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Question

Is it possible to run 2 versions of MS Office concurrently?

by Apr 8, 2014 2:45AM PDT

I recently purchased a HP Pro 3500 with Windows 7 (to replace an Emachine with Windows XP) and purchased MS Office Home and Student 2013 at the same time. I have been using MS Office Professional Edition 2003 on the old computer. I want to transfer my Word documents from the old computer to the new one, but the salesman informed me that the documents created using Word in my 2003 Office will not convert and open in the new 2013 Office. Since I have the original MS 2003 Office disc, if I load it on the new computer, can I run both versions of Office? Thank you!

Discussion is locked

14 Posts
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Answer
Link only.
by Apr 8, 2014 3:00AM PDT
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Overclockers link
by THECDOG Apr 9, 2014 12:25AM PDT

Thanks for the link! It looks possible. In view of other replies, I'll keep that process iin mind for a later attempt.

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Answer
Yes, I've done it many times
by Apr 8, 2014 3:19AM PDT

I've run everything from Office XP to Office 10 concurrently with no problems. Select Custom install and tell it you want to have both versions. When you switch from running one to the other, it'll go through a minute of what it calls installing, then it will work fine until you switch back (which takes another minute of "installing").

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Thanks for sharing ...I may give it another try as I like
by VAPCMD Apr 8, 2014 11:16AM PDT

using ASAP...but it just won't work with the 64bit version of Excel.

VAPCMD

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Yes, I've done it many times
by THECDOG Apr 9, 2014 12:30AM PDT

Appreciate the info and instructions.

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Answer
Re: old documents
by Forum moderator Apr 8, 2014 7:43PM PDT

The salesman seems to have given you wrong information. Current versions of Office certainlly still open old documents. So there is no need to install Office 2003.

As noted below, they can be installed together, but they don't like it and if you switch from one to the other they show their feelings by going to some configuration routines the first time you use the other version. So switching often is quite irritating and unnecessary moreover.

Kees

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old documents
by THECDOG Apr 9, 2014 12:36AM PDT

Thank you for your reply. Since all of my docs are backed-up, at this point I'll do a test with one or two docs to see how it goes before installing Office 2003.

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That's a great idea.
by Kees_B Forum moderator Apr 9, 2014 12:55AM PDT

Can you tell the forum what you find?

Kees

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That's a great idea
by THECDOG Apr 9, 2014 5:56AM PDT

Sure will. With all lthis help how could I not report back? Happy

It will be a few days, maybe even a week, because I'm waiting for delivery of the computer and then the retailer is going to do the set-up and install the new MS Office 2013 for me.

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Most members don't report back.
by Kees_B Forum moderator Apr 9, 2014 6:04AM PDT

That's why I asked.

Kees

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In the immortal words of...
by THECDOG Apr 10, 2014 12:20AM PDT

General Douglas MacArthur "I shall return." or, if you prefer, The Terminator "I'll be back."

I promise.

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Took a little longer...
by THECDOG Apr 24, 2014 4:46AM PDT

than I planned/expected to get back with the results. The first computer received was incorrect and had to be returned. The second was just received and set-up yesterday. The 2013 version of Office was installed, but the 2003 version was not. Opened at least 6 docs created using Word from the 2003 version of Office, and older, using Word in Office 2013 with no problem.

Thank you all, again, for all of your assistance!

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Answer
Yes, it is possible..
by Jun 12, 2014 4:28AM PDT

just install different version in different drives..

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Re: different versions of MS Office
by Kees_B Forum moderator Jun 12, 2014 4:47AM PDT

Those differerent versions can be installed on the same drive just as well. They have unique folders in Program Files.

But there might be some quirks. For example, on my work laptop I've both Access XP and Access 2003 installed. The XP version goes through some 10 second installer setup every time I run it.

Kees

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