Can I load MS Office Pro 2003 OEM to my new Win 7 laptop ?

I have a new hi spec laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed, I purchased it mainly so I can run the Photoshop CS4 at 64BIT. This laptop comes with a MS office 30 day trial. I loaded this and then discovered that it did not contain “Outlook�. I have used Outlook on all my other XP Pro computers for contact details and emails etc and really know it well and would like to install it on my laptop.

I have a MS Office Pro 2003 OEM CD that I am wondering if I can install on my new laptop This has all I need including “Outlook� ? I did try to see if my new laptop would load it, but it does not seem to load for some reason. I cancelled it after 30 min of trying. Is there a compatibility problem with this? I hope not.

After 30 days I will have no MS Word, Excel and to buy Microsoft Office Standard 2007 (currently about £349.99 – rather expensive for a pensioner! ) this includes MS Office Excel 2007, Outlook 2007, Word and PowerPoint.


I was hoping that I could install my OEM Office pro 2003 and later on upgrade to a later version. I understand 2010 is in the pipe-line.

Any advise would be appreciated.

Short answer NO!
Somewhat longer answer.... OEM Licenses come with more restrictions since they are the cheapest. An OEM license only allows you to use the software on the specific computer it came with. In other words, when that computer is old and slow and it is time to throw it away, that license must legally be thrown away as well.
Microsoft has even become more restrictive concerning their OEM licensing of all of their products read this Microsoft SMB Community Blog : OEM Microsoft Office Licensing Changes You Need To Know About!
I am also a pensioner and feel your pain, you can always look into open source software like maybe OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite and a lot of people seem to like Thunderbird, it's another open source product for handling email Thunderbird - It?s All Yours

No technically, I have in the past done this I got a small business edition of 2003 from Dell (OEM) I just install word, so I can install my upgrade version of office 2007. You are not supposed to do this but it can be done.
My suggestion is get a beta copy of Office 2010 from MS become a technet subscriber and install 2010 so when 2010 officially is released you can transition to the retail version

Thanks for the info, just my luck. I do have the original MS Office Pro 2000 and the upgrade disc from 2000 to 2003, would that still work on Windows 7 ?

If so I doubt that I would be able to get any updates from the Microsoft side due to it's age - or would I.

If I went for the 2010 Beta as suggested, is it going to be very costly when the full version is released? Although this perhaps is the best option - it will give me a little time to save up.

The other option is to buy the version supplied with the new laptop (currently on a 60 day trial) MS Office Home and Student, then see if I can upgrade to Microsoft Office Standard 2007 that includes outlook. Would the cost would be as much as going for the Beta version route?

Any idea the best way cost wise?

Yes 2003 I think is still getting updates. As to the cost of of 2010 I am sure that has not been set yet. The beta of 2010 is good to June of 2010 I think.
You must be an MS Technet subscriber. All you should have to do is reigistar.

Thanks once again, I think I would like to go for the Beta 2010.

Would I need to have installed a (paid for) version of MS office such as 2000 Pro (and possibly my upgrade 2000 to 2003 installed before I apply to be a ME Technet subscriber ? Does it look at my computer to check what MS software I am using before accepting me?

Perhaps doing this will help in June/July when I have to pay for it (perhaps a discount if I am lucky). I have three other computers all running MS office Pro and XP, so have supported MS well over the years.

If/when I apply for the full version would I be able to have a CD so I can upgrade another one of my computers?

A download would restrict me from doing this I think - or would it.

Can you give me the web address for the ME Technet subscriber site please.

No you do not have to have 2000 0r 2003 installed to become a technet subscriber. If you download and use the BETA version of office 2010 most likiely you will have to uninstall any previous versions of Office. I know you will have to uninstall Outlook for sure. When and if you buy the full version of 2010 when it is put on market you should get a CD for installation purposes. I usually get my at Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more! or TigerDirect.com - Computers, Computer Parts, Computer Components, Netbooks & Electronics. Hopfully 2010 will be out by spring.
Subscribing to technet is free

Hi Super Sarge ,
Once again many thanks, I think as I live in the UK I will have to buy from within the UK when available. I will look out for a link to the Beta version tomorrow.

Many thanks for now.

Regards & Happy new Year

Just one thing - looking at one of the pop-up adverts on this website :- Cheap Computer Software | Discount Computer Software | Microsoft Office - Software247 - Microsoft Office 2003 Professional (PC) (OEM)

It shows the exact OEM MS Office Professional Edition 2003 that I have and can't install. Why would any body purchase that if it can't be installed? See previous posting from "Trouble"

Really confused now.

Question have you troed installing your OEM copy of 2003? If so what does it say or do that it will not install?