Installing Microsoft Access 97: Q & A

Microsoft Corporation

Updated January 21, 1997

You've got installation questions? We've got installation answers. Everything you want to know about installing Microsoft® Access 97, with or without Microsoft Office, but aren't afraid to ask!

Contents

Where's That Readme File?

Saving Precious Disk Space

Should You Do a Typical or Custom Installation?

Network Installation

The ValuPack

Adding or Removing Components

Selecting the Right Components

Doing a Minimum Installation

Microsoft Access 97 and 95: Successful Cohabitation

Step-By-Step Instructions

Install in Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation Version 4.0

Add or Remove Components in Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation Version 4.0

Install in Windows NT Workstation Version 3.51

Add or Remove Components in Windows NT Workstation Version 3.51

Which Wizards Are Installed?

Where's That Readme File?

The Microsoft Access 97 Readme file contains late-breaking product information and documentation updates. It's always a good idea to peruse its contents for important caveats and tips about installing Microsoft Access 97 before you run Setup.

Also, the Readme file contains a list of all files installed by stand-alone Microsoft Access 97. You can use this list to verify the location or presence of a file after installation.

You can find the Readme file (Acread80.wri) in the following locations:

• Before you install, on the CD-ROM or on Disk 1 of your 3.5-inch disks in the \Office folder.
  
  
• After you install, on your hard drive in the \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder.

Saving Precious Disk Space

One easy way to save disk space is to do a Typical installation. This is a good choice if you are not a developer and you only use the most common features of Microsoft Access.

If you are installing from a CD-ROM, consider running Microsoft Access from your CD-ROM drive. Microsoft Access installs a minimum set of files on your hard drive and then accesses other files from the CD-ROM drive as they are needed.

Another option is to install Microsoft Access 97 on a Network and share it with all users from a network server. A network installation stores a minimum set of files on each client machine, and makes all other files available on the network server. This type of installation requires some preplanning and is usually done by a network administrator.

Finally, if disk space is scarce, you can do a minimum installation, which takes the least amount of disk space but limits the features of Microsoft Access to the bare bones.

Should You Do a Typical or Custom Installation?

If you want to get up and running fast, choose Typical installation, which automatically decides which components to install and where to install them. You can always decide later to add or remove specific components.

If you want to specify exactly which components to install, choose Custom installation. You can select just the components you want, or install every component if disk space is not a concern for you.

Network Installation

If you are a network administrator, you can run a shared version of Microsoft Access and other Microsoft Office products over a network from a server. Sharing files on a server reduces the amount of disk space needed on client computers machines. For more information, see Chapter 4 of the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit, which is available wherever computer books are sold and directly from Microsoft Press.

If you have the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit, be sure to read Chapter 6. This chapter describes the Network Installation Wizard, which lets you easily customize your network installation. 

For brief instructions on installing and administering Office on a network, see the Network Readme file. You can find this file in the following locations:

• Before you install, on the CD-ROM or on Disk 1 of your 3.5-inch disks in the \Office folder.
  
  
• After you install, on your hard drive in the \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder.

The ValuPack

If you install Microsoft Access from a CD-ROM, it contains the Office 97 ValuPack in addition to the normal Setup program. The ValuPack contains additional software, such as drivers, Help files, online books, and other programs and files you might find useful. Some components of the ValuPack have their own Setup program, while others only need to be copied.

Here are some of the components of the ValuPack that are especially useful to Microsoft Access 97 users.

For more information about the ValuPack, see the Office 97 ValuPack Help file (Valupk8.hlp) in the ValuPack folder on the CD-ROM or on the network you installed from. This Help file contains overview information and specific installation instructions for each component.

Adding or Removing Components

After you install Microsoft Access 97, you can run Setup again at any time to add Microsoft Access or other Office components—such as the Clip Gallery—or to remove them to free up disk space. You can also restore the previous installation (if, for example, folders are accidentally deleted), or you can uninstall Office.

Note   If you want to keep an earlier version of Microsoft Access on the same computer as Microsoft Access 97, you must use the original Setup program for Microsoft Access 95 (not Office 97 Setup) to make changes to that installation.

Selecting the Right Components

If you decide to do a Custom installation, you have a few choices to make. What are all the Microsoft Access components?  Which components are part of a Typical installation for Office? Which components in other Office products can Microsoft Access use? The following table gives you all the details you need to know. (An indentation in the first column indicates a subcomponent within a component.)

Doing a Minimum Installation

You might want to do a minimum installation if disk space is tight on your computer but you still want to use the basic features of Microsoft Access. But, you'll be missing lots of great features, such as extensive help, all the wizards, and many drivers.

To do a minimum installation:

• Run Setup.
  
  
• Click Custom in the Setup dialog box.
  
  
• Select Microsoft Access Program Files.
  
  
• Clear all other check boxes.

Microsoft Access 97 and 95: Successful Cohabitation

You may want to install Microsoft Access 97 along with Microsoft Access 95. For example, you want to preserve existing Microsoft Access 95 applications before you migrate them to Microsoft Access 97 at a later date. Or, you are a developer who needs to code and test in both versions.

By default, the Setup program keeps Microsoft Access 95 on your machine, but it will detect a prior version of Microsoft Access and prompt you if you want to keep it.

Microsoft Access 95 has a different default folder than Microsoft Access 97, but if you need to be explicit, click Change Folder to specify a different folder for Microsoft Access 97 when prompted by Setup.

For more information, see the Knowledge Base article, "Running Current & Earlier Access Versions Simultaneously." (MSDN Library, Knowledge Base)

Step-By-Step Instructions

Important   If you're using a virus-detection utility, disable it before you run the Setup program because it may interfere with installation. Also, close any open applications.

Install in Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation version 4.0

Add or remove components in Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation version 4.0

Install in Windows NT Workstation version 3.51

Add or remove components in Windows NT Workstation version 3.51

Install in Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation Version 4.0

1. If you're installing from a compact disc, insert the CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive. In Windows® 95 or Windows NT® Workstation version 4.0, click the Install button, and skip to step 5.
   
   
2. If you're installing from 3.5-inch disks, insert the first Setup disk (Disk 1) in drive A or B.
   
   
3. If you're installing from a network location, connect to it. (Make sure to write down the path, including the drive letter, because you might need to use it if you run Setup again.)
   
   
4. Click the Windows Start button, click Settings, and then click Control Panel.
   
   
5. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
   
   
6. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Install.
   
   
7. Follow the instructions on the screen.

Add or Remove Components in Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation Version 4.0

1. If you originally installed Office from a compact disc, insert the Office CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive.
   
   
2. If you originally installed Office from 3.5-inch disks, insert the first Setup disk (Disk 1) in drive A or B.
   
   
3. If you originally installed Office from a network, connect to the network location by using the same path, including the drive letter.
   
   
4. Click the Windows Start button, click Settings, and then click Control Panel.
   
   
5. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
   
   
6. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Add/Remove if you see Office listed in the dialog box. If you don't see Office listed in the dialog box, click Install.
   
   
7. Follow the instructions on the screen.

Install in Windows NT Workstation Version 3.51

1. If you're installing from a compact disc, insert the Office CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive. Click the Install button, and skip to step 4.
   
   
2. If you're installing from 3.5-inch disks, insert the first Setup disk (Disk 1) in drive A or B.
   
   
3. If you're installing from a network location, connect to it. (Make sure to write down the path, including the drive letter, because you might need to use it if you run Setup again.)
   
   
4. In Program Manager, click Run (File menu).
   
   
5. Type the location you're installing from plus the word setup (for example, type a:\setup or x:\msoffice\setup).
   
   
6. Follow the instructions on the screen.

Add or Remove Components in Windows NT Workstation Version 3.51

Double-click the Setup icon in the Office program group.

Which Wizards Are Installed?

Note   To install the Web Publishing Wizard, click the ValuPack folder on your Microsoft Office or Microsoft Access CD-ROM, click the WebPost subfolder, and then double-click WebPost.exe.

Wizards Installed When You Select the "Wizards" Component in Setup

Wizards Installed When You Select the "Advanced Wizards" Component in Setup

Note   The following wizards are always installed: Color Builder, Expression Builder, Field Builder, Query Builder, and Subform/Subreport Field Linker.