Access 97 and Access 2003

[SM User]

I have software's that absolutely have to use Access 97 structured data in
order to work, however I now need to install Office 2003. Can both versions
of Access be installed and run on the same computer? This is a XP computer
with plenty of horsepower. Any help would be appreciated before I attempt
this.

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Multiple versions of Access can and will run on a single machine. I
currently have Access 97 and Access XP all installed on this machine and both
versions behave nicely. However, with that said, I think you need to know
that once you open a database with a specific version, if you simply double
click a file name or right click a file a select open, you will find that the
last used version of Access is the version that Windows attempts to use to
open mdb files.

This is resolved by either running the verion of Access you want to use and
then go select the desired mdb file or by right clicking and select the Open
With option and specify the version of Access that should be used.

Now, when it comes to Access 2007 the answer to your question will be much
more involved. I also have Access 2007 installed on this same machine. It
also will behave nicely on this machine but, when you run Access 2007 it has
to go throught an install proceedure. Likewise, when you then go to run
Access 2003 (I have not specifically tested an immediate switch between 2007
and Access 97) there is again a quite lengthly installation process. I have
also noticed that I have some problems that require the use of the original
CD for Access 2003 after switching back. I plan to set up a completely
different machine for Access 2007 and not have it try to exist with the other
installations.

Sorry if I got way off the topic of your original post.

--
HTH

Mr B
email if needed to:
draccess at askdoctoraccess dot com

 

[Rick Brandt]

I have software's that absolutely have to use Access 97 structured
data in order to work, however I now need to install Office 2003. Can
both versions of Access be installed and run on the same computer?
This is a XP computer with plenty of horsepower. Any help would be
appreciated before I attempt this.

Thanks

Yes. Just install to a different folder and when prompted choose to NOT remove
older office components.

Whichever version of Access is run last will take over file associations so get
in the habit of opening the desired version of Access first rather than
double-clicking files.

If Office 2003 is a version that doesn not include Access then even better.

 

[Guest]

Mr. B,

I plan to set up a completely different machine for Access 2007 and not
have it try to exist with the other installations.

If your PC has plenty of RAM (1 GB minimum recommended) and hard drive
space, you can install Virtual PC, and then create separate virtual machines
to completely isolate different versions of Access. Virtual PC is a free
download from Microsoft. More information here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/virtualpc/default.mspx


Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP

http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/expert_contributors.html
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/search.html
__________________________________________

 

[Guest]

I have software's that absolutely have to use Access 97

structured data in

That does not mean that you have to have A97 installed.
Software that uses A97 data can continue to do so, even
if A97 is not installed.

Also, Office 2000 can open and use A97 programs and files:
you just have to go through all the files once and click on
"open" not "convert", after that you won't be asked again (but
you won't be able to make changes to Forms and Reports
in Office 2000).

If you do need to use A97 to make changes to Forms and Reports
do this:

Find and rename the file called MSACCESS.srg.
Replace it with an empty file.

This will make A97 faster and easier to start, because it won't try
to re-register itself (which would fail anyway unless you have
Admin privileges on your WinXP computer).

Also, because A97 won't re-register, Office 2003 will be faster
to start (because it won't need to re-register after A97 has been
run).

If you do this, MDB files will stay registered with Office 2003.
To use A97 you will have to click on A97 or use a shortcut to
A97.

(david)

 

[Guest]

In my PC (P4 1.5 GHz, 768MB RAM) Virtual PC runs very slow so that I'm about
to uninstall it and install a new instance of Win XP on a new HD.

Vlado

 

[Guest]

That's why I said 1 GB minimum (even though the official minimum is 128 MB
for the host operating system running WinXP:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/virtualpc/sysreq.mspx). If you can
afford to bump your RAM up to 2GB, you will be a lot happier with Virtual PC.


Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP

http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/expert_contributors.html
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/search.html
__________________________________________

 

[Guest]

I'd better buy a new PC with a new MB (plus lots of MB RAM) since my current
one is more than 5 years old... :'-(
With 128MB I would never install Win XP... and Virtual PC is out of question
with only 128MB RAM.

Vlado