Reinstall older Win XP Home and lose newer Win XP on a new compute

[VWorks]

I got a new eMachine loaded with Windows XP, but it does not include a
version of Word that was originally loaded onto my old Dell with Works Suite
2002 and Win XP Home Edition. The software for the original version of Word
will not load with this new OS on the eMachine and I cannot open any Word
documents as they should be. If I reinstall the Reinstallation CD of my
original version of Windows XP...this new computer will lose the newer OS
version it came with and from what I gather go away forever...What will I
lose...and how does one keep both versions selecting a new destinationfolder
for the older, preferred edition.

 

[Bruce Hagen]

I got a new eMachine loaded with Windows XP, but it does not include a
version of Word that was originally loaded onto my old Dell with Works
Suite
2002 and Win XP Home Edition. The software for the original version of
Word
will not load with this new OS on the eMachine and I cannot open any Word
documents as they should be. If I reinstall the Reinstallation CD of my
original version of Windows XP...this new computer will lose the newer OS
version it came with and from what I gather go away forever...What will I
lose...and how does one keep both versions selecting a new
destinationfolder
for the older, preferred edition.

If your only goal it to view Word documents, then all you need is a viewer.

Word Viewer 2003:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...87-8732-48D5-8689-AB826E7B8FDF&displaylang=en

 

[John Barnett MVP]

If the older version is an OEM copy that came with your previous machine the
you will not be able to install it on your new machine. OEM copies are
locked to that particular machine.

From your post it looks as if the software i.e., Works came as a package
with your old machine and that too is locked to your old machine. Had you
had the original (retail) CD of Word there should be no reason why it would
not have installed, after all you are still using Windows XP. The reason for
failure is more than likely that the software is locked to your first
machine.

If it were possible to install your 'original' copy of XP then you would
loose everything on your hard drive. If however, you had retail (boxed)
copies (in other words you went out a purchased them from a computer store)
it would have been possible to dual boot by creating separate partitions for
each operating system. In your case, though, this isn't possible because you
have CD supplied by the manufacturer which, at most, are simply recovery
discs - Well I have had two e-machine PCs over the years and they have
always come with recovery discs not the full Microsoft copy of the operating
system.

In the end you will probably need to buy the latest version of Microsoft
Works or you might try the free 'openoffice' (www.openoffice.org) software -
that is capable of opening word (.doc) documents.


--

--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com

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[nass]

I got a new eMachine loaded with Windows XP, but it does not include a
version of Word that was originally loaded onto my old Dell with Works Suite
2002 and Win XP Home Edition. The software for the original version of Word
will not load with this new OS on the eMachine and I cannot open any Word
documents as they should be. If I reinstall the Reinstallation CD of my
original version of Windows XP...this new computer will lose the newer OS
version it came with and from what I gather go away forever...What will I
lose...and how does one keep both versions selecting a new destinationfolder
for the older, preferred edition.

Get yourself a free copy of openoffice from here:
http://www.openoffice.org
HTH,
nass

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I got a new eMachine loaded with Windows XP, but it does not
include a version of Word that was originally loaded onto my old
Dell with Works Suite 2002 and Win XP Home Edition. The software
for the original version of Word will not load with this new OS on
the eMachine and I cannot open any Word documents as they should
be. If I reinstall the Reinstallation CD of my original version of
Windows XP...this new computer will lose the newer OS version it
came with and from what I gather go away forever...What will I
lose...and how does one keep both versions selecting a new
destinationfolder for the older, preferred edition.

Multiposted?

See my answer to the thread you hijacked in WindowsXP.Help_and_Support...
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...f07109404b8/2ed869d57ff9a4d9#2ed869d57ff9a4d9

For consistency (and JiC)...

First - sorry - your old machine came with the software - *came with and it
gets to stay with*. OEM licensing for you. Just not worth the savings in
the long run.

Secondly - even if you were willing to break the agreement and install the
software on the new system - the Dell version likely will try and detect
Dell and fail.


What this means to you:


- You will need to purchase Microsoft Office or Microsoft Works. I suggest
the full Microsoft Office Suite if you are going to spend the money. Get a
retail version this time.
- Get the free OpenOffice Suite. It will do almost everything Microsoft
Office Standard will do (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) - and it will load Office
documents without a problem. (http://www.openoffice.org/)


The Windows XP Operating System on the Dell cannot be installed on the
eMachine. Not that this would fix your problem anyway.