Office support: best way to install MS Office 2003

Processor: 233 MHz or higher; Pentium III.

Operating System: Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or later, or Windows XP or later.

RAM: 64 MB (minimum); 128 MB (recommended)

Hard drive space: 450 MB.

Note: Hard disk space use varies based on the settings; Custom installation choices may require more or less hard-disk space; selection of the 'Complete' installment alternative will require more hard disk space. The above-listed necessity is for the default configuration.

Added information on the system requirements for Microsoft Office 2003 Professional and unique items and services are found in the Microsoft help and support website.

The Installation Procedure

Insert the Office 2003 Setup CD into your CD drive. After several seconds of copying installation files to your computer, the setup begins. If the installation does not start automatically, open 'My Computer,' then open the OFFICE11 CD, and double-click the SETUPPRO.EXE.

Type the product key in the rear of the CD. When you are finished, click 'Next.' Should you be unable to locate the product key, then click the windows help the Microsoft support subject page to open.

Another display of the Office 2003 Installer will prompt you for initials, your username, and organization. Click 'Next' after this information is input correctly.

Another window displays the End-User License Agreement (EULA). It is recommended that you simply go through this once. Then click 'Next.'

The next window displays the installation alternatives for Office 2003. If you just want to install everything that Office supplies, click the selection button corresponding to 'Complete' under the 'or pick an install type' alternative. Then click 'Next' at the underparts of the window. The other options are as follows:

Typical Install: This option installs the software and alternatives most popular by the masses as the name indicates. Complete Install: every option that the variation provides onto the hard drive and Installs every application.

Minimal Install: This is a bare-bones installation which is a possible choice if you are low on hard drive space.

Custom Install: Here's where you'll discover maximum reconfigurability. This option allows you to tailor the installment more closely for your particular needs if you have recommended of how you will be using its individual programs and Office. If you don't do a complete install, later on, you can always install any part that you desire. Needless to say, you'll need the Office CD to do this. With the large hard drives of today, if you have the storage to spare, we advocate the 'Entire Install' choice, particularly if you are going to use the software to produce work. Limited or partial installments of Office can create issues at the most inopportune moments. This program will run an installation routine that calls for the installation CD to be put into the original CD drive that has been used during installation when that occurs.

Should don't have the CD handy, it is easy enough to cancel the routine and continue work without that feature, but as you may expect, this doesn't always work efficiently. You have probably seen

Word, or another Office component, crash more than once when the program tried to install a requested feature, and the original installation CD wasn't unavailable.

Once you're done choosing what kind of install to do, the 'Begin Setup' window will appear. Click on the 'Install' button at the bottom of the window. This will start the process of installing Microsoft Office 2003 on your computer. A progress bar will be displayed showing that Microsoft Office 2003 is currently being installed in your computer after starting setup. The time to finish the install will vary based on how fast your computer is.

The installer will notify you when the setup is complete. You are going to have the choice to check for Microsoft Office updates and delete your installation files. Ensure that 'Check the Web for updates and additional downloads' is assessed, and that 'Delete setup files' is unchecked. This is to ensure that if a file goes tainted, or if Office later finds a file lost, it can be recovered by it from these setup files.

Internet Explorer should appear and take one to the Microsoft support website for installing office updates Office.com/Setup. Click the 'Check for Updates' link.

This engine will enable Microsoft to scan and update Office 2003 via the Web. Click 'Yes.'

The windows support site will exhibit any upgrades needed. If there are any updates listed, follow the on-screen directions to download and install them. Close the Internet Explorer.