Problem now different versions of Office installed

[silverback]

Based on reading earlier postings about installing later versions of Office on top of earlier ones, I've installed Office 2010 on the PC and kept Office 2003. I did not install Outlook 2010 because of the warning about it deleting Outlook 2003.

Now everything is working as far as I can tell, but each time I switch between a 2003 and 2010 version, I have to wait while 'the system configures itself'. So, for example, Access 2003 works OK. I then ask Access 2010 to start and I have to wait about a minute with a Windows Installed dialogue box saying that it's configuring Office. Eventually, Access 2010 starts, apparently working OK. If I then try to open Access 2003, I get another Windows Installer dialogue saying that it's configuring Office.

Have I missed something/selected an option I shouldn't when I installed the Office 2010 components I wanted, or do I have to live with this configuring?

Oh - and it didn't ask me for a product key when I started using the 2010 components. Surely that's not right?
Thanks
Silverback

[HansV]

Did you install Office 2010 as a trial version? It may prompt you for the product key when the license period expires.

See if Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus configures each time you start helps.

[silverback]

Did you install Office 2010 as a trial version? It may prompt you for the product key when the license period expires.

See if Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus configures each time you start helps.

I don't know if I installed 2010 as a trial version. I don't think I did - I followed the wizard, selected leave all previous versions, chose my installation options and installed.
Re : The MS web page you referred me to.
Method 1 fixed Word, Excel and PowerPoint. I've moved on to the other methods but Access is still configuring between 2003 and 2010. We can live with it, as we will probably continue to develop on 2003 but use 2010 to familiarise ourselves with what our users are using and also check that our DBs continue to work OK on 2010 (qf earlier posting of mine in Access thread about email hyperlinks suddenly not working when user switched from 2003 to 2010)

Just tried Access 2010 again. It reconfigured. Went to File | Help and there's some text which says that this product is unlicensed, although I have put in the product key and selected attempt to validate key online - which apparently worked since it then put me on to the next screen (Install or Customize)


Silverback

[HansV]

I'm afraid I can't offer much help. I have avoided installing multiple versions of Office since some unpleasant experiences a long time ago. If I really needed to, I'd create a different boot partition for each version.

[StuartR]

I made the mistake of installing Office 2013 in addition to Office 2010, and even after I de-installed it again (and did a repair install of Office 2010) things are not completely right.

[DaveA]

On all systems that I have had more than one version of Office installed, they have always had to do this "System Configuring", where using a different version than the last time. It was stated my Microsoft early in the game, that the correct settings to the right folders and files needed to be configured for the current opening version.

[silverback]

Thanks to all posters on this topic.

Things have settled down a bit, now.
The products are now activated.
I followed the instructions on the MS page Hans referred me to and I can now switch between Word, Excel and PowerPoint 2010/2003 with no configuring between products.

Access still insists on configuring when switching between 2010 and 2003 or other way round. I can live with this as I don't intend to switch frequently, only to test compatibility when developments are finished. Strange that the others are working OK but Access isn't, though.

Thanks again for the help
Silverback

[HansV]

Access has always been more problematic in this respect than Word and Excel; I remember reading about the same problem with older versions.

[silverback]

A further 'funny' since the newer version of Office was installed.
I can invoke 2003 or 2010 versions as mentioned before, but when I double click on a .xls file, 2010 opens.
I've checked File Types and .xls is marked to be opened as 2003 - 2007 spreadsheet.
Can I stop 2010 office versions opening when files with 2003 suffixes are double clicked, please?

Thanks
Silverback

[HansV]

Try performing a repair installation of Office 2003 from the Add/Remove Programs (Windows XP) or Programs and Features (Windows Vista or later) control panel. This should restore the file association for .xls to Excel 2003, while leaving that for .xlsx/.xlsb/.xlsm set to Excel 2010.

Whenever you install updates for Office 2010, you will have to repair Office 2003 again.

[silverback]

Try performing a repair installation of Office 2003 from the Add/Remove Programs (Windows XP) or Programs and Features (Windows Vista or later) control panel. This should restore the file association for .xls to Excel 2003, while leaving that for .xlsx/.xlsb/.xlsm set to Excel 2010.

Whenever you install updates for Office 2010, you will have to repair Office 2003 again.

Thank you - all working OK again.
I can live with the need to repair each time after 2010 updates.

Silverback