• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

How to install both MS Office 2003 and MS Office 2013 on the same system

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

c627627

c(n*199780) Senior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2002
How to install both MS Office 2003 and MS Office 2013 2016 on the same system

DOWNLOAD:
View attachment @Use both Office 2003 and a lter version on the same system.zip

EDIT: <THIS IS AN OLD THREAD> I JUST UPDATED IT WITH OFFICE 2016 INFORMATION.

I just got an email attachment from my kid's teacher and it was a .docx file which my MS Word 2003, of course, could not open. Contents were one paragraph, a simple plain text file :( ...


Sure... there is a Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack, but as most of us using classic MS Office found out the hard way, more often than not, .docx and .xlsx files still cannot be opened with classic pre-Ribbon versions of Microsoft Office.

So Microsoft won. I had to get new MS Office even though technically there is zero justification for me to upgrade my Office 2003 for what I do.


My reasons and goal: Only Office 2003 allows me to permanently display my own custom icon menu which contains virtually all functions I ever use so that with a quick laser mouse I can work lightning fast without accessing any Menus or Ribbons. It's all there permanently whenever I open a new document and my mind was trained to know exactly where each icon is:


Word2003.png

Excel2003.png



If you are into super-fast computing, you know how much of a big deal 0.1 seconds is vs. 0.5 seconds. I can't be clicking through Ribbons or even clicking once to get to a single submenu. It has to all be there in front, in a customized single display - so that we can put that overkill fast Gaming Mouse to use doing real work!

Unfortunately, since Customizations are not a priority for Microsoft developers, the goal is to successfully install MS Office 2013 while keeping MS Office 2003 installed, and then keep MS Office 2003 as default for .doc and .xls standard files *only* but let MS Office 2013 handle, by default, .docx, .xlsx and everything else.




To use both MS Office 2003 and MS Office 2013 on the same system:

[Full Disclosure: There are official Microsoft support pages stating this cannot be done, but I have yet to find the down side.]



To use both MS Office 2003 and a later version of MS Office on the same system:


1. Install MS Office 2003, without installing Outlook 2003 if you plan to use a later version of Outlook for email and apply MS Office 2003 Service Pack 3 and other updates.
If custom installing, be sure Outlook is not selected on the final custom setup screen before installation begins.

2. Reboot.

3. Start Word 2003 once. Rename Microsoft Office Start Menu folder to Microsoft Office 2003, so a higher version doesn't conflict with the name of that folder.

4. Install and activate a later version of Office, (you may need to uninstall Outlook 2003 if you want to use a later version of Outlook for email, otherwise do not install a later version of Outlook).
If custom installing, be sure Outlook is not selected on the final custom setup screen before installation begins.

IT IS OKAY TO INSTALL A HIGHER VERSION OF MS OFFICE FIRST and then MS OFFICE 2003 SECOND.


5. If Microsoft Office 2003 is installed in its default location under either 32-Bit or 64-Bit Windows,
double click on 1O2003SYMLINKS.bat.

If it is installed elsewhere, go to Custom Location Install folder and edit 1CustomO2003SYMLINKS.bat in Notepad. Only Edit for custom location installs.

Edit line
pushd "E:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2003\OFFICE11"
so that it points to your custom location of OFFICE11 folder.
then double click on 1CustomO2003SYMLINKS.bat

6. Double click on 2NoReReg.reg > Yes


7. If Microsoft Office 2003 is installed in its default location C:\Program Files (x86) under 64-Bit Windows, double click on 3O2003OPENWITHx64.reg

If it is installed elsewhere, or if you are using 32-Bit Windows, go to Custom Location Install folder and edit 3O2003OPENWITHx64.reg in Notepad. Only Edit for custom location installs.

Edit all lines to point to correct location of OFFICE11 folder.
Remember to use \\ instead of \ [see reg file].


8. Rename Microsoft Office Start Menu folder to Microsoft Office [insert version installed]


9. After you start a later version of Outlook, conversion may take 5 minutes or longer.


Follow these instructions carefully and specifically:

• Word 2003 > Help > Detect and Repair > Start > Close Word 2003 when this finishes.

• Excel 2003 > Help > Detect and Repair > Start > Close Excel 2003 when this finishes.

Now:
• Control Panel\Programs\Default Programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a program:

.docx > Change program... > More options > [scroll down] Look for another app on this PC > Browse to a newer version of MS Office installation folder, [...]Office1x > WINWORD.EXE > * Configuration Process will start *

.xlsx > Change program... > More options > [scroll down] Look for another app on this PC > Browse to a newer version of MS Office installation folder, [...]Office1x > EXCEL.EXE

> Close


Now get four test files:
• Excel 2003.xls (made in Excel 2003)
• Excel.xlsx (made in later versions of MS Excel)
• Word 2003.doc (made in Word 2003)
• Word.docx (made in later versions of MS Word)


Right click on .doc > Open With > Choose Default Program... > CHECK: Use this app for all .doc files > More options > [scroll down] Look for another app on this PC > Browse to MS Office 2003 installation folder, [...]Office11 >

!!!STOP!!!
Do not select WINWORD.EXE from this folder, instead select WINWORD2003.EXE > Open

Right click on .xls > Open With > Choose Default Program... > CHECK: Use this app for all .doc files > More options > [scroll down] Look for another app on this PC > Browse to MS Office 2003 installation folder, [...]Office11 >

!!!STOP!!!
Do not select EXCEL.EXE from this folder, instead select EXCEL2003.EXE > Open


Test all four test files to make sure they open in their respective programs.
Later versions of MS Office test files will initially need to Configure themselves, upon first test start.


==========


• To set newer MS Office 2013 as a default program again: Control Panel > Programs and Features > RIGHT-CLICK on a new version of Microsoft Office > Change > SELECT: Repair > Continue

or

• Control Panel > Default Programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a program:
.doc > Word
.xls > Excel


• To set Word 2007 as default: Word 2007 > Office button > Word Options > Resources > Diagnose


 
Last edited:
Good job making it work :thup:

Personally, I would have just used LibreOffice to handle the .docx or .xlsx files since it doesn't seem like you come across them very often. Less hassle, work, and money and still able to open .docx and .xlsx. Maybe I'm just too lazy :D
 
Of course the compatibility pack can open some or most .docx/.xlsx files - just not the ones you really actually need it to. :D But yes I've had issues on numerous occasions and had to reboot into Vista and use MS Office 2007 I have installed on it and then > Save as .doc or .xls > Reboot back.


MattNo5ss made an excellent point about Libre Office and just keep Classic MS Office for most files, I was just fearing the MS Word vs. WordPerfect experience where each program claims to be able to open each other's files but they both mess up other guy's formatting horribly when doing so.


The thing I like about MS Ribbon Office is that there is actually a way to insert an ADD-INS Ribbon which can contain the entire icon menu from Classic Office. Of course Microsoft was adamant about not allowing us to choose which Ribbon is permanently set as the main Ribbon, so you have to "activate" the ADD-INS Ribbon each and every time (because what's an extra click or 2, right?) :(

OfficeAdd-Ins.png

I understand that people also complained about ALL CAPS MENU they now have because they say ALL CAPS is considered shouting.

I have no opinion about 'what's better' and strongly feel that the discussion should not be why all caps, (why A. and not B) but why not include a simple setting to turn either A or B on, whichever the customer feels like is best for them?


Sure insert the default option into Windows 8 to make people literally jump through Circus Hoops just to Reboot or Shut Down their Windows 8 machines.... every time... as long as there's an option to make things easier, and thanks to Ivo over at Classic Shell Shell project that problem was solved beautifully.

I asked Ivo why Classic Shell doesn't appear to have a couple of features it used to on Windows 7, and it turns out Status Bar control in Windows 8 is not standard but uses private undocumented control (DirectUI). This means not even external software like Classic Shell can provide useful file information in the Task Bar!

From my notes, I think I read about this on TechNet somewhere:
• Windows 8 Explorer status bar does not show file details which were available in previous versions of Windows. The only features left in Status Bar in Windows 8 are the total number of items, items selected and size of selected items, and even then only up to 99 files(!) In addition, Status Bar control in Windows 8 is not standard but uses private undocumented control (DirectUI). This means not even external software can provide useful file information.

Status Bar features removed in Windows Vista/7/8:
- Total size of ALL files in a folder on the status bar without selecting them all, then excluding folders
- Tooltip information of single selected file

Status Bar features removed in Windows 7/8:
- Free disk space on any volume at the current location
- Computer zone
- Total size of selected files (not total size of all files, but selected files)



I don't know why anyone at Microsoft would say that they removed all this because it was computationally intensive... why would they say something like that? It worked on Windows 95 but it's "computationally intensive" on our 2013 machines!? I believe there are other reasons but why try to mask whatever that reason is with statements like that. :-/
 
Thanks very much for posting this, c627627.

I have a similar view about post 2003 versions of Excel. I've been using Office 2010 for over two years at work, and it just doesn't come close, in productivity terms, to my heavily customized Excel 2003 at home. The same applies to Excel 2013, which we have on a recent laptop.

I've just bought a Win8.1 PC and want to instal Excel 2003 on it. I'm not so concerned about the other parts of Office: I wouldn't say I prefer Word 2010/2013, but for what I do it's not such a big deal. The PC already has a trial version of Office 2013 on it, which I haven't activated, and I am still deciding between the Office 365 subscription and buying Office 2013 outright (just a question of how likely we are to get another computer in the next year or two).

My question is: when installing Excel 2003 first, do you think I should do it straight off, or would you suggest I remove the trial (unactivated) Office 2013 first? Thanks.
 
Welcome to the forums. I post these notes for myself primarily because years pass and I do an internet search and I hit my own overclockers threads and help my future self because I forgot how something is done... ;)


It appears I installed Office 2003 prior to installing Office 2013 retail. Looks like you will make a contribution to this by doing everything as posted with Office 2013 already installed.


So post if
a. anything whatsoever was not clear in instructions above (they need to be clear so that a 4-year-old can follow them) ;)
b. if you had to uninstall 2013 before the instructions could work

I am guessing the order of installation should not affect things but it appears I did install 2003 first then 2013 second.
 
As c627627 said, install 2003 excel first, then install office 2013. When installing 2013 do a custom install and uncheck installation of excel 2013, that should do the trick.
 
I think he was asking if he should remove Office 2013 before installing Office 2003... in other words, he was asking if it has to be Office 2003 then Office 2013 or if it can be done vice versa.


I am guessing it can.
Just to be clear, this thread is about a simultaneous use of both: Screenshot of my Windows 8 task bar from 5 seconds ago, with both Excel 2013 and Excel 2003 running at the same time:
 

Attachments

  • Office2013-Office2003.png
    Office2013-Office2003.png
    32.6 KB · Views: 8,515
I have installed the Office 2007 Compatibility pack for Office 2003. I don't usually have a problem opening .docx files with it, so I want to set Word 2003 to be the default program to open them. When I go to default programs and select Word 2003, it still opens them with Word 2013. Is there a fix for this?
 
What about installing one or the other Office versions in a virtual machine environment?
 
I could, but if I have to go open up virtual machine every time I want to open a document, I might as well just open the documents from within Word 2003.
 
You could also suggest that your kid's teachers get in the habit of saving the flies in .doc format as opposed to .docx. There are lots of people who are still using older versions of MS Office.
 
Again, I could, but contacting everyone, everywhere I receive a Word file would be a lot more work than just opening them manually within Word 2003. :-/ Hopefully someone knows how to fix this.
 
You could also suggest that your kid's teachers get in the habit of saving the flies in .doc format as opposed to .docx. There are lots of people who are still using older versions of MS Office.
I asked the principal 237 times. He finally stopped using docx and actually switched to .pdf...


For those that give up after asking 236 times ;):




If Microsoft Office 2003 is installed in its default location C:\Program Files (x86) under 64-Bit Windows, double click on O2003OPENWITHx64.reg

Once again, if Office 2003 is installed in its default location C:\Program Files (x86) - you're good.


If it is installed elsewhere, or if you are using 32-Bit Windows, go to Custom Location Install folder and edit 3O2003OPENWITHx64.reg in Notepad.

Edit all lines to point to correct location of OFFICE11 folder.
Remember to use \\ instead of \ [see reg file].



Follow these instructions carefully and specifically:

• Word 2003 > Help > Detect and Repair > Start > Close Word 2003 when this finishes.

• Excel 2003 > Help > Detect and Repair > Start > Close Excel 2003 when this finishes.

Now:
• Control Panel\Programs\Default Programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a program:

.docx > Change program... > More options > [scroll down] Look for another app on this PC > Browse to a newer version of MS Office installation folder, [...]Office1x > WINWORD.EXE > * Configuration Process will start *

.xlsx > Change program... > More options > [scroll down] Look for another app on this PC > Browse to a newer version of MS Office installation folder, [...]Office1x > EXCEL.EXE

> Close


Now get four test files:
• Excel 2003.xls (made in Excel 2003)
• Excel.xlsx (made in later versions of MS Excel)
• Word 2003.doc (made in Word 2003)
• Word.docx (made in later versions of MS Word)


Right click on .doc > Open With > Choose Default Program... > CHECK: Use this app for all .doc files > More options > [scroll down] Look for another app on this PC > Browse to MS Office 2003 installation folder, [...]Office11 >

!!!STOP!!!
Do not select WINWORD.EXE from this folder, instead select WINWORD2003.EXE > Open

Right click on .xls > Open With > Choose Default Program... > CHECK: Use this app for all .doc files > More options > [scroll down] Look for another app on this PC > Browse to MS Office 2003 installation folder, [...]Office11 >

!!!STOP!!!
Do not select EXCEL.EXE from this folder, instead select EXCEL2003.EXE > Open


Test all four test files to make sure they open in their respective programs.
Later versions of MS Office test files will initially need to Configure themselves, upon first test start.
 
Last edited:
You misunderstood; I want .docx files to open with Word 2003 as default (through the compatibility suite). I tried using the program you used to make your key to do this, but it didn't work.
 
oh... you want to have Word 2007-2013 installed and still open .docx files with Word 2003...

We would have to experiment as you are the first to ask for this... usually Office 2007-2013 is not installed and then this is not a problem by default...


Let's try this to start, extract and open the reg file from the post above yours [in Notepad] and Edit... > Replace all occurrences of .doc with .docx then import into registry.
Then follow everything else in post above yours except instead of .doc, do it for .docx - then post back if it worked, and we can include the edited reg file if anyone else ever wants to do the same...
 
I think you should contact all the teachers at the school and talk them into moving over to OpenOffice.
 
There are computer-challenged grandparents who take care of their elementary school - age (very young) grandchildren, without biological parent's involvement to speak of trents... and when I tried to make things easier for them, look what our own Senior Members did, look how hard it was to explain things to them, they not only showed no understanding for that, but dismissed these concerns with an attitude as if the world they live in is identical to everyone else's, from family structure to everything else... now imagine going against school principals and the school system, if this is what happened when I brought up a similar concern in this thread:

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/...ortal-requires-Firefox-pop-ups-to-be-disabled
 
c627627,

I offered that suggestion about OpenOffice as a "tongue n cheek" statement. Believe me, I know as well as anyone what it's like to get senior citizens to buy into learning a new tech skill. Most of my customers are over 70 years of age. Most of them are not interested in putting in the time it takes or don't believe they can learn something new or both. I constanlty hear, "I don't remember things very well anymore." I tell them that even though that may be true they can still learn new skills. It will just take more practice and repetition.
 
If the issue is specific to Word 2013, you could always just remove the word portion from Office 2013 installation?
 
Back