Microsoft Vista and Office 2007
DoIT

Roosevelt University is now installing new Vista operating system and Microsoft Office 2007 on RU computers. Most computer classrooms and labs have been upgraded, and new Windows machines will arrive with the new software preinstalled. Upgrades of existing machines will continue according to the standard computer replacement schedule. Users with a particular need for an upgrade to Vista or Office 2007 should submit a request through the help desk. Priority for these upgrades will go to instructors teaching using the new software.

There are some incompatibilities between the two generations of software. As part of the upgrade process, DoIT technicians are evaluating the software in regular use at RU in order to identify any potential compatibility problems. We have also made tools available to users who need to be able to convert files saved in the new formats into to formats usable on older computers (see below).

Support from Microsoft: Training videos and how-to documents

• What’s new with the Vista desktop and Start menu
• What’s new with finding and organizing files with Vista
• Interactive- The new Microsoft Office Fluent user interface
• Up to speed with Access 2007
• Up to speed with Excel 2007
• Up to speed with Outlook 2007
• Up to speed with PowerPoint 2007
• Up to speed with Word 2007

Installing format converters

Quick start - converter installation (for RU computers updated over the network)

Files saved in the default Office 2007 format (known as the Microsoft Office Open XML format) cannot be read by older versions of Office. You can recognize the new format from the file name, which adds an "x" to the extension (MS Word 2007 files receive the extension .docx). There are two ways to make sure users of the various versions of Office can share files. One solution is for users of Office 2007 to save files in the older format. The other is for users of older versions of Office to install a format converter on their computers. 2003. These free utility programs convert most files created in Office 2007 into formats compatible with older versions of MS Office (with the exception of MS Access). There are three approaches to the installation of this software:

Method 1: Network Installation (RU machines only)

DoIT staff have set up a semi-automated process that will load the converter programs on all university XP machines. If your machine has received this installation package, you will see a text balloon in the lower right hand corner stating that a “New Program is Available”, or a program icon with an asterisks will appear in the lower right hand corner of the Windows tool tray. You will have to complete the final installation steps yourself. Illustrated instructions are available in the user guide (PDF version, web version).

Method 2: Network Installation - Alternative Method (RU machines only)

If the converters has been downloaded to your machine for installation but you no longer can see the popup message, here is an alternate method for completing the installation process:

1. Click Start, then click the icon for Control Panel.
2. When the Control Panel appears, double click the icon labeled Run Advertised Programs.
3. A box will appear showing a list of software ready for installation. You may see more than one program listed. Select the item labeled Office 2007 Converter and click Run. At this point the installation is the same as described in Method 1 above.

Method 3: Download and Install from the Internet

If for some reason your PC was not updated automatically, if you want to load the converter package on a personal machine, or if you are a Mac user, you can download and install the converters directly from the Internet. For download and installation information, follow the link that matches your operating system.

• Windows XP: Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats
• Macintosh OS X: Microsoft Office Open XML File Format Converter (Note: the Mac converter is still under development not all of its features are fully functional.)
  

How to tell if the converter has been installed on your system

If you're not sure whether the converter has actually been installed on your machine, here's how to check:

1. Click Start > Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel window click Add or Remove Programs.
3. When the program list appears, scroll down and look for the program labeled "Compatibility Pack for 2007 Office System." If you can't find it on the list, the software has not yet been installed.

Using the format converters

Using the format converters is straightforward. On Windows XP machines, when you use Word, Excel, or PowerPoint to open a file created in the default Office 2007 format, the software will convert the document on the fly, in some cases displaying a dialog box about the conversion process. On Macintosh OS X machines, the converter is a separate application. You can either double click the Office 2007 file or drag it to the converter. Please note that the Mac version is still under development and may not be fully functional on your machine. For both types of computer, the converter only goes one way. Once the file has been converted you can only save it in the older format.

For assistance in installing the converter software, please contact the help desk by phone at 312-341- 4357, or submit an online request from the Help Desk Support Site.

Recommended Vista hardware specifications

New hardware purchased by DoIT for use at RU will meet or exceed the following standards in order to support the new software. Users planning to install the new software on personal machines should consider this the minimum recommended hardware requirements.

• 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor or better
• 2 GB of system memory
• 40 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space
• 256 MB video memory
• CD/DVD-ROM drive
• Support for DirectX 9 graphics
• Note: floppy drives will not be included on new PCs

[Rev. September 20, 2007]

DoIT