
Edition, Version 2002, Service Pack 3.

Does anyone have any idea why I get this problem? It only affects Word.

Thanks,

Geoff

Geoff, go to the link that Earle posted and go about 1/2 way down the
article. It has a fix for Word 2007. There is also a link at the top of
the page for Office 2000 but it doesn't give the same information. What you
need to do for Office 2000 is to follow the instructions for Office 2007 and
change the location shown in the link as
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options" to
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Options" and put in
the same registry entry there.

Office '97 is Office 8.0
Office 2000 is Office 9.0
Office 2002 (XP) is Office 10.0
Office 2003 is Office 11.0
and Office 2007 is Office 12.0 in the registry.

 

[Earle Horton]

Geoff, go to the link that Earle posted and go about 1/2 way down the
article. It has a fix for Word 2007. There is also a link at the top of
the page for Office 2000 but it doesn't give the same information. What
you need to do for Office 2000 is to follow the instructions for Office
2007 and change the location shown in the link as
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options" to
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Options" and put in
the same registry entry there.

Office '97 is Office 8.0
Office 2000 is Office 9.0
Office 2002 (XP) is Office 10.0
Office 2003 is Office 11.0
and Office 2007 is Office 12.0 in the registry.

As the article states, there can be problems when Word is not allowed to
"auto-register" itself, and modifying the registry is "dangerous". Read the
cautions, then make the registry mod anyway. ;^)

Earle

 

[LVTravel]

As the article states, there can be problems when Word is not allowed to
"auto-register" itself, and modifying the registry is "dangerous". Read
the cautions, then make the registry mod anyway. ;^)

Earle

I agree Earle, but I have not had any issues on any of the systems I have
co-installed every office version from 4.3 to 2007 on an XP (both Home and
Pro) system or 2003-2007 on a Vista (Home Premium or Ultimate) system. I
wish MS had defined/described what would happen and under what circumstances
but they don't adequately explain their concern. Why would they allow and
even advertise a registry "hack" for a dangerous situation?

 

[Geoff Budd]

Thanks everyone - I now need to decide whether to risk changing the registry
or just live with it. I wish Microsoft would be consistent in the way their
Office software packages work. For example, why does Word have to "auto
register" (whatever that means) every time it launches, whereas Excel and
Powerpoint don't?

Regards,
Geoff