OFF97: How to Obtain Microsoft Office 97 on Floppy Disks

Last reviewed: June 6, 1997
Article ID: Q160049
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Office 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Access 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Outlook 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

Microsoft Office 97, Microsoft Excel 97, and all of the other programs listed above are shipped on CD-ROM only. This article explains how you may obtain these programs on floppy disks directly from Microsoft.

NOTE: The Microsoft Small Business Edition (SBE) is NOT available on floppy disks. The SBE is not available on disks because not all of programs included with the SBE are available on floppy disks.

MORE INFORMATION

Because of the large number of floppy disks that would be required to hold all of the files used by Microsoft Office 97 and the other programs listed above, these programs are shipped on CD-ROM only. CD-ROMs provide a number of advantages over floppy disks, including:

  • When you install from a CD-ROM, there is no need to switch disks constantly during Setup. This allows you can attend to other tasks while Setup copies files from the CD-ROM to your hard disk.
  • Unlike floppy disks, CD-ROMs cannot be infected by any type of virus.
  • CD-ROMs are faster and more reliable than floppy disks.
  • CD-ROMs are less expensive to manufacture than floppy disks. Shipping large products on CD-ROMs instead of floppy disks allows Microsoft to keep product prices as low as possible.
  • Because of the very large capacity of CD-ROMs, Microsoft can include a great deal of additional software on each CD-ROM. For example, products on CD-ROM include a ValuPack folder that contains Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.01, Microsoft Camcorder, sounds, extra clip art, cursors, fonts, and much more. These extra components are not available on floppy disks. Also, Microsoft Bookshelf Basics is available only on the CD-ROM version of Microsoft Office 97, Professional Edition.

If you need floppy disks for any reason (for example, you have a laptop computer that has only a 3.5-inch disk drive), you can obtain a set of floppy disks directly from Microsoft. To do this:

  1. Inside the product package, you should find a coupon that entitles you to a free set of floppy disks for that product. Fill out the coupon and send it to the address provided. Microsoft will send a set of floppy disks after it receives your coupon.

  2. If you are in the United States of America, you can call the Microsoft Order Desk at (800) 360-7561 and request a set of floppy disks for each product you own. You will be asked to provide the CD key for each product; this number is inscribed on a sticker affixed to the back of the CD-ROM jewelcase.

  3. If you are in another country, you can request a set of floppy disks by contacting your local Microsoft subsidiary.

NOTE: A set of floppy disks for Microsoft Office 97, Professional Edition, contains approximately 50 disks. Performing an installation of Microsoft Office 97 from such a set of disks can take up to two hours or more to complete. Installation from CD-ROM is considerably faster.

Also note the following limitations of the floppy disk program:

  • Floppy disks are available only in the 3.5-inch, high-density (1.44 MB) format. The 3.5-inch, 720 KB and 5.25-inch, 1.2 MB floppy disks are NOT available.
  • There is a limit of ONE free set of floppy disks per product per customer.
  • If you need an additional set of floppy disks (for example, your current set has become damaged, lost, or infected by a virus), you may order them from the Microsoft Order Desk at (800) 360-7561, or from your local Microsoft subsidiary. A media, shipping, and handling charge may be applied to the order.


Additional query words: OFF97 XL97 WORD97 ACC97 PPT97 8.00
Keywords : kbpolicy kbsetup OffWinSetup
Version : 97
Platform : WINDOWS


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Last reviewed: June 6, 1997
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