Access 2003 and Access 2007 on same computer.

[access2010]

Can we have our Access 2003 programs and our Access 2007 on the same computer?

Or should they be on different desktops?

Thank you.
Nicole

 

[The_Doc_Man]

It CAN be done but given the age of those versions, might be very difficult. It is a matter of keeping the two versions of the libraries and main program separate. MS changed the folder structure they used when they stored the libraries a while ago so that separate version libraries could be kept separate and remain that way, but the change occurred after those versions, if I recall correctly.

There is also the issue that if the two versions co-existed on the same machine, the Windows File Type Association could only point to one of them. Which means you could not launch the apps the same way. One of them you could just double-click but the other would have to be opened by first opening the correct Access version and then, from inside Access, browse for / select the correct .MDB file.

Given the difficulty level and remembering your proclaimed skill level, I would say that it might be beyond your ability for those specific versions that are older than the folder structure change I mentioned.

 

[Pat Hartman]

The short answer is yes. The long answer is, it is an ongoing PITA.

1. you need to install the software in version order. So, the oldest must be installed first.
2. you must take care of where they are installed so they are kept separate.
3. As Doc mentioned Windows has one file association table so you might be ok if 2003 always opens .mdb's and 2007 always opens .accdb's. Otherwise, you must either use a shortcut that opens the version of Access you want to open and pass in the db name as an argument. Or, just manually open the version of Access you want to work with and then pick the db to open.
4. I'm not sure when this was fixed but for a few years, Access used to also fight with itself over control of the registry. So, whenever you opened Access and it wasn't in control of the registry, you would get all these scary "installing" messages.

The preferred option is to use VM's and that allows the two to be completely separate. Or if you have spare PC's, and you only use the older version rarely, then separate PC's also works.

 

[CJ_London]

Didn’t think that was the question

Can we have our Access 2003 programs and our Access 2007 on the same computer?

Access 2007 will run 2003 programs (apps developed in 2003) as will all later versions of access. However 2003 will not run apps developed in later versions of access

 

[access2010]

Thank you Doc Man, Pat and CJ for your suggestions.

I will place the Access 2007 databases onto a separate Computer.

Can the Access 2007 database be linked to the Access 2003 data files?

Your suggestions are appreciated.
Nicole

 

[DickyP]

Can we have our Access 2003 programs and our Access 2007 on the same computer?

I'm happily running 2003 an 2010 on my laptop but it is on Winows 7.

 

[Pat Hartman]

Can the Access 2007 database be linked to the Access 2003 data files?

Yes. However, I would not recommend sharing a BE using Jet and ACE versions of the database.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

so you might be ok if 2003 always opens .mdb's and 2007 always opens .accdb's.

True... but not possible to control by order of installation. You would have to manually adjust the File Association table. That is because Ac2007 would work on BOTH formats (backwards compatible) and therefore would have registered both .MDB and .ACCDB file associations to itself, thus overwriting any extant Ac2003 File Associations from a prior install.

I would not recommend sharing a BE using Jet and ACE versions of the database.

Again, Pat is pointing out an important issue. Ac2003 was based on the Jet database engine. Ac2007 started using ACE database engine. You could say that SQL was the same, but it might be impossible for us to find a detailed list of changes made to the processing of database files by a software upgrade that happened 13 years ago (Ac2003-->Ac2007). This is more drastic a change than, for example, the upgrade from Ac2007 to Ac2010, because BOTH of those versions used ACE and therefore would have been more compatible.

 

[DickyP]

I'm not sure when this was fixed but for a few years, Access used to also fight with itself over control of the registry. So, whenever you opened Access and it wasn't in control of the registry, you would get all these scary "installing" messages.

Not as bad as it sounds - you just hit the Return key and problem dealt with.

Big thing to remember was/is to ALWAYS start a database explicitly using the version you want - there's no depending on double clicking a database to open it.

The preferred option is to use VM's and that allows the two to be completely separate. Or if you have spare PC's, and you only use the older version rarely, then separate PC's also works.

Whole heartedly agree with VM - had this on my Windows 8.1 PC until it died. And currently I only use 2003 on the PC with both.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

I have W10
A2003 peacefully coexists with Office 365. Never had an issue.