Office XP Pro-Should I Buy?

[Lab Man]

I need to view and edit some MS Access files. I have Office 2000 SBE, on an
OLD Dell XPS running 98SE. I've found a new, unregistered copy of XP Pro for
$125. Since my PC can't run Office 2003, would this XP Pro be a viable
option? Will I have to lose my Office 2000 SBE when I install Office XP? Will
I lose all my settings in Outlook, such as my calender, or my saved emails,
or have any other unpleasant surprises? Thanks for any help

 

[David R. Norton MVP]

I need to view and edit some MS Access files. I have Office 2000
SBE, on an OLD Dell XPS running 98SE. I've found a new,
unregistered copy of XP Pro for $125. Since my PC can't run Office
2003, would this XP Pro be a viable option? Will I have to lose my
Office 2000 SBE when I install Office XP? Will I lose all my
settings in Outlook, such as my calender, or my saved emails, or
have any other unpleasant surprises? Thanks for any help

I don't know the answer to your question and someone else here surely
does so please take their advice over mine but here's what should work:

Back up your Office 2000 installation (might be a good time to backup
your entire system if you've not done it lately?) and then install
Office XP and select the custom install option. Install ONLY Access,
that should leave all your Office 2000 settings untouched.