Microsoft Office 2010 Beta

Today Microsoft released the Beta version of Office 2010. It is due to go on sale early next year but for now you can download a free version and run it alongside your present MS Office version. Bear in mind this is a Beta version so there will still be a few bugs in it but it is a good way to find out if you like the new programs and judge for yourself if you want to buy it when it is finally released commercially.

There are two versions a 32 bit and a 64 bit. If you have any version of MS Office installed you need the 32 bit version. If however you don’t run MS Office and you have 64 bit hardware and a 64 bit version of Windows then you can download and install the 64 bit version. So let’s get down to how you do it assuming you have Office already and are installing a 32 bit version.

1. Go to http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/default.aspx register and download the 32 bit version to your HDD.
2. Don’t forget to print the Product key page or you won’t be able to run Office when you have installed it.
3. If you use it, backup Outlook because you can only run one version of Outlook on any one computer. This isn’t strictly necessary because 2010 will import all your contacts, appointments and emails to the new version but applying murphy’s law (If it can go wrong it will) BACK IT UP.
4. In The programs folder on C: (Programs x86 if you are running a 64 bit version of Windows) make a new folder Microsoft Office 2010.
   You do this so that you can have two versions of Office on your computer at the same time, if you don’t 2010 will uninstall your present version of Office and replace it with 2010.
5. Navigate to where you saved the download from Microsoft
6. Click on the file ProfessionalPlus.exe
7. The computer will extract the compressed installation files.
8. The next window is the licence – accept it and click on next.
9. If you do not have Office on your computer click on install and accept the all defaults from here on in.
10. If you do have Office click on Custom.
11. On the Install Options window first choose the applications you want to install.
12. Click on the File Location tab and browse to the Microsoft Office 2010 folder you made in the Program Files (x86) folder.
13. Lastly fill in your details on the User Information tab then click on Install
14. Let the install run and don’t try to do anything on your computer till it has finished.

You now have Office 2010 on your computer. Now you need to activate it.

Open Word and follow the instructions on the Product Key page you printed to activate and register your installation like this:

1. Open Word and click on the File tab. Click on Help in the left pane.
2. Click ‘Change Product Key’ in the right pane.
3. Type in the key from the product key page you printed and check the box to activate automatically.
4. On the next window click install – I know this doesn’t make sense but please just do it. Word will connect to the Internet and activate the whole of Office.
5. Close and restart Word.

That’s it Office is installed and activated.

I have a 32 bit version of Office 2010 on my main desktop machine and a 64 bit version on my file server. On first impressions I like it a lot but watch this space I will use it for a while then come back here to share my likes and dislikes with you.