how to run Word 97 instead of 2003

[Guest]

I use Word only to read documents others send me, and Word 97 is adequate. I
moved my (legal) program to a new computer that has a trial subscription of
Word 2003 installed. When I click on a file with doc extension, the computer
throws me into a dialog box asking me to start my trial subscription of
Office 2003. If I use "open with" and browse to the old Word 97 exe file, it
ignores my attempt to get around the trial and again tries to make me start
the 2003 trial.
That is, it seems that someone programed the system to force 2003 instead of
97.
How can I get the computer to accept Word 97? Do I have to uninstall Office
2003?

 

[Anne Troy]

To do it automatically, yes. You should find the winword.exe that has the
oldest date. If you double-click it, does it launch 97? If so, you'll have
to open 97 before double-clicking any files. If it doesn't, then I'd
uninstall the trial. Whenever installing different versions, read this
first:
http://www.officearticles.com/misc/best_install_procedures_for_microsoft_office.htm

*******************
~Anne Troy

www.OfficeArticles.com
www.MyExpertsOnline.com

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Uninstall Word from Office 2003 (or the whole thing if you are not going to
use it). Then try
Start >
Run >
winword.exe /r

If that doesn't work, you'll have to browse for your installed exe file to
get a complete path.

--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome!
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[Guest]

Thanks for both your responses.
Let me clarify:
(1) I can start Word 97 from its old short cut or by finding the winword.exe
file. The problem is the association of the doc extension with my old Word
97.
(2) I have not started the trial subscription on Office 2003. It just wants
me to start it whenever I go through the "open" or "open with" routine.

 

[Anne Troy]

Yep. Nothing to be done about it, Dave. I run 4 versions of Office. 2003 or
the version that's currently open will launch the file, regardless of trying
to set the default.
*******************
~Anne Troy

www.OfficeArticles.com
www.MyExpertsOnline.com