Problems with Access 2003 references changing each time I open Outlook 2013
Can anyone please help me with the following really strange problem.
I have Access 2003 and Office 2013 Professional on my computer. They have worked happily alongside each other for a couple of years now, but, for some unknown reason they are now starting to conflict.
If I open Outlook 2013 when I then try to open an Access 2003 database it changes the reference "Microsoft Access 11.0 Object Library" to "Microsoft Office 15.0 Object Library" which then causes numerous problems. I then have to perform a repair of the Access 2003 installation to get things running again, but, as soon as I open Outlook the next day it does the exact same thing again. I can open any of the other 2013 programs (including Access) and they don't cause any issues, it is just Outlook 2013 that is causing this and although I can fix it by running the repair it would be nice to get to the bottom of the cause.
I have Access 2003 and Office 2013 Professional on my computer. They have worked happily alongside each other for a couple of years now, but, for some unknown reason they are now starting to conflict.
If I open Outlook 2013 when I then try to open an Access 2003 database it changes the reference "Microsoft Access 11.0 Object Library" to "Microsoft Office 15.0 Object Library" which then causes numerous problems. I then have to perform a repair of the Access 2003 installation to get things running again, but, as soon as I open Outlook the next day it does the exact same thing again. I can open any of the other 2013 programs (including Access) and they don't cause any issues, it is just Outlook 2013 that is causing this and although I can fix it by running the repair it would be nice to get to the bottom of the cause.
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<< it is just Outlook 2013 that is causing this and although I can fix it by running the repair it would be nice to get to the bottom of the cause.>>
In the past, it was only when you opened the same app in a later version (Access 2003 and Access 2013) that would cause a repair and you could have multiple versions of Access, Word, and Excel installed. However you never could have multiple versions of Outlook installed. Also this was only true up until Office 2007 at which point if you tried to mix 32 and 64 bit editions, you'd either have problems or simply could not even install.
But there are situations where as you have found, you can get away with it to a degree with only minor issues. With that said, Microsoft has never supported multiple versions of Office on the same PC.
I don't know that you'll be able to find a workaround for this, because as Dale and gustav said, a recent update may have broken something that was working, and Microsoft doesn't care about Office 2003 at this point. But few questions:
1. Do you have two versions of Outlook installed?
2. Do you have both A2003 and A2013 installed?
3. When your working in Access 2003, do you have any code that interacts with Outlook?
Of course, as was already suggested, if you really need to run Office 2003 for some reason, then a VM or a separate PC is a better bet. The other option is to upgrade your Access app from 2003 to 2013, which is something I'd really think about.
Supporting Access 2000/2003 is getting problematic at this point.
Jim.
In the past, it was only when you opened the same app in a later version (Access 2003 and Access 2013) that would cause a repair and you could have multiple versions of Access, Word, and Excel installed. However you never could have multiple versions of Outlook installed. Also this was only true up until Office 2007 at which point if you tried to mix 32 and 64 bit editions, you'd either have problems or simply could not even install.
But there are situations where as you have found, you can get away with it to a degree with only minor issues. With that said, Microsoft has never supported multiple versions of Office on the same PC.
I don't know that you'll be able to find a workaround for this, because as Dale and gustav said, a recent update may have broken something that was working, and Microsoft doesn't care about Office 2003 at this point. But few questions:
1. Do you have two versions of Outlook installed?
2. Do you have both A2003 and A2013 installed?
3. When your working in Access 2003, do you have any code that interacts with Outlook?
Of course, as was already suggested, if you really need to run Office 2003 for some reason, then a VM or a separate PC is a better bet. The other option is to upgrade your Access app from 2003 to 2013, which is something I'd really think about.
Supporting Access 2000/2003 is getting problematic at this point.
Jim.
ASKER
Thank you Dale. I already have a VM that I can move Access into so I will do that.
Thank you Gustav and Jim too.
To answer your questions Jim:
1. No
2. Yes
3. No
I had hoped it was going to be a simple update that perhaps someone knew about that had caused the issue that could be removed. I have only ever had Outlook 2013 version on this machine - I have the full Office 2013 Pro suite on. It is odd that the only time the Access 2003 misbehaves is after running Outlook, it works fine after opening any of the other programs.
As soon as the other person who uses the database updates to Access 2013 I will convert the database and hopefully not have to use 2003 again. Thank you all again.
Thank you Gustav and Jim too.
To answer your questions Jim:
1. No
2. Yes
3. No
I had hoped it was going to be a simple update that perhaps someone knew about that had caused the issue that could be removed. I have only ever had Outlook 2013 version on this machine - I have the full Office 2013 Pro suite on. It is odd that the only time the Access 2003 misbehaves is after running Outlook, it works fine after opening any of the other programs.
As soon as the other person who uses the database updates to Access 2013 I will convert the database and hopefully not have to use 2003 again. Thank you all again.
glad to help.
So, follow the advice of Dale. You may even install the VM with an old Windows XP which is "as coming home" for Access 2003.