jbobst
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Running Excel 2003 and 2010 - issues
I need to have Excel 2003 on my machine for an occasional work around for certain older xls files. I have Office 2010 as my main office suite. I was able to just install Excel 2003 by itself (in a separate folder) and after I installed it, I had to do a repair on office 2010 for it to go back to being the default. However, my problem is this: When I open up a file with .xls extention, it opens with 2003. When I open a .xlsx file it opens with 2010. I want ALL Excel files...old version and new...to open with 2010 all the time by default. It's only occasionally where I will manually launch Excel 2003 and use the "open" command to locate an old file that I want to see in the 2003 version. How can I get Excel 2010 back to opening ALL excel files by default (.xls and .xlsx)? Window 7 seems to have lost the file associations feature that Windows XP used to have.
Jason Schlueter
In the control panel there is an item called "Default Programs". Give that a shot.
ASKER
I've tried that...it just says "Microsoft Excel". Even though I browse to the .exe of Excel 2010 it still opens .xls files in 2003 version.
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There is only one Excel executable. Not two...as you would hope to find (the two being Excel 2003 and 2010). I can't simply tell Windows use Excel 2010 exclusively for ALL xls and xlsx files. It just "knows" to use 2003 for xls files unfortunately.
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You can run multiple versions of Excel within the Windows environment. This began with XP and continues through Windows 7. All you need to do is install them in ascending order - in this case install Excel 2003 and then Office 2010. Since you reversed this process, you need to run a repair.
Open the control panel "Programs and Features". Find the Office 2010 entry, select it, and click "Change". Follow the prompts to repair the installation and restore the file associations.
Open the control panel "Programs and Features". Find the Office 2010 entry, select it, and click "Change". Follow the prompts to repair the installation and restore the file associations.
I misread your post - sorry. Are you capable of editing your file associations in the registry?
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ASKER
aikimark, tried that, there is only one Excel icon...that is my problem...that Windows doesn't distinguish between Excel 2003 and 2010. I can't choose the default "open with" when it comes to xls and xlsx files.
firefytr, I did run repair and reinstalled didn't make a difference.
drew_associates, I can modify my registry, what registry entries should I edit? I suppose a third party tool might work, but I haven't tried the one you suggested. I was hoping for a more standard method. After all, Microsoft did build all three software products (Windows and both Excel versions). As mentioned, I did run repair...and that made 2010 be the default for both file types. I can open Excel 2010 and use the file/open command and browse to a 2003 file version and it opens in 2010...but not by default.
Maybe the way it is, is the way it's designed and there just isn't a work around. The main problem seems to be that file associations just aren't the same in Windows 7 any longer. The fact that using the "open with" option ONLY gives ONE instance of Excel seems frustrating. Windows SHOULD be able to tell that there are two version of excel, and two different file extensions, and allow me to decide how I want each file type to be opened.
At this point, we can live with this, so I am going to assign points and close the question. Thanks for all the help.
firefytr, I did run repair and reinstalled didn't make a difference.
drew_associates, I can modify my registry, what registry entries should I edit? I suppose a third party tool might work, but I haven't tried the one you suggested. I was hoping for a more standard method. After all, Microsoft did build all three software products (Windows and both Excel versions). As mentioned, I did run repair...and that made 2010 be the default for both file types. I can open Excel 2010 and use the file/open command and browse to a 2003 file version and it opens in 2010...but not by default.
Maybe the way it is, is the way it's designed and there just isn't a work around. The main problem seems to be that file associations just aren't the same in Windows 7 any longer. The fact that using the "open with" option ONLY gives ONE instance of Excel seems frustrating. Windows SHOULD be able to tell that there are two version of excel, and two different file extensions, and allow me to decide how I want each file type to be opened.
At this point, we can live with this, so I am going to assign points and close the question. Thanks for all the help.
ASKER
I some how missed DavisMcCarn's solutions. I will try those registry changes. Thanks!