Access 2003 and Access 2007 on same machine

[Dennis]

Greetings.

I want to run the two versions of Access on the same machine (2003 &
2007). I still need 2003 for most of my work, yet I need to start
learning 2007. In my previous attempts at this, right after the
release of 2007, I had problems with the installation dialog running
every time I switched versions. Along with file association issues.

I was hoping to find a work around to this, assuming that 8+ months
later there would be a viable work around to this. Surely I am one of
many developers that want to do what I am doing.

Alas, after searching all over the web tonight, the solutions I found
are just not acceptable. Among them are using Windows Virtual Machine,
using a different machine for each version, dual booting, and "just
live with it". There was one suspect looking registry tweak that would
allegedly work, but most of the responses to the post said it didn't.

Has anyone found a way to accomplish this? All I am looking for is a
hassle free way of running both on the same machine. This was easily
done with any combo of the previous Access versions. Is this flaw
something that Microsoft will one day address? Perhaps this is a
"forced upgrade".

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Dennis

[Wayne]

>All I am looking for is a

hassle free way of running both on the same machine.

Hi Dennis. So are the rest of us. I'm almost certain that many of the
MVPs who visit this forum are lobbying MS about this. AFIK there's
still no viable solution. The situation is abysmal, and as you have
commented, I think most of us expect that the situation would have
been rectified by now. Surely it can't be that difficult to fix if MS
really wanted to.

[Dennis]

On Aug 11, 2:06 am, Wayne <[e-mail]:

All I am looking for is a
hassle free way of running both on the same machine.

Hi Dennis. So are the rest of us. I'm almost certain that many of the
MVPs who visit this forum are lobbying MS about this. AFIK there's
still no viable solution. The situation is abysmal, and as you have
commented, I think most of us expect that the situation would have
been rectified by now. Surely it can't be that difficult to fix if MS
really wanted to.

Wayne,

Thanks for your reply. I pretty much expect more of the same. I am
constantly defending some of the MS products that are good, against
the over-zealous MS bashers. But they dropped the ball on this
seemingly simple detail. I have often wondered how MS responds to such
valid complaints, and who "carries the most weight" with them.

Dennis

[Chuck]

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 04:34:09 -0700, Dennis <dr******@ruppertweb.comwrote:

>On Aug 11, 2:06 am, Wayne <[e-mail]:

>All I am looking for is a
hassle free way of running both on the same machine.

Hi Dennis. So are the rest of us. I'm almost certain that many of the
MVPs who visit this forum are lobbying MS about this. AFIK there's
still no viable solution. The situation is abysmal, and as you have
commented, I think most of us expect that the situation would have
been rectified by now. Surely it can't be that difficult to fix if MS
really wanted to.

Wayne,

Thanks for your reply. I pretty much expect more of the same. I am
constantly defending some of the MS products that are good, against
the over-zealous MS bashers. But they dropped the ball on this
seemingly simple detail. I have often wondered how MS responds to such
valid complaints, and who "carries the most weight" with them.

Dennis

There is a very easy solution to the problem. All it takes it just plain
dirty ol' money. Buy Excell 2007. MS is in business to make money and they
have a VERY successful business.

Chuck
--

[Joey Dee]

On Aug 11, 2007, Chuck wrote:

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 04:34:09 -0700, Dennis <dr******@ruppertweb.comwrote:

>On Aug 11, 2:06 am, Wayne <[e-mail]:

>>>All I am looking for is a
hassle free way of running both on the same machine.

Hi Dennis. So are the rest of us. I'm almost certain that many of the
MVPs who visit this forum are lobbying MS about this. AFIK there's
still no viable solution. The situation is abysmal, and as you have
commented, I think most of us expect that the situation would have
been rectified by now. Surely it can't be that difficult to fix if MS
really wanted to.

Wayne,

Thanks for your reply. I pretty much expect more of the same. I am
constantly defending some of the MS products that are good, against
the over-zealous MS bashers. But they dropped the ball on this
seemingly simple detail. I have often wondered how MS responds to such
valid complaints, and who "carries the most weight" with them.

Dennis

There is a very easy solution to the problem. All it takes it just plain
dirty ol' money. Buy Excell 2007. MS is in business to make money and they
have a VERY successful business.

Chuck

I've followed this thread because I'm in the same boat: wanting to run two
versions of Access, 2000 and 2007.

I don't see how your suggestion applies. I have Excel 2007. How does owning a
license to Excel 2007 eliminate the problem voiced by the OP and others: that
of running two versions of Access on the same machine without the annoying
and time-consuming setup dialog?

Can you clarify?

--
Joey Dee

[Salad]

Dennis wrote:

Greetings.

I want to run the two versions of Access on the same machine (2003 &
2007). I still need 2003 for most of my work, yet I need to start
learning 2007. In my previous attempts at this, right after the
release of 2007, I had problems with the installation dialog running
every time I switched versions. Along with file association issues.

I was hoping to find a work around to this, assuming that 8+ months
later there would be a viable work around to this. Surely I am one of
many developers that want to do what I am doing.

Alas, after searching all over the web tonight, the solutions I found
are just not acceptable. Among them are using Windows Virtual Machine,
using a different machine for each version, dual booting, and "just
live with it". There was one suspect looking registry tweak that would
allegedly work, but most of the responses to the post said it didn't.

Has anyone found a way to accomplish this? All I am looking for is a
hassle free way of running both on the same machine. This was easily
done with any combo of the previous Access versions. Is this flaw
something that Microsoft will one day address? Perhaps this is a
"forced upgrade".

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Dennis

Are you saying that if a company has some older Access apps
(A97...A2003) on their computers and they upgraded to Office 2007 they
can't use the older apps unless they go thru some rigamarole of
dual-booting or running virtual machines?

[Wayne]

Are you saying that if a company has some older Access apps
(A97...A2003) on their computers and they upgraded to Office 2007 they
can't use the older apps unless they go thru some rigamarole of
dual-booting or running virtual machines?- Hide quoted text -

Hi Salad. Sounds like you haven't come up against this frustrating
problem yet. The problem arises when Access 2007 and an earlier
version, A2003 for instance, are installed on the same machine. Each
time either version is opened, after the other installed version has
been opened, it goes through a "reinstall" process which is time
consuming and frustrating to the user.

For example if you have been running A2003 and then try to run A2007,
a lengthy reinstall process starts, during which you have almost
enough time to go away and make a coffee. Similarly, if you have been
running A2007 and then run A2003, a "reinstall" of A2003 starts. It
is somewhat shorter than the A2007 "reinstall".

I've seen the same problem when trying to run other Office 2007 apps
together with earlier versions. For Word and Excel the problem seems
to be addressed here:
http://uksbsguy.com/blogs/doverton/a...f-windows.aspx

Not so for Access though. "Word" can be replaced with "Access" in the
registry hack posted on this site, but it still doesn't fix the
problem.

The dual booting and virtual machines mentioned by other posters are
solutions that have been suggested, but are probably no less an
inconvenience than the "reinstall" fiasco.

The sooner MS addresses this problem, if they address it at all, the
happier a whole bunch of developers will be.

[Salad]

Wayne wrote:

>>Are you saying that if a company has some older Access apps
(A97...A2003) on their computers and they upgraded to Office 2007 they
can't use the older apps unless they go thru some rigamarole of
dual-booting or running virtual machines?- Hide quoted text -

Hi Salad. Sounds like you haven't come up against this frustrating
problem yet. The problem arises when Access 2007 and an earlier
version, A2003 for instance, are installed on the same machine. Each
time either version is opened, after the other installed version has
been opened, it goes through a "reinstall" process which is time
consuming and frustrating to the user.

For example if you have been running A2003 and then try to run A2007,
a lengthy reinstall process starts, during which you have almost
enough time to go away and make a coffee. Similarly, if you have been
running A2007 and then run A2003, a "reinstall" of A2003 starts. It
is somewhat shorter than the A2007 "reinstall".

I've seen the same problem when trying to run other Office 2007 apps
together with earlier versions. For Word and Excel the problem seems
to be addressed here:
http://uksbsguy.com/blogs/doverton/a...f-windows.aspx

Not so for Access though. "Word" can be replaced with "Access" in the
registry hack posted on this site, but it still doesn't fix the
problem.

The dual booting and virtual machines mentioned by other posters are
solutions that have been suggested, but are probably no less an
inconvenience than the "reinstall" fiasco.

The sooner MS addresses this problem, if they address it at all, the
happier a whole bunch of developers will be.

I have Office 2007 but I haven't installed it. In the past 2-3 weeks
I've read so many threads about bugs it gives me pause.

Thanks for the heads up. I have a potential client that has Office
2007, with Access, installed. My app is in 2003. I'm not sure how
happy he'll be with the situation you described.

[Wayne]

Yes, there's lots of bugs and more seem to be surfacing as time goes
on. If your potential client has only Access 2007 installed, you
won't have the problems that I described above when running your A2003
app under it. You may encounter other problems though.

Allen Browne has some good info on his excellent web site here:
http://allenbrowne.com/Access2007.html

[Salad]

Wayne wrote:

Yes, there's lots of bugs and more seem to be surfacing as time goes
on. If your potential client has only Access 2007 installed, you
won't have the problems that I described above when running your A2003
app under it. You may encounter other problems though.

Hmmmm, I'm comfused. A2007 can run A2003 code? The client has full
versions of Office2007. Would I not need to supply him with a runtime
for A2003?

Allen Browne has some good info on his excellent web site here:
http://allenbrowne.com/Access2007.html

Yes. I've looked at it. Very good.

[Wayne]

Hmmmm, I'm comfused. A2007 can run A2003 code? The client has full

versions of Office2007. Would I not need to supply him with a runtime
for A2003?

Yes, A2007 will run your 2003 code. No runtime of A2003 necessary.
Obviously the app would need to be tested thoroughly under A2007 to
ensure that there are no surprises.

[Rick Brandt]

Salad wrote:

I have Office 2007 but I haven't installed it. In the past 2-3 weeks
I've read so many threads about bugs it gives me pause.

Thanks for the heads up. I have a potential client that has Office
2007, with Access, installed. My app is in 2003. I'm not sure how
happy he'll be with the situation you described.

This is a developer's problem, not a user's problem. The correct thing to do as
a developer is give them your app in a version that works for them without
introducing these issues. If that means you need to own multiple versions of
Access with the capability to distribute multiple versions of the runtime then
that is what you should do.

Developers who only deliver in their one preferred version (not saying that this
applies to you) have a hobby, not a profession.
--
Rick Brandt, Microsoft Access MVP
Email (as appropriate) to...
RBrandt at Hunter dot com

[SmartbizAustralia]

You can run a database written in access 2003 and it doesn't force you
to upgrade!

The bigger problem would be to a system in access 2007 and convert to
an earlier version if you used some of the new features...

Regards,
Tom Bizannes
Sydney, Australia

[Sascha Trowitzsch]

Hi,

"Tom van Stiphout" <no*************@cox.netschrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:bi********************************@4ax.com...

On Sun, 12 Aug 2007 06:16:11 -0700, Dennis <dr******@ruppertweb.com>
wrote:
Personally I do all my development work in A2007 (using MDB or ADP
version proscribed by client) switching back to older versions only
for testing and final build. There is a small risk I would use
features that are not yet available in that older version, but that is
very rare and easily fixed.

Ok, why not.
But I would do at least a DECOMPILE in the end and a new compile under A2003
before deploying it. I had several problems in the past with databases
developed under A2003 when opening in A2000. That usually happend for
databases with much code and much former changes in the VBA project.Often
the kind of errors were related to form events that didn't work. After
decompiling everthing worked fine.
Another point are the new system tables (e.g. for navigation pane) that are
written to the database under A2007 which are completely unusefull under
A2003. I'd delete them before deploing.
And there are many new properties for database objects and the database
itself which reside in it. I'm not that sure of cases where they could
disturb. (A 2003 mdb created new under A2007 has 180 kB, in A2003 it has 136
kB!)

Ciao, Sascha

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:08:14 +0200, "Sascha Trowitzsch"
<[e-mail]:

I was assuming a professional job, so part of the final stages is to
prepare an MDE or ADE in the client's version of Access. This removes
all your concerns.

-Tom.

>Hi,

"Tom van Stiphout" <no*************@cox.netschrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:bi********************************@4ax.com.. .

>On Sun, 12 Aug 2007 06:16:11 -0700, Dennis <dr******@ruppertweb.com>
wrote:
Personally I do all my development work in A2007 (using MDB or ADP
version proscribed by client) switching back to older versions only
for testing and final build. There is a small risk I would use
features that are not yet available in that older version, but that is
very rare and easily fixed.

Ok, why not.
But I would do at least a DECOMPILE in the end and a new compile under A2003
before deploying it. I had several problems in the past with databases
developed under A2003 when opening in A2000. That usually happend for
databases with much code and much former changes in the VBA project.Often
the kind of errors were related to form events that didn't work. After
decompiling everthing worked fine.
Another point are the new system tables (e.g. for navigation pane) that are
written to the database under A2007 which are completely unusefull under
A2003. I'd delete them before deploing.
And there are many new properties for database objects and the database
itself which reside in it. I'm not that sure of cases where they could
disturb. (A 2003 mdb created new under A2007 has 180 kB, in A2003 it has 136
kB!)

Ciao, Sascha

[Sascha Trowitzsch]

Yes, Tom, I'm indeed thinking professional. ;-)
The creation of a MDE
- leaves the A2007-System tables in it
- does not delete the A2007 properties
- does not completely remove garbage streams in the vba compile.
Why should this remove my concerns?
For 98% of cases there will be no problem, but 2% are 2% to much for me.
It's just my experience as a professional developer over the years when
downgrading from higher versions.

Ciao, Sascha
"Tom van Stiphout" <no*************@cox.netschrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:nc********************************@4ax.com...

On Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:08:14 +0200, "Sascha Trowitzsch"
<[e-mail]:

I was assuming a professional job, so part of the final stages is to
prepare an MDE or ADE in the client's version of Access. This removes
all your concerns.

-Tom.

>>Hi,

"Tom van Stiphout" <no*************@cox.netschrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:bi********************************@4ax.com. ..

>>On Sun, 12 Aug 2007 06:16:11 -0700, Dennis <dr******@ruppertweb.com>
wrote:
Personally I do all my development work in A2007 (using MDB or ADP
version proscribed by client) switching back to older versions only
for testing and final build. There is a small risk I would use
features that are not yet available in that older version, but that is
very rare and easily fixed.

Ok, why not.
But I would do at least a DECOMPILE in the end and a new compile under
A2003
before deploying it. I had several problems in the past with databases
developed under A2003 when opening in A2000. That usually happend for
databases with much code and much former changes in the VBA project.Often
the kind of errors were related to form events that didn't work. After
decompiling everthing worked fine.
Another point are the new system tables (e.g. for navigation pane) that
are
written to the database under A2007 which are completely unusefull under
A2003. I'd delete them before deploing.
And there are many new properties for database objects and the database
itself which reside in it. I'm not that sure of cases where they could
disturb. (A 2003 mdb created new under A2007 has 180 kB, in A2003 it has
136
kB!)

Ciao, Sascha

[AnandaSim]

On Aug 11, 12:41 pm, Dennis <[e-mail]:

Alas, after searching all over the web tonight, the solutions I found
are just not acceptable. Among them are using Windows Virtual Machine,

VMWare Player or Microsoft Virtual PC are free. When you don't run
them, they do not soak up the machine's resources. You often need two
"machines" to test your product - your development machine and another
machine which is not your development machine. That's one way to go.

using a different machine for each version,

Yes. That's a luxury and takes up space as well.

dual booting,

Dual booting is one way but a very inconvenient way.

and "just live with it".

I'm doing that on one machine.

There was one suspect looking registry tweak that would
allegedly work, but most of the responses to the post said it didn't.

I did the registry tweak. It does suppress the take over of registry
as each edition starts but after some time, the registry AFAIK becomes
inconsistent, so you have to let the swapover happen twice and then
you can suppress it again. Not convenient.

Have you come across Altiris SVS (there is a cost free version).
Office 2007 breaks in SVS 8-) but Office 2003 works. (unless you have
licence validation problems). You could run Office 2007 as main and
Office 2003 as alternative.

Regards,

Ananda

[Jawed Ansari]

*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***

[Dennis]

On Aug 16, 3:36 am, AnandaSim <[e-mail]:

On Aug 11, 12:41 pm, Dennis <[e-mail]:

Alas, after searching all over the web tonight, the solutions I found
are just not acceptable. Among them are using Windows Virtual Machine,

VMWare Player or Microsoft Virtual PC are free. When you don't run
them, they do not soak up the machine's resources. You often need two
"machines" to test your product - your development machine and another
machine which is not your development machine. That's one way to go.

using a different machine for each version,

Yes. That's a luxury and takes up space as well.

dual booting,

Dual booting is one way but a very inconvenient way.

and "just live with it".

I'm doing that on one machine.

There was one suspect looking registry tweak that would
allegedly work, but most of the responses to the post said it didn't.

I did the registry tweak. It does suppress the take over of registry
as each edition starts but after some time, the registry AFAIK becomes
inconsistent, so you have to let the swapover happen twice and then
you can suppress it again. Not convenient.

Have you come across Altiris SVS (there is a cost free version).
Office 2007 breaks in SVS 8-) but Office 2003 works. (unless you have
licence validation problems). You could run Office 2007 as main and
Office 2003 as alternative.

Regards,

Ananda

Ananda,

I checked into Altiris SVS per your suggestion. Seems to be potential
there. That will be my next project for a "rainy day". Lord knows
their probably will be a lot of the before MS does anything about
2003/2007. ;-)

I appreciate the point by point reply, Thanks.
Dennis