Do you have a new laptop and are installing a fresh copy of Office? Or are you upgrading to the newer version after so many years?
Don't just put the Office CD into your drive and start the installation. There is a method that will work better for you in the long run.
Install from your local drive
What does that mean? Instead of using the CD as an installer, you copy all of the files from the CD onto your hard drive first, and then start the installation process.
Why would you do this?
Have you ever started to run an update for your office program and been promoted with the "Insert CD for Validation" screen? It really stinks when you are away from the office or can't find that CD!
Perhaps you have needed some additional Office features and your Office CD is buried somewhere in that shoebox full of software.
By installing from a folder, you can avoid all of that hassle and frustration. This is a great solution for Home Office and mobile employees.
How?
1) Create a folder on your hard drive and name it OFFICE11 (for Office 2003) OFFICE12 (for Office 2007)
2) Insert your Office CD into your drive, but cancel out of the installation.
3) Copy the entire content of the CD into your newly created OFFICE11 / OFFICE12 folder. You will need to copy hidden files as well. If you don't know how to do that, you might want to seek help from your tech support company.
4) Once the files have copied, remove the CD and open the folder.
5) Click the SETUP.EXE file and the installation will proceed as normal.
6) Put that CD and Installation Key somewhere safe, like a shoebox in the back closet!
