Older versions of Powerpoint

[Greg Jones]

I currently have Microsoft Office 2003 with Powerpoint.

I have some old Powerpoint files created in 1992. I was trying to view them
using Powerpoint 2003. I figured out that I have to insall a registry key
that allows me to view otherwise blocked content. However, I don't think
this version of Powerpoint is rendering my slides correctly. In fact, I no
longer see anything on the slides or notes at all, even though Powerpoint
thinks that there is something there.

What can I do, if anything, to see these files in their more-original form?

Thanks for any help.
Greg

 

[bkolba]

1992 would put you at PowerPoint 3.0 or so? That's impressive you still have
the files!

Try the PowerPoint Viewer: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/126492

Bobby

 

[bkolba]

Correcting myself (after testing with a file from PPT 3.0). You will have to
use an older version of the viewer. Try this one and see if it works for you:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Softlib/MSLFILES/PPTVW32.EXE

Bobby

 

[David Marcovitz]

I wonder if that version of the viewer will even run in Windows XP or
later. You might have to fire up a Windows 3 machine for something from
1992 to run.
--David

PS. I just heard a radio report that the National Archives is not yet
equipped to handle Word documents (any Word documents). Maybe in a
couple of years they will have advanced to PowerPoint 3.0 and be able to
help you

 

[bkolba]

I tested it on the Windows 7 beta and it worked just fine. Both PowerPoint
3.0 and that viewer seem to be compatible with Windows 7, so I assume they
will work with older versions as well