Help installing MS Office 2003

[Kevin C]

I am trying to reinstall MS Office Standard Edition 2003. But, message reads can't find earlier version of 97, 2000 or XP, which I do not have. How can I install MS 2003 without these earlier versions, how can I get a free earlier version and then reinstall 2003 OR what do I need to do to get past this?

[pctech]

Sounds to me that you have an upgrade not the full version. If you have a license. You can always download the 90 day trial of 2003 If its still available and put your license in. I would be you will have a problem actually finding the 2003 90 trial though.

[wjnm]

I have a similar problem. My harddrive bit the dust so I'm in process of installing my older software tools on my Windows 7 replacement computer. I have a licensed copy of Word 97 and it installed without issue. What I am trying to do is install my Office 2003 UPGRADE. It won't proceed with install because it is seeking a 'validation' file on C:\ or on CD-ROM. Inserting the Word 97 CD does not do the trick. Pointing the install process to look on C:\ does not do the trick.

If I recall, there is a file I should copy to a specific place or folder on C:\ which will be acceptable to the Upgrade Setup routine.

Can you advise which file and where to place it? I'm not trying to cheat the system. I have some files and a relatively new mail merge database which I cannot access without an MS Office 2003 application.