MS Office System

For a non technical user, saving files is like “File -> Save” and frankly that’s the way it should be.

Since MS office was launched, there was not much of a format change in the way how office used to save data, resulting a default file format compatibility between all versions of Office (98 / 2000 / XP / 2003).

The default extension for saving a file in MS office (98 / 2k / XP / 2k3) is like,

• .doc for office word
• .xls for office excel
• .ppt for office power point

However, since Office 2007 (and for Office 2010 also) is introduced, a new file format has followed it.

• .docx for office word (2007 / 2010)
• .xlsx for office excel (2007 / 2010)
• .pptx for office power point (2007 / 2010)

In Microsoft Office 2007 and 2010, the default save format is the new, above mentioned file extensions.

Off late, lot of business and home users are facing a common problem. Their contact and business associate may be using a PC running and new version of MS Office (2007 or 2010) where as they are still with the older generation.

So how do you open a file (.docx / .xlsx / .pptx) saved in Microsoft Office (Word / Excel / Power Point) 2010 or 2007 in older version of MS Office (2000 / XP / 2003) ?

To solve this incompatibility issue, Microsoft is offering a free compatibility pack for Microsoft Office 2000, XP and 2003.

One may download the Office 2010 / 2007 compatibility pack for free and install in a PC running any of these following version of Microsoft Office.

• Microsoft Office 2000
• Microsoft Office XP
• Microsoft Office 2003

Download the Compatibility Pack

It is also advisable that one should install the latest updates for the office suite they have.

Microsoft have started the public beta testing of the next generation office suite. You can now download the MS Office 2010 beta free from MS web site.

Download -> http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/download-office-professional-plus/default.aspx

The Service Pack 2 (Sp2) of Microsoft office 2007 is out and available for download. Many would be interested to know as how can one integrate or slipstream Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2) in the installation source.

Create a network installation source

Insert the Office 2007 installation CD / DVD into your optical (CD / DVD) drive.

Copy all content of the CD to a folder under your hard drive, for example in my case its “F:\O_2007”

Obtain the Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Download the Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 2

Extract the Service Pack

Create a folder “SP2” under the F drive (in your case create where you have the Office 2007 Service Pack two)

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Microsoft have released the Service Pack 1 (SP1) for the Office 2007. Many users are asking me that, how can one integrate or rather slipstream the service pack on the installation source !!!

With Microsoft Office 2007 slipstreaming or rather integrating the service pack is really an easy task. One can follow few very simple steps to carry out the action..

Create a Network Installation Source

Insert the Office CD into your CD drive.

Copy all content of the CD to a folder under your hard drive, for example in my case its “F:\O07“

.

Obtain the SP1

Download the Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 1

Please rename the downloaded file to sp1.exe, in my case I download the file to F:\ and then rename it to SP1.exe so the update is now at location, F:\SP1.exe

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