[Duckfan]

I am no computer geek, in fact, far from it. Today my trial Microsoft Home and Student 2007 ran its course and documents I need for work are restricted. Do I need to spend a bunch of money purchasing the permanent fix? I do not have a product key..it came preprogrammed when I purchased my HP last June. I thought the trial was only good for 60 days or so and it just now went south. How do I right the ship? SLEEPLESS IN PORTLAND.

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If they all are in the standard doc format, try the free OpenOffice Suite to open them.

[Major Payne]

If they all are in the standard doc format, try the free OpenOffice Suite to open them.

[Duckfan]

Major, thanks for your reply. Do I need to uninstall all microsoft related Home and Office software first?

[Major Payne]

No. OpenOffice will install in its own folder in Program Files folder. Just browse to where your original docs are and try to open them with OO. Let me know how it works. OpenOffice is almost like Micro$oft Office. If you get the full Suite, you have the PowerPoint, Excel, etc. equivalent programs. Just remember that OO save it is own default format, but allows you a choice on how to save if you select the "Save As".

[Duckfan]

I downloaded the program and left the house while it was running. When I returned I was back to desk top and no idea where to find the files that supposedly downloaded. I see no icons on desktop. Instructions for completing installation was to double-click on downloaded file (wherever that may be). Where is this mystery file located? And..how will I recognize it? I've looked everywhere on my computer and don't see anything. When I go to control panel and then go to unistall programs so as to view what is available to uninstall...I see a heading under "TODAY" entitled "Compatability Pack for the 2007 office system (Publisher--Microsoft) 5/14/09. Also, under "TODAY" is a heading..Microsoft Officer powerpoint viewer 2007) (publisher--Microsoft) 5/14/09. Is that the preprogrammed stuff or was that just added today? Clicking on it obviously does nothing. And no my files still don't open. When I try to, I get the screens asking me to convert to permanancy for $159 or so.
Sorry to continue to be computer stupid. Thanks for your help. Maybe I just don't know how to find programs. I have Vista. And once I find it..do I indeed have to double-click and make other moves that will get me lost in space? Thanks for your help!

[Major Payne]

You should have your browser's options set to always ask you where you want to download a file instead of just allowing it to use the default download folder. Vista has one and that may be where the install file is.

If you downloaded OpenOffice from http://www.openoffice.org/index.html , then the install program is OOo_3.1.0_Win32Intel_install_wJRE_en-US.exe.

[Duckfan]

Major, I re-downloaded and this time it actually DID download. Previously it hadn't. I then clicked on the desktop icon for OpenOffice and installed it. Then, I went to control panel and uninstalled my existing (expired) version. However, now when I try to open existing docs the old Microsoft screen comes on as usual and asks me to purchase the permanent one. When I click on the OpenOffice icon and select "open a document" I must make a choice of evidentially HOW to open it. No idea what to select here. And when I select..does that set it at default for future openings? Or, will I have to make a selection (of which I have no knowledge), each time? I don't see that it has any functionality yet. What am I doing wrong?

Edited by Duckfan, 15 May 2009 - 05:27 PM.

[Major Payne]

That's the problem with uninstall programs. They leave remnants all over the place. You can try looking Program Files or Program Files (x86) (forget which) for the Microsoft Home and Student 2007 folder(s) and deleting all the folders there. Make sure you have NONE of your documents saved in that folder. Might also go to Start and type in msconfig in the bottom search field. Press Enter. Approve by OKing. In msconfig window, click Startup Tab and make sure Microsoft Home and Student 2007 doesn't have anything trying to start at bootup that is no longer present. OK out and either restart or exit without restart if you are still working.

When you open a document with OpenOffice, chose the menu option of the file format. Thery are using the *.doc extension right? Just select to open as that... *doc. OO may have Option settings as to what to use as a default. I have a registered copy of Microsoft Home and Student 2007 so don't use OO. Can download and install if need be.