Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with microsoft

microsoft office volume licensing

alcahofa — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:54:54 -0800

how do i buy a microsoft office for the mac volume license? I need to buy 10 microsoft office licenses for macs for my small non-profit. When I get into the the interface on the microsoft site, they refer me to 407 value added resellers. None of the web sites for those VARs suggests that they sell volume licenses. I sent e-mails to 3 of them and they don't respond.

Has any one been able to buy volume licenses for microsoft office for a small business? If so, who did you work with?

Disable stupid MS Word 2007 warning

exogenous — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:42:05 -0800

Microsoft Word 2007: how do I disable this annoying privacy warning? Every time I save a file it pops up a window saying "Privacy Warning: This document contains macros, ActiveX controls, ...." The file came from an older version of Word. I don't see any macros and the trick I saw on Google of saving in another Word file format didn't work.

Running under Windows XP.

Halno

Christ, what an asshole — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:26:32 -0800

I just got an Xbox 360. I'm not the biggest fan of first-person shooters, Grand Theft Auto, and pseudo-instrument games like Guitar Hero, but I do love novel, esoteric games. What are some of the unsung heroes in the XB360 library that I should invest in? I used to be a hardcore gamer back in my heyday, but I just lack focus and time, so I'd call myself a casual gamer these days.

Games I've really enjoyed over the past few years: Mario Galaxy, Bangai-O Spirits, Viewtiful Joe, Shadow of the Collosus

Word 2007 formatting question

jujube — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:20:50 -0800

How do I keep a particular tab in Word2007 from automatically disappearing? And other Word2007 and Excel 2007 questions inside. Really, I HATE Office 2007. It now takes me multiple steps to do what used to take one click of the mouse. Below are a list of items that I'm hoping folks have answers to.

1) Keeping a particular tab open in Word. Let's say that I want to change the font and change line spacing. I click the home tab, then change the font. Instead of the home tab remaining, it disappears, so I have to click the home tab again before I can change the line spacing. How to leave the tab visible until I click on the body of the document?

2) Permanently change style setting. Whenever I open a new Word document, I want a specific setting (e..g, specific font, size, header style, etc.) to be in effect. Currently, I have to save the setting I want as a "style" option, then click on it every time I open a new document.

3) In Excel 2007, how to single space my cell formatting? Some of my cells are text heavy, and I want them to appear single spaced. The default is double, and can't change it.

Thanks!!

Me vs. Word template

Marky — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:07:53 -0800

How can I rotate a Word template? I downloaded a Word template to print to Avery 5164 stickers. The stickers are 4"x3.3", I want to print landscape with the stickers 3.3"x4".

Just changing the page setup to landscape doesn't change the margins or the template.

Is there a way to rotate a template 90 degrees, or do I have to build a new template?

I'm going to bloody well fix this Xbox myself.

Frasermoo — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:11:33 -0800

Help me fix my Xbox 360. I'm looking for documentation on a tried and tested fix for the red rings on the 360. Having been through multiple consoles, I've decided to try the X clamp fix myself. Has anyone here done it themselves? What instructions did you follow? Was it successful?

How to get Word links to work like on Wikipedia?

freddymungo — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:47:34 -0800

How could one change the colors of links in a Microsoft Word document? I'm using Office 2007, if it makes a difference. As it is, any link I insert is blue and when it's been clicked on it turns purple. Can I edit these colors like I could with CSS on an HTML document?

Secondly, is it possible for links pointing to files that don't exist to have a special color like red, like Wikipedia does when there's a link but no matching entry yet? All these files would be Word documents.

Thanks in advance!

MS Access - Limit to # of shared users

cg1 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:04:10 -0800

Is there a limit to the # of users who can share a Microsoft Access database across a network? I've been working in Filemaker for so long that it's been a while since I designed in Access. I'm now working for a public school that has no money, but all its machines have Access. The school *really* needs a database, so I'm considering building one using expertise from my previous life in the business world.

Several questions:

- Assuming all 100 teachers in our school has Access on the PC in their classroom, could all 100 access the same Access database simultaneously without problems? I know that Filemaker has a user limit of 250, but that requires Filemaker Server (a separate / more expensive software) be installed on at least the server itself. Does Access have similar limitations?

- Does Access support a web-based module, that teachers not in the building / not on the school network could access? If so, is it worth a damn?

- Is Access easier to design in now than it was years ago (when I switched to Filemaker and was thrilled how much simpler it was)?

Thanks in advance for any help,
Wade

How much is that [blank] in the window?

ericc — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:32:24 -0800

In this photo of the Microsoft store in Mission Viejo, there are two islands of product immediately as you enter the store. On the left is various versions of Windows 7. What is the product on the island on the right? Bonus for anyone who can identify what product might be on the other three sides of the display.

How do I get my Windows Seven download?

Blacksun — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:27:26 -0800

On Friday (23/10) I purchased Windows 7 Professional from the UK Ultimate Steal wesbite. You validate your UK University email address, pay by card and get an email with a link to the download site where there is a download manager. I can get that - and run it - but the three files it is meant to retrieve (Box1, Box2 & the installer) all fail to download correctly and I end up with three files all of 1Kb. I've tried it on my old XP SP3 laptop and my new Vista SP2 laptop (which I am upgrading), but to no avail. Digital River's customer service, is frankly, appalling. I've emailed from their website CS form and you wait two or three days for the same automated response detailing the process I described above. I emailed their main CS address, but got another automated response that due to high levels of spam they were no longer checking it. A quick look around google shows they've had serious problems and the whole thing is a bit of a hash. I don't really want a refund, just the product - but this is driving me nuts! Any ideas?

Any pitfalls to getting new Windows 7 multimedia machines that will be running Adobe Master Suite CS4?

aught — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:46:24 -0800

There's not a lot of info on either Adobe or MS's web sites about compatibility problems between Adobe CS4 Suite apps (particularly Premier, Flash, Photoshop and Illustrator CS4 versions). They suggest it's okay but don't come right out and say compatible (at least not where I have read). Any horror stories before I let our IT people order new Win 7 machines?

Will Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit utilize 8GB of RAM?

omaralarifi — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 07:08:46 -0800

Just for confirmation, will Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit utilize 8GB of RAM? I already own a laptop with windows vista ultimate 64-bit with 8GB installed. I just want to confirm if Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit will utilize 8GB of RAM or I should buy a 64-bit version.
I am not welling to buy an upgrade version but a full retail version.

How should I install Windows 7?

cheapskatebay — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:25:33 -0800

How should I install Windows 7? Our 2-year-old home computer has 32-bit Vista Home Premium as its OS. It's been quite stable for us and I guess I'm one of those rare birds who actually likes it better than XP. We're very light, non-power users and we've been satisfied with our Vista experience.

That said, I plan to upgrade to Windows 7 (32-bit, Home Premium), perhaps as soon as this weekend. The computer can handle it per the Microsoft Upgrade Advisor. It will be an upgrade, not a clean install. I'll back up the hard drive before upgrading.

So far, so good. I understand that Windows 7 may be purchased as a download from the Microsoft web site or as a DVD. My hopefully simple question is, am I better off downloading the new OS or buying a DVD for the installation?

Frankly, I'd rather just download and be done with it... is there any compelling reason not to? A trusted friend suggested the size of the download may be prohibitive - true? (I have Verizon's FIOS service and download speeds are pretty good.) Should I anticipate trouble obtaining a repeat download should the need arise?

I have a subsidiary question about whether Microsoft Security Essentials, combined with Windows 7, will provide enough anti-virus and malware protection to justify dumping my Trend Micro program, but I'm more concerned at the moment with the method of installation of Windows 7.

I've read lots of advice about how to upgrade smoothly from Vista to Windows 7, but not on this particular point. (Hopefully, it's a non-issue!) Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Windows 7 for Less (in Canada)

smitt — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:09:57 -0800

Is there anything like Win741 for students in Canada? Does anyone know of ways to save on buying Windows 7 in Canada, either as a full time student or not?
I don't qualify for the Upgrade edition, and want to buy Windows 7 Pro. I don't think I want the OEM version, because I upgrade my computer every year or two and don't want to have to buy it multiple times.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

How can I get clean html from MS-word, to paste into thunderbird?

ManInSuit — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:53:31 -0800

How can I get clean html from MS-word, to paste into Thunderbird? Sometimes, when I'm sending long emails, I like to compose in my word processor - MS-word (2003 on one machine, 2007 on another), and paste into my email client - Thunderbird.

But when I do, there are all sorts of little (and not so little) formatting hiccups. I gather the problem is mostly that Word uses all sorts of crazy non-standard stuff in its html output.

Is there a way to fix this problem? I way to make word produce cleaner HTML? A tool that will turn Word html into something friendlier? A word-paste-cleanup plugin for Thunderbird?

(And : I know I could compose with Open Office or Google Docs. But mostly I like Word, and would like to keep using it if I can...)

Sharepoint weekly email

fozzie33 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:14:12 -0800

In Sharepoint, is there a way to send a weekly report(every monday) showing the status of a list? We are using MOSS 2007, I have sharepoint designer, and we have a particular list (plan of actions and milestones) that I want to send out every monday showing the status of any open POAMs.

Any suggestions, i am new to sharepoint, but i am a programmer, so if i can't find a solution here, i will figure something else out... i am thinking i can create a workflow or something... but not sure.
- Tim

How can you make XP Pro to run USB ports at 2.0 speed?

yggdrasil — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:23:58 -0800

Why are my netbook's USB 2.0 ports running at 1.1 speed under XP Pro, and what can I do to fix this? I have an Asus EEE 1000HA netbook that originally came with XP Home. I installed XP Pro, including complete patches, upgrades, updates, and current service packs, and have been happily computing for almost a year.

I recently noticed that whenever I plug in a USB device (be it external hard drive, disk drive, TV receiver stick, or flash drive), XP pops up a warning that the device could run faster if I'd only use the right 2.0 port. Problem: all three USB ports purport to be 2.0, but none of them are. Now that I think back, I think it has done this since the beginning, so it's not a recent development.

I'm running completely updated XP Pro and a current version of the BIOS (and no, the standard fix to turn "OS installation" in the BIOS to "complete" is not an option in this BIOS version). I've tried uninstalling all the USB devices and let Windows discover and install them, but they're still 1.1. But I know that the hardware is 2.0 compatible because both on-board camera and flash reader work - camera doesn't work at 1.1, and the flash reader runs at 2.0 speed (or at least a hell of a lot faster than the USB stick). [It's not a difference in media: same microSD card in USB stick is hella-slow, but stick it into the flash reader inside the SD adapter, and it's full speed ahead). So the 2.0 USB hardware is on-board.

I've spent more than an hour with ASUS tech support, and they say that they don't have a patch, and that it's actually a known issue with XP, and to try calling MS. I'm abroad for the next 3 months, so I really don't want to have to pay international long distance to be parked in on-hold-telephone-tree-hell at MS.

So does anyone have a work around or patch? (I can't install a linux distribution because I need to be able to run my law school's exam software... otherwise, I'd be all about it...)

Looking to up my presentation skills in NYC

kenzi23 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:04:30 -0800

I'm looking for a job doing presentation graphics (in law firms, possibly financial firms); this is about 30% of my current job at a law firm. I'm one of very few "experts" at my firm which isn't very technologically advanced in this area, so I'm afraid that my skills won't cut it in the outside world. I need advice on how to upgrade my skills. I want to upgrade my skills so that I can show a better portfolio and talk about those skills with more confidence.

I'm pretty strong in all the Microsoft Office products and how they integrate, especially in Powerpoint and Visio. I also am quite skilled and experienced in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

Since we don't really use Powerpoint to its full potential at my current job, I want to learn more advanced skills, and I feel like I need to improve my Excel skills to integrate better with Powerpoint. From the job listings I have seen, I think I should learn Flash, but what else is essential for a presentations job?

I'm in NYC so if you have any recommendations for places to get the kind of training I need, I would love to hear them.

How can I use a spreadsheet to track my accounts?

reenum — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:16:25 -0800

I want to start using a spreadsheet to track and reconcile my various accounts. How do I start? I've been using MS Money for years. Due to switching to the Mac, MS Money being discontinued, and generally hating the fact that my financial data is trapped in a proprietary program, I feel like I should use a spreadsheet to track my finances.

I have a savings account, two checking accounts, two credit card accounts, and a Roth IRA.

There are a couple of things I'm curious about: How does one reconcile accounts in a spreadsheet and are there any templates that have that checkbook entry system that MS Money has?

I've looked at some of the older posts on this topic and none seemed to answer my questions satisfactorily.

Links to templates, blog posts, howtos, general anecdotes, and anything else relating to this question are requested and appreciated. Thanks!

Does Zune HD have VPN connectivity option?

omaralarifi — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:13:09 -0800

Does Zune HD have VPN connectivity option as iPod touch?

Get Outlook to tell me how many emails I get in a month.

furtive — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:53:06 -0800

Get Outlook to tell me how many emails I receive in a month. I've got three folders with archived messages, separated by year.

I'd like to know how many emails I got each month in those folders, without having to do it manually (I have about 3800 emails in each folder).

I'm using Outlook 2003 and am willing to export things if necessary.

How to make Quick Parts more intelligent in MS Word?

Ridge — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:58:19 -0800

I want to automate a Word document for some sales drones. I'd love it if I could check for when a Quick Part field ends with an "s", and if so insert just an apostrophe as opposed to apostrophe then "s". But how? Here's the sitch: Sales need a template they can use that's been automated to within an inch of its life. So I've used Quick Parts for a field called [Company] like so:

If [Company]'s requirements...

They can edit one instance of the [Company] field and it auto-updates across the whole document. Which works great, right up until said [Company] name ends with an "s", eg:

If Ridge Services's requirements...

They send out a lot of these documents, and I don't trust them to reliably check every one for instances of "Ridge Services's" and correct them all (even though Word helpfully lets you know via its spelling error red underline).

So, is there any way to check what letter [Company] ends with, and if it ends with any letter other than "s", insert an apostrophe and then "s", but if [Company] ends with an "s", just insert an apostrophe?

And if so, how?

Oh, and it has to work across MS Word 2007 PC, and MS Word 2008 Mac. Ya know, just to complicate things...

PPS: I hate Word

It's a vast Microsoft-Government-alien conspiracy, clearly

radioamy — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:35:20 -0800

PowerPoint 2003 confusion...why are the slide titles images instead of text boxes? Halp! I was trying to help a colleague out with a PowerPoint 2003 presentation, and I ran into something weird.

She had asked me to help her change one slide background (which was mysteriously a different color than all the others) to match the other slides. I got the background right but it slide title text was the wrong color. I clicked on it to change it, but instead of being a text box it appears to be an image!?! And I can't seem to get the font/color/effects just right to match the other titles.

I wasn't there for the creation of the file so who knows how she got it this way. I tried to "insert new slide" and it gave me what I would expect - a text box for the title and a text box for the body.

I thought I knew my way around PowerPoint pretty well but I am totally stumped. Any ideas?

ExcelFilter: Between Day 1 and Day 90, I had how many of which?

SansPoint — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:09:05 -0800

How can I count certain things in a range of cells in Excel that fall between two dates? I've got an Excel workbook that keeps track of every thing I produce at my job. (What the things are is irrelevant.) The date it's created in in Column A. In Column F there are criteria to determine which type of thing is is (two specific ones). I would like to count the number of each that fall between two dates, i.e. between, say 9/01/2009 and 11/30/2009.

For the life of me, I can't figger it out.

I've tried wrapping my head around dynamic ranges, but all I can see for doing that is OFFSET(), which would be great if all the date ranges had the same amount of rows, but they don't. Besides, I add new rows to this thing regularly, as each new thingie is generated. So, having, say, the last 30 of these counted does not help.

Google searching has given me info about how to count for the last x of a certain range, where x is days, weeks, months, etc. Doesn't help.

Oh, and I *really* would not like to have to go into VBA scripting for this.

So, uh, help?

Outlook/Exchange mailbox assistant

paulyballs — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:10:36 -0800

Does anyone know of any third party add-ons or software for Outlook/Exchange that works as type of a "assistant". What I'm looking for is software that will scan incoming messages based on a list of approved contacts. If a message from one of these approved contacts hits the mailbox, the message will continue to the inbox. If it does not, it will be routed to another folder in the mailbox that the person's admin will have access to. The admin will then have the option to click a link in the email (after review of the message) that will release it into the executive's mailbox and also have the option to add the address to the approved contacts list. Also, if the executive replies to the message, it will also be automatically added to the approved contacts list. I'm hoping there is something out there that we can use to help manage an executive's mailbox.