earlier Powerpoint compatible with Office XP?

[Charles Brenner]

Can I safely install Powerpoint 97 in a PC that is running a newer XP
Small Business? An IBM tech said he'd heard it might cause a problem.

I just bought a new computer with Windows XP Pro and Office XP Small
Business (copyright 2002) included. I guess I was careless in ordering
because I must have paid some premium over the minimum Office XP but
the only extra feature that interests me is Powerpoint, which I didn't
get.

Anyway, I've got two other copies of Powerpoint already:

One is because I bought Microsoft Office 97 Standard Edition, which
includes Powerpoint 97.

The other is on another Windows XP machine, purchased a year or
two ago, which I believe is the reason that I have a collection of
seven CD's called Microsoft Works Suite 2000.

I would appreciate any guidance or information about putting either of
my older Powerpoint versions on my new computer. Would the one for the
other computer even be allowed to install? Would the version
discrepancy cause mysterious malfunctions of presently working
components?

Also, since the computers are on a
network is there a way that I can simply use the already existing
installation of Powerpoint 2000 (?) from the new machine?

Thanks for any help or advice.

Charles Brenner

 

[TAJ Simmons]

Charles,

We get lots of questions regarding the small business edition not including
powerpoint. You're not alone in thinking it includes powerpoint.

To get powerpoint 97 to work safely (without affecting powerpoint
2002/xp)...the general consensus is that

- you should install the oldest version first.
- you should put them in different directories

e.g.
c:\program files\microsoft office xp\
c:\program files\microsoft office 97\

Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

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