Install Microsoft Office 2010

Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 DVD Installation

In this section I will be showing you how to install Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 using the DVD Installation, as opposed to the KEY CARD Registration Process which is only for people who have Microsoft Office 2010 preinstalled on their computer/laptop.

This DVD Installation example should be the same for the other Microsoft Office 2010 dvd packages as Microsoft tend to be very uniform with their installations.

Begin by inserting the Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 Installation DVD into your DVD Drive and then wait for the AutoPlay window to appear (Fig 1.1), if the Windows 7 AutoPlay feature is switched on that is. If it is switched on you will given the option of opening the folder of the Installation (Office 2010) DVD or running the Office 2010 Setup.exe file. You should click on the RUN SETUP.EXE option.

If the AutoPlay feature is switched off you will have to open the folder of the Installation (Office 2010) DVD and then double click on the Setup (or Setup.exe) file.

Fig 1.1  Click on the RUN SETUP.EXE option to start the Installation Wizard....




Fig 1.2  ....OR open the Office 2010 DVD folder and double click on SETUP.EXE to start the Wizard.

Regardless of the way the Setup file is executed (launched) it will start the Installation Wizard (Fig 1.4), after you have clicked CONTINUE on the UAC (User Account Control) security requester that appears.

Fig 1.3  Click on the CONTINUE button to continue

User Account Control (UAC) is a feature of Windows 7 that helps to prevent unauthorized changes to the computer, such as deleting a system file or installing software.

When attempting to install Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 a UAC security requester similar to the one above will appear in order to automatically block you off, because it wants to know if you are the one attempting to install Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 and not a piece of malicious software for example. In the above case simply click on the CONTINUE button (or YES button) to continue, or on the CANCEL button to cancel the installation process.

At any time throughout the installation process you can click on a CANCEL button, if one is available, to Cancel the installation process. However. In some cases, generally speaking, even if you click on a CANCEL button the installation might have gone too far for it to be stopped, cancelled and/or reversed. So think very carefully before deciding to install any thing onto your Computer.

Fig 1.4  Type in your unique 25 Character Product Key (Serial Number) to continue

The Installation Wizard has the task of copying the necessary files (scripts, instructions, actual files and so on), amongst other things, into memory and/or onto your computer in order to make the installation process easier for you and Windows 7. One of its first jobs is to ask you to enter the 25 Character Product Key (Serial Number), as found in your DVD packaging, into the PRODUCT KEY edit box (Fig 1.4 above).

This is so that it can be verified with microsoft's online "Database Of Valid Product Keys", which basically means your copy of Microsoft Office 2010 will only be registered and then activated, automatically online, once that unique product key has been verified as Genuine. So from this point, onwards, you will need a live internet connection. Do not worry if you do not have a live internet connection now though because you will given chances to register/activate your copy of Microsoft Office 2010 later.

Fig 1.5  Oh Dear! This 25 Character Product Key (Serial Number) is invalid (not Genuine)

Fig 1.5 (above) shows what happens when you enter an incorrect product key - Perhaps because you entered an incorrect product key, due to a mistype. If this is the case either type the correct product key into the edit box or click on the window's red Close/Exit button to quit the installation process.

When you have entered your unique 25 Character Product Key correctly and it has hopefully been verified ONLINE as valid (Genuine), as opposed to being temporarily verified offline from the DVD because no live internet connection could be used, the CONTINUE button will become available (below). Click on it to continue the installation process.

Note the checkbox option called ATTEMPT TO AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATE MY PRODUCT ONLINE. It should be ticked (switched on) before clicking on the CONTINUE button, if you want your copy of Microsoft Office 2010 registered and activated within this actual installation process of course.

Fig 1.6  The unique 25 Character Product Key (Serial Number) has been entered correctly

After entering the correct product key, click on the CONTINUE button (Fig 1.6 above) to take you to the License Agreement window below, where you must agree to the Terms & Conditions before continuing.

Fig 1.7  Put a tick next to I ACCEPT THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT and then click on CONTINUE

Read the License Agreement carefully. Although these tend to contain useless information, they usually explain Copyright issues or Usage issues that clarify who can use the software and who cannot. So if, for example, you are told that a certain piece of software is Free and/or Free To Use you may want to clarify this by reading the agreement.

Some installation wizards do not allow you to continue, by fading out the CONTINUE button, until you have read (scrolled down) the license agreement. When you are ready and if you agree, put a tick next to I ACCEPT THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT and then click on the CONTINUE button to continue.

The next window that appears (below) asks you how you want to install Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010.

Fig 1.8  Click on INSTALL NOW for a Complete Installation

Click on the INSTALL NOW button if you want the installation wizard to make a complete installation of Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 for you, which is virtually automatic. Otherwise, click on the CUSTOMIZE button so that you can choose which programs and elements of Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 you wish to install (for Advanced Users only).

The Complete Installation means the major programs (features and tools) will be installed and where necessary the need to install extra programs, such as add-ons and/or converters, might be done at a later time (after Microsoft Office 2010 has been installed). Therefore always keep your Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 DVD to hand, just in case it is needed for those extra installations.

Note the checkbox option called INCLUDE A FREE TRIAL OF MICROSOFT OFFICE PROFESSIONAL 2010. If you do not want a free trial, probably because you do not want trial software bulking up your hard drive space and/or will be happy with Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010, simply untick that option before clicking on the INSTALL NOW button.

Fig 1.9  The installation of Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 has begun

Once you have chosen your type of installation the installation of Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 begins. The green progress-guage window above might take between 10 and 20 minutes to complete depending on your computer setup, but when it does complete you will see the following window.

Fig 1.10  Click on the CLOSE button to continue

All that is left to do now is click on the CLOSE button to finalize the installation process. You can ignore the CONTINUE ONLINE button because it is only for those who want to set up external internet services such as create a .net/live account and so on. Things that can be done later if you require those services.

Although the above window states that Microsoft Office Home And Student 2010 has been successfully installed, which is true, you still have two steps left that basically initialize Microsoft Office 2010.

INITIALIZE  MICROSOFT  OFFICE  2010

Before performing these last two steps you need to open one of the main programs - Excel, Word, PowerPoint or OneNote. In this example I opened Word.

The first initialization step is to choose a level of Help & Support, in way of windows/office updates and solutions to problems for example. If I were you I would select the USE RECOMMENDED SETTINGS for maximum help and support. It would be unwise not to choose that option. Click on the OK button when you have decided.

A UAC Security Requester might follow (not shown here), depending on your computer's UAC/Security settings. If so, click on its YES or OK button to proceed.

Fig 2.0  Select the USE RECOMMENDED SETTINGS option before clicking on the OK button

The second initialization step is to select the default file types (type of files) Microsoft Word 2010 will normally open as standard. For an easier life, and support of its own file formats and file types, select the OFFICE OPEN XML FORMATS option before clicking on the OK to fully complete your set up of Microsoft Office 2010.

Fig 2.1  Select the OFFICE OPEN XML FORMATS option before clicking on the OK button

That's it! You are all done. Well not quite! If you open OneNote you will be asked to perform four more, minor, steps.....which I will briefly go through. These steps basically set up your free SkyDrive account (free online Office storage space) and synchronization features whereby you can then synchronise your OneNote documents from your computer to your SkyDrive online space once you have signed in with your .Net/Live ID.

On top of this; Other people can edit your online version of a OneNote document, with your permission of course. So you will need a .Net or Windows Live (Hotmail) account before you can use this feature and other features. SkyDrive synchronizes your OneNote documents automatically, once you are signed in.

Fig 3.0  Select the SYNCED TO THE WEB option and then click on CONTINUE




Fig 3.1  Click on SIGN IN if you have a .Net/Live account otherwise click on the SIGN UP link




Fig 3.2  Sign In to your .Net or Windows Live (Hotmail) account to continue




Fig 3.3  Synchronizing the SkyDrive server (computer) with your computer via your .net/live id

Do not worry about the technicals of SkyDrive etc. All you need to do, when/if you want to synchronize certain OneNote documents, is to Sign In to your .Net or Windows Live (Hotmail) account when requested to do so by OneNote (normally when you first open OneNote). So with that now explained, enjoy using Microsoft Office 2010.