# MS Office Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-office-question/460842>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 21, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-office-question/460842 "2008-08-21T20:01:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-office-question/460842/1 "2008-08-21T20:01:29Z")

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I have copies of MS Office 2003 and MS Office 2007 installed on my computer (Vista).

For some reason, whenever I run Office 03, then try to run Office 07, I’m told that “Office must be configured”, whereupon I wait about 2 minutes while the stupid program configures itself. It will work perfectly after that, but let me run O '03 again and the same problem recurs.

This happens on Word, Excel, and Access (sorry, not much of a Publisher or Power Point user).

Any suggestions on how to fix?

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**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-office-question/460842/2 "2008-08-22T00:13:09Z")

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I’d wager that they both use certain dlls and other files and that’s why you have to wait for it to “configure” itself.

You probably expected this, but: Why have both versions? You can use 2007 to save to a 2003-compatible format.

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**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-office-question/460842/3 "2008-08-22T03:37:43Z")

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It can be done, but it’s not really recommended. [Here’s](http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928091) info on how.

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**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-office-question/460842/4 "2008-08-22T04:26:10Z")

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[QUOTE=JSexton]  
I’d wager that they both use certain dlls and other files and that’s why you have to wait for it to “configure” itself.

You probably expected this, but: Why have both versions? You can use 2007 to save to a 2003-compatible format.  
[/QUOTE]

Cause I could. That’s all.

I appreciate the answer - you’re likely correct.