Help, help,help Microsoft or Windows Office, Excel, etc

[gardenmad]

My old computer packed up,. I bougtht a new one - Vista, instead of XP (which had been updated from Windows 98, that previously updated from Windows 95) and go to get Office up - not available. I am told it will cost �400 to get Office, Excel etc. Help! Can't I just put my old Microsoft Office 2000 premium disc in and be away? I know it's now 2009 but I type just the same!
I hoped there was something I could download from the net??? This thing eats money - I shall look my old quill pen out. All I want is something I can type a letter on! And this is progress?!

[ChuckFickens]

yep just install your current version of office, it will work fine.

[Prescott]

You should be able to use your 2000 Office disk OK.

[gardenmad]

Thank you both very much- I have put in office 2000 but I cannot see Microsoft Word, Excel, Power point, access etc YET but I may be doing something wrong!

[dabees]

If you are still having problems with Office, and before you pick up a pen and paper. Why not give Open Office a try?

It's almost the same as MS Office and it's compatible with it too. But best of all, it's free.

Download it from the link. http://download.openoffice.org/

[VHG]

Have you actually gone throught the Office install process ?

You need to insert the CD and the Office install process should start.

It may ask you for a "key" and once you enter that the product should then install.

The Office products will then appear on your main Windows menu.

Note the Vista main menu is different than previos ones and you have to select "All programs" at the bottom of the menu to see the extra options on the menu (like Office).

[gardenmad]

Thank you Dabees, that is just what I was hoping for .... but - then read VHG's answer - yes, I had installed Office, and nothing had come up, and no, I did not know that Vista was different, i.e. select All Programs, but I did just that and Voila! as the French have it - it was all there! I am greatly indebted to you - does VHG stand for Very Helpful Guy (or Girl)?! You have been, anyway - another thought, shall I have Open Office too or will that be too much? I'm very much a belt and braces person!

Thanks again to you all.

[Iron-Horse]

Somewhere in the Vista menu is a programme compatibility facility (Find it through the Help menu) This will tell you if the programme you want to use is compatible with the Vista operating system. It's so long since I used it but I can tell you that it's a very worth while thing to have. Re the above I have Microsoft Office 3003 Pro edition and the 2007 version and the only niggle I have is that even when I click the desktop icon for 2003 I get 2007 loading up so I have had to save 2003 document on the desktop to ensure I get the correct loadup.

[Iron-Horse]

Sorry the two I am running are Office Pro 2003 (The 3003 was Captain Kirk)