Installing Office 2008
- Log out/in with shift key down to disable any startup applications. (be sure no virus applications or any MSFT applications including Notifications/Reminders, Messenger are running) How to quit Notifications
- Install from CD (You must install in the root Applications folder or future updates will not find Office to update.)
- Restart
- Log in with shift key down to disable any startup applications.
- Run Autoupdater
- Update the Autoupdater (MAU) more info
- Install any updates (see this page for updaters if you would rather run the stand alone updater)
- Restart and run Repair Permissions
Any Office 2008 users that have modified, moved or changed Office 2008, must use "Remove Office" first. more info
How Office 2008 installs fonts. Suggested reading!
Start with a good base
Office uses certain system files when installing. If your base files have problems, you are going to have problems installing Office. Install the latest Apple Combo updater before installing. Doing so overwrites potentially problem-causing files. . Combo updaters will install on the same version as they’re applying—no need to roll back or do a clean install.
Don't remove the previous version during the install process. You might need it to get your mail out manually from your old version if the import fails. Also, many Office 2004 users are keeping both 2004 and 2008 in order to use VBA. You can use both versions at the same time for all applications except Entourage. Entourage 2008 rebuilds the database and 2004 can no longer read it. The other caveat is that when you double click a file the 2008 version of the app will run. To run the 2004 version, simply open it and then use the file menu to open a file.
If you are going to use both 2004 and 2008 you will need both AutoUpdaters. Office 2004 MAU uses VISE installers, and Office 2008 MAU uses package installers. more info
Office for Mac 2008 Installer will install both sets of code (Intel/PPC) regardless of what machine type you are installing onto. This is common behavior for the Apple installer and is important in the cases where you are installing onto a drive that might be shared with Intel/PPC computers (such as an external travel drive, Network Boot servers, and Shared Network Application Folders). more info
Office 2008 comes with an installer where you could previously choose to drag and drop or run the installer.
The installer is an Apple package installer file. A "package" is literally just a set of specially named folders and files. Nothing more.
You can drag your CD Key into the installer window. No more boxes to fill! Please keep your CD Key in a safe place. Should you ever need to install again, you will need your CD Key. The Product ID is used only to get Microsoft support. It's not required that you register like the Windows Office users for activation. See the Third Party Products page for links to password managers.
You will be cautioned to remove all versions of Office for Mac on your computer. It's not necessary to do this. In fact, you might need it to access your mail from the older version when Setup Assistant fails to import your data.
After installing from the CD, you must restart your computer. When you open any Office application, AutoUpdate will start. You must update the Autoupdater application. More info on why this is important.
Download and install any updates. IMPORTANT See this page for updates.
Office opens to the Project Gallery. You can select not to show Project Gallery at startup. Uncheck Show Project Gallery at startup.
