Microsoft Office Documents

[Zekintha]

So my computer came with XP-Pro installed, and trial versions of Office 2007.
I installed Office 2003 myself, and when I first installed it, I seem to
remember all of my .doc, .xls, .ppt, and so forth files opening with Office
2003 programs. At some point though, I may have opened a file with the 2007
version of one of the programs, and now my .xls and .ppt files open with the
2007 version of Excel/Powerpoint, respectively.

I've tried changing the file associations, and I've also tried using the
context menu option "Open With..." and used the browse option to search for
the .exe file of the Office 2003 version, but my .xls files still opened with
Excel 2007.

I've checked the registry files, and this is what I have:
Excel.Sheet
CurVer
<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> {Excel.Sheet.12}
Excel.Sheet.12
shell
Open
command
<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> [Pointer to .exe file for Excel 2007]
Excel.Sheet.8
shell
Open
command
<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> [Pointer to .exe file for Excel 2003]

Changing the value of the data under "CurVer" to {Excel.Sheet.8} does
nothing, and changing the pointer under "Excel.Sheet.12" to point to Excel
2003 also does nothing (I rebooted my computer after I made the changes and
tried again, just to be sure). Both of these changes doesn't change the fact
that all .xls files on my computer open with Excel 2007.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

 

[Zekintha]

Sorry, apparently spaces don't post so well. Here's the registry data,
slightly clearer:

Excel.Sheet
--CurVer
----<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> {Excel.Sheet.12}
Excel.Sheet.12
--shell
----Open
------command
--------<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> [Pointer to .exe file for Excel 2007]
Excel.Sheet.8
--shell
----Open
------command
--------<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> [Pointer to .exe file for Excel 2003]

 

[Smirnoff]

So my computer came with XP-Pro installed, and trial versions of
Office 2007.
I installed Office 2003 myself, and when I first installed it, I seem
to
remember all of my .doc, .xls, .ppt, and so forth files opening with
Office
2003 programs. At some point though, I may have opened a file with the
2007
version of one of the programs, and now my .xls and .ppt files open
with the
2007 version of Excel/Powerpoint, respectively.

I've tried changing the file associations, and I've also tried using
the
context menu option "Open With..." and used the browse option to
search for
the .exe file of the Office 2003 version, but my .xls files still
opened with
Excel 2007.

I've checked the registry files, and this is what I have:
Excel.Sheet
CurVer
<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> {Excel.Sheet.12}
Excel.Sheet.12
shell
Open
command
<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> [Pointer to .exe file for Excel
2007]
Excel.Sheet.8
shell
Open
command
<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> [Pointer to .exe file for Excel
2003]

Changing the value of the data under "CurVer" to {Excel.Sheet.8} does
nothing, and changing the pointer under "Excel.Sheet.12" to point to
Excel
2003 also does nothing (I rebooted my computer after I made the
changes and
tried again, just to be sure). Both of these changes doesn't change
the fact
that all .xls files on my computer open with Excel 2007.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

Why don't you uninstall the Office 2007 trial version?

 

[Zekintha]

I'd prefer not to uninstall it if I don't have to, but I will as a last
resort. I just thought I'd ask and see if anyone knew what was wrong with the
darn thing in the first place.

 

[Smirnoff]

If it's a trial version, it will expire anyway.

I know that these "Trial" packs can be a bugger to remove. If you decide
to uninstall (Add/Remove programs). download Windows Install Cleanup
Utility:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

The download link is at the bottom of More Information.

Use this utility to get rid of any reference to the trial version (use
with CAUTION).

If you need to open Office 2007 files, you can install the Compatibility
Pack for Office 2007:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA100444731033.aspx

This has limited functions (see the info on download page).

Also, if you do decide to go this route, after install, go to Windows
Update as there is an SP1 update for the Compatibility Pack.

 

[Smirnoff]

Sorry, meant to add in my other post that the trial version will force
itself on you as the default because MS wants you to BUY it!. Hence my
comments about the (sometimes) problems of removing it.

If you have no intention of buying it, you might as well uninstall it
rather than trying to set 2003 as the default program as it will expire
anyway.

 

[Brian A.]

So my computer came with XP-Pro installed, and trial versions of Office 2007.
I installed Office 2003 myself, and when I first installed it, I seem to
remember all of my .doc, .xls, .ppt, and so forth files opening with Office
2003 programs. At some point though, I may have opened a file with the 2007
version of one of the programs, and now my .xls and .ppt files open with the
2007 version of Excel/Powerpoint, respectively.

I've tried changing the file associations, and I've also tried using the
context menu option "Open With..." and used the browse option to search for
the .exe file of the Office 2003 version, but my .xls files still opened with
Excel 2007.

I've checked the registry files, and this is what I have:
Excel.Sheet
CurVer
<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> {Excel.Sheet.12}
Excel.Sheet.12
shell
Open
command
<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> [Pointer to .exe file for Excel 2007]
Excel.Sheet.8
shell
Open
command
<Name> {(Default)}, <Data> [Pointer to .exe file for Excel 2003]

Changing the value of the data under "CurVer" to {Excel.Sheet.8} does
nothing, and changing the pointer under "Excel.Sheet.12" to point to Excel
2003 also does nothing (I rebooted my computer after I made the changes and
tried again, just to be sure). Both of these changes doesn't change the fact
that all .xls files on my computer open with Excel 2007.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

Run a "Repair" via Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs or your Office 2003
install disk.

In Add/Remove click on Office 2003 > Change button. It will start the install
process and get to a point where you will have the choice to Add/Remove items,
Repair or Uninstall. Running the setup disk will do the same.

Once you're done uninstall Office 2007 if the trial period lapsed and you
aren't planning to update to it soon.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Windows Desktop User Experience }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Brian A.]

Sorry, meant to add in my other post that the trial version will force itself
on you as the default because MS wants you to BUY it!.

Totally Wrong!! You can install different versions of Office on a PC and one
won't force itself as default over the other on its own, trial or full version,
doesn't matter. It takes user intervention to change which is default.


--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Windows Desktop User Experience }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Smirnoff]

Totally Wrong!! You can install different versions of Office on a PC
and one won't force itself as default over the other on its own, trial
or full version, doesn't matter. It takes user intervention to change
which is default.

I stand corrected. It's just that in my experience, "trial" versions of
anything tend to take every opportunity to plug themselves and encourage
"user intervention".

 

[Zekintha]

I'm back -- I uninstalled Office 2007, and now the computer refuses to
recognize that Powerpoint 2003 is installed. That is, if I click on .ppt
files, they don't open, and if I try to "Open With...", I can browse for the
Powerpoint 2003 .exe file, and it won't open. The only way I can open .ppt
files is to open Powerpoint 2003, and then open a file from within the
program.

Help please?

 

[Brian A.]

I'm back -- I uninstalled Office 2007, and now the computer refuses to
recognize that Powerpoint 2003 is installed. That is, if I click on .ppt
files, they don't open, and if I try to "Open With...", I can browse for the
Powerpoint 2003 .exe file, and it won't open. The only way I can open .ppt
files is to open Powerpoint 2003, and then open a file from within the
program.

Help please?

Have you run "Repair" as stated in my earlier response? If not, run a
"Repair" via Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs or your Office 2003 install
disk.
99.99 percent of the time a repair will fix your issues.

In Add/Remove click on Office 2003 > Change button. It will start the install
process and get to a point where you will have the choice to Add/Remove items,
Repair or Uninstall. Running the setup disk will do the same. Take note that
the install disk may still be asked for when doing the repair via Add/Remove
Programs.

And/or check the association:
Open either MyComputer or Explorer.
On the Menu bar click Tools > Folder Options...
Click the File Types tab.
Scroll down to PPT under the column Extensions.
Click once on PPT to highlight it.
Click the Advanced button.
Click once on Open in the Actions pane to highlight it.
Click the Edit button.

Make sure each of the boxes has:
Action: &Open
Application used...: "D:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\POWERPNT.EXE"
"%1"
Use DDE: checked/selected
DDE Message: Blank
Application: POWERPNT
DDE Application not running: Blank
Topic: System


--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Windows Desktop User Experience }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Brian A.]

Application used...: "D:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Office11\POWERPNT.EXE" "%1"

The above should reflect the drive\directory where you have Office 2003
installed. Mine is installed on the D: drive, if yours is installed on the C:
drive it should be:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\POWERPNT.EXE" "%1"