access 2003 and 2010

[broadbean]

Can you have Microsoft Access 2003 and 2010 running on the same machine.
My company has converted one database to 2010 and linked to SQL Server.
The other database which is a totally separate database is still in 2003 and has yet to be migrated to 2010 / SQL server.
They still want to use both databases on the same computer and convert the 2003 to SQL server when time allows.
If you can't run both can you run 2003 under 2010 as long as you don't convert to accdb format. The database under 2003 has user level security using a front end back end scenario.

 

[CJ_London]

If you can't run both can you run 2003 under 2010 as long as you don't convert to accdb format

yes - have you not just tried it?

 

[Old Man Devin]

My personal experience is that it is possible to run both as long as 2010 is installed after 2003 and you make sure not to overwrite 2003 during the install. However sometimes when you switch from using one to the other the system starts to reinstall the new version, presumable because it needs to change things in registry each version. It works but means it takes longer to open the program as you have to wait for that to complete.

The sure-fire way to have both programs is to have one of them in a virtual machine or an another hard drive partition so there can't be any clashes, although that is hassle in itself.

 

[CJ_London]

my point is that 2010 will run a 2003 mdb/mde, there is no need to have access 2003 installed

 

[Old Man Devin]

my point is that 2010 will run a 2003 mdb/mde, there is no need to have access 2003 installed

Indeed it will, so probably more hassle than is needed in this case. But if you wanted to develop and test the old database, I think the hassle would be worth it for discovering the effects of version differences. But yes, OP you should just use 2010 for everything if you only plan to use the database as a normal user, as CJ suggested.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

except that A2003 is far far easier to work with, in my opinion

I prefer the database window, I prefer the menus rather than ribbons etc etc

For now, I develop in A2003, knowing it will run fine on any later platform