How to run multiple versions of Access on one co

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How to run multiple versions of Access on one computer?

I have Access 2000 installed on my computer, Microsoft Access 2000 (9.0.6926 SP-3)

I just installed Office 2007, Microsoft Office Access 2007 (12.0.6423.1000) SP2 MSO (12.0.6425.1000) on same computer with Access configured to run in Access 2000 file format

If I open Access 2000, process a session then close Access 2000 I get the following message when I open Access 2007:

Windows Installer – Preparing to install… Cancel
Microsoft Office Professional – Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft Office Professional 2007

It takes about 4 minutes to go through the above cycle

This is my situation:

Information about using 2007 Office suites and programs on a computer that is running another version of Office
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928091

Windows Installer messages in Access
On a computer that has multiple versions of Access installed, the Windows Installer may start when you start Microsoft Office Access 2003 or Microsoft Office Access 2007. And, a “preparing to install” message or a “configuring” message may be displayed. You receive these messages before Access starts.

The Windows Installer repair operation registers Access 2003 every time that you start Access 2003 after you use Access 2007. Similarly, the Windows Installer repair operation registers Access 2007 every time that you start Access 2007 after you use an earlier version of Access. Access 2000 and Access 2002 do not initiate a repair operation after you use a later version of Access. If the version of Access that you start is the same as the version of Access that you previously used, the Windows Installer repair operation does not occur.

What can I do to to prevent the Windows Installer from starting everytime I switch from Access 2000 to Access 2007?

Thanks, John

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As you have configured you system, there isn’t a good way of avoiding it. We typically run a virtual PC if we need to develop in different versions, or we put each version on it’s own PC. The Microsoft VirtualPC product is one option, there is another from Sun I understand, the the king of the heap seems to be VMWare – the latter is expensive.

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I just went through this very thing with 2007/2003 and did a lot of research. The consensus is that while you get Excel and Word to behave as you move back and forth between versions, you have to live with it with Access. On the upside, it only happens when you switch versions. I’ve found myself adjusting my work to minimize the number of times swap back and forth.

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Yeah, there’s not much you can do, aside from setting up a virtual PC as Wendell suggested. Another reason we love A2007!

4 minutes does seem like a long time, however. It takes a little less than a minute on my machine to install/load A2007, which seems like forever, but certainly alot better than 4 minutes. Less than 30 sec. to install/load A2003. I’ve got 2GB ram and 2.2GH processor, certainly not overpowering. However, I’m not 100% sure that the “usual” suggestions (more memory, more speed) will necessarily help anyway.

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When Office 2007 was first released it took several minutes to reinstall itself after you had run 2000, but the time was drastically reduced by SP1.

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This is a long shot but here ya go.

I’ve used this successfully in the past:

How to install Access 97 and Access 2000 on the same computer

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/241141

Perhaps this weirdness still exists in newer versions of Access.

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