Downloading Microsoft Access

50_Pence

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a site to download Microsoft Access from? Stupid question probably, but will a trial version be the same as the real thing or will it have limited features?

I have an Access data entry task coming up for a Research/Data entry role. I’m not sure which version I will be tested on so I’m unsure which version I should download to practice with. I’ve read that the 2013 version has less Query designs such as Pivot Chart and Pivot Table; I don’t know how likely I am to be tested on these?

Any advice is much appreciated!

Thanks

Jivesinger

I would use one of the trial versions from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-office-professional-plus-2010

Both 2010 and 2013 versions are available and I think the Professional Plus versions will both contain Access.

I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure they will have full features, apart from expiring when the trial period ends.

50_Pence

I've just tried to download a Microsoft Access trial from Softonic but had to download an entire Office Professional Plus trial. When I've gone to install it the licensing agreement says:

"If you install the software covered by this agreement as an upgrade or conversion to your existing software, then the upgrade or conversion replaces the original software that you are upgrading or converting from. You do not retain any rights to the original software after you have upgraded and you may not continue to use it or transfer it in any way. This agreement governs your rights to use the upgrade software and replaces the agreement for the software from which you upgraded."

So if I install it it is going to replace the Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 that I currently have on my computer. The Office Home and student is licensed for installation on 3 computers and is already installed on 3 PCs (this one included) So am I right in thinking I won't be able to reinstall it on this one?

Is there anyway around this?

Thanks

Jivesinger

Hmmm - I don't blame you for being cautious if you already have a licensed version of Office installed - I think you're correct to suspect that putting a trial on might cause problems with the original version later.

A possible workaround is to run a trial version of Windows as well (perhaps Windows 7), in a virtual machine (using something like Oracle VirtualBox), and install the trial Office within the Virtual Machine version of Windows.

But you'd need a decent amount of RAM to run VirtualBox, and some older processors don't like running Virtual machines, so it depends a bit on the spec of the computer you're using? Plus it's a fair amount of palaver to set it all up.

Edit: If you did want to try a virtual machine, you could get Windows from the Technet evaluation site mentioned above, or this one. It's another Microsoft site and the VMs are licensed for testing, and will expire after 90 days. The advantage is that they are already configured and installed for running in the relevant virtual machine product:
https://www.modern.ie/en-gb/virtualization-tools#downloads

50_Pence

Thanks Jivesinger but that's way beyond my capabilities!


Do you know if I will be able to reinstall the Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 back onto my laptop?


Is there anywhere I can trial Access only?

gjchester

You should be able to remove the trial afterwards and re-install your old version.


The old key for 3 systems should still activate OK, I think there's a window of time Microsoft remember installs in (180 days) so unless you've installed it recently on three systems, it will activate without problems.