Office 2003 on Vista - or need new software?

[chrissyd]

I'm getting a new PC with Vista - do I have to buy a new copy of Office? If I
uninstall current Office 2003 (running on XP) can I reinstall on another PC
with compatible op system? Thanks.

 

[DL]

Provided its a retail version and you first uninstall any Trial & Activation
Assistant

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

If it's a full retail version of Office 2003 (vs an OEM version which came
preinstalled on the WinXP machine), yes, you can uninstall it and then
install it on your new Vista machine.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I'm getting a new PC with Vista - do I have to buy a new copy of Office? If I
uninstall current Office 2003 (running on XP) can I reinstall on another PC
with compatible op system? Thanks.

If your copy of Office is a retail one, yes. But if it's an OEM copy
(for example, if it came with the computer), your license is only good
on the original computer it was installed on, and it prohibits your
doing that.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I'm getting a new PC with Vista - do I have to buy a new copy of Office?
If I
uninstall current Office 2003 (running on XP) can I reinstall on another
PC
with compatible op system? Thanks.

I use Office 2003 on Vista with no problems at all.

As to licensing issues, it may be that Office (unike the OS) permits two
installs, usually meaning a desktop and a laptop - office and mobile, the
idea being that you can only use one system at a time. You will want to
verify this with the license terms for your version.
s
HTH
-pk

 

[chrissyd]

Many thanks for this. Looks like good news as it is a retail not an OS copy.
Does it matter that it's over 5 years old?

The reason I thought I'd need a more recent version of Office is because
colleagues running Vista have very different versions of PowerPoint on their
PCs - but could that be more to do with (perhaps) their running Office 2007
rather than it being run on Vista?

 

[Leythos]

As to licensing issues, it may be that Office (unike the OS) permits two
installs, usually meaning a desktop and a laptop - office and mobile

OEM office 2003 does not permit 2 installs (Desktop/Laptop or
Work/Home), only RETAIL does.

 

[chrissyd]

I'm confused now - does Office (retail) allow two installs in parallel (e.g.
a destkop and laptop at the same time) or two sequential installs (i.e.
install on one PC, uninstall then reinstall on another PC).

My version of Office has been installed three times - once on a PC that died
so it was uninstalled and reinstalled on a new PC - then the new PC's op sys
had to be reinstalled - and so Office was uninstalled and reinstalled again.

Are you saying that I should be able to uninstall and reinstall yet again..??

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I'm confused now - does Office (retail) allow two installs in parallel (e.g.
a destkop and laptop at the same time) or two sequential installs (i.e.
install on one PC, uninstall then reinstall on another PC).

There's no "or" here. Retail versions of Office allow what you call
"sequential installs," just as almost all other retail software does.

Office *also* comes with the permission to do something most other
software does not. It permits simultaneous installation on a laptop
and a desktop.

My version of Office has been installed three times - once on a PC that died
so it was uninstalled and reinstalled on a new PC - then the new PC's op sys
had to be reinstalled - and so Office was uninstalled and reinstalled again.

That's fine. You can do that as many times as you have to or want to.
Again, almost all software permits you do this.

Are you saying that I should be able to uninstall and reinstall yet again..??

Again and again and again... As many times as you have to or want to.

 

[Leythos]

I'm confused now - does Office (retail) allow two installs in parallel (e.g.
a destkop and laptop at the same time) or two sequential installs (i.e.
install on one PC, uninstall then reinstall on another PC).

My version of Office has been installed three times - once on a PC that died
so it was uninstalled and reinstalled on a new PC - then the new PC's op sys
had to be reinstalled - and so Office was uninstalled and reinstalled again.

Are you saying that I should be able to uninstall and reinstall yet again..??

You are not confused:

OEM - This is non-retail, but OEM can be bought through retailers. Most
of the OEM Office 2003 sets I've seen come in white cardboard double
sleeve sets.

OEM can only be installed on the first PC that it's installed on, even
if you uninstall it, you can not install it on another PC - according to
licensing. It does not permit, according to license, installation on Two
computers at the same time.

RETAIL - Can be installed on your HOME PC and your HOME laptop or your
Work computer and your Home Computer, provided that the installation is
not being used at the same time in both locations. You can reinstall and
move to as many computers as you want, but the limit is YOUR laptop/home
computer or your Work/Home compter provided you are the only user.

 

[chrissyd]

Thanks - now I'm clear - I'd better uninstall Office from the current poorly
PC before it has one last final crash.... :-(

 

[chrissyd]

OK. thanks for this.

You are not confused:

OEM - This is non-retail, but OEM can be bought through retailers. Most
of the OEM Office 2003 sets I've seen come in white cardboard double
sleeve sets.

OEM can only be installed on the first PC that it's installed on, even
if you uninstall it, you can not install it on another PC - according to
licensing. It does not permit, according to license, installation on Two
computers at the same time.

RETAIL - Can be installed on your HOME PC and your HOME laptop or your
Work computer and your Home Computer, provided that the installation is
not being used at the same time in both locations. You can reinstall and
move to as many computers as you want, but the limit is YOUR laptop/home
computer or your Work/Home compter provided you are the only user.





--
- Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
- Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
(e-mail address removed) (remove 999 for proper email address)

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks - now I'm clear

You're welcome. Glad to help.

 

[DL]

If you install Office 2003, you might also need the Office compatibility
pack (MS Office site) which allows you to open files created in Office 2007
default format - thats if you plan to see / share colleages docs

 

[Leythos]

OK. thanks for this.

One other thing - if you install Office 2003 on Vista, there is a
registry hack you must use in many cases, in order to allow you to write
that you've activated Office 2003 on the Vista machine. If your Office
2003 keeps telling you to activate after it's already activated, you
will need to change permissions on a registry tree.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Many thanks for this. Looks like good news as it is a retail not an OS
copy.
Does it matter that it's over 5 years old?

Not at all. You will need to download the updates, and compatibility packs.

The reason I thought I'd need a more recent version of Office is because
colleagues running Vista have very different versions of PowerPoint on
their
PCs - but could that be more to do with (perhaps) their running Office
2007
rather than it being run on Vista?

Absolutely. Office 2007 has major visual differences compared to Office
2003.

Documents from Office 2007 should for the most part work properly on your
system, though you may need to download the later compatibility packs with
the Office 2007 document converters.


HTH
-pk

 

[Patrick Keenan]

One other thing - if you install Office 2003 on Vista, there is a
registry hack you must use in many cases, in order to allow you to write
that you've activated Office 2003 on the Vista machine. If your Office
2003 keeps telling you to activate after it's already activated, you
will need to change permissions on a registry tree.

This wasn't necessary on my Vista Business laptop, on any of the few
occasions I've had on clean reinstalls.

 

[chrissyd]

Thanks to all for your help - I am now playing with with new PC and was going
along happily installing Office 2003 when I was told in no uncertain terms
that I was already running a 60 day trial of 2007. Sigh. So I'll try again in
2 months. Anything for an easy life. I now have another issue - but will make
new posting. Thanks again

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

You will have to uninstall the free trial before you'll be able to install
Office 2003.

 

[chrissyd]

Thanks for this - I will do so.

You will have to uninstall the free trial before you'll be able to install
Office 2003.