How do I stop Office 2003 from openning files?

Question

When I bought my PC, it came with a 3 month trial of Office 2003, which I don't want, and refuse to pay for. Now whenever I click on any text file, it will open in Word 2003 with the annoying activation message trying to get me to buy a key code. I know I can just right click on a file and go to the open with option, but I don't always remember to do that and end up having to wait for the stupid Word 2003 to do its thing before I can cancel it and open the file with something else. I would really love to delete the entire Office 2003 but I heard that that will screw up your computer's ability to open any text file, regardless of the program you are using.

Answer 1

Whatever you don't, do use OpenOffice. It's full of spyware, and it doesn't have the full capabilites as Microsoft Office. Most people who use OpenOffice don't know much about computing, and mistakenly use it as an alternative to MS Office. The truth is, most users I work with (I work for IT) like Microsoft Office way more than OpenOffice. OpenOffice is just a big rip-off of MS Office. If you really don't want to pay that much for it, I suggest you just buy Office 2007 Home and Student or just Word 2007 only, since most people use word processors. Good luck.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx

Answer 2

Right-click a file of the type you want to open in something else (e.g. WordPerfect). Select properties. Click the Change button next to Opens With. Select a different program (e.g. WordPerfect).

To uninstall Office, go into the control panel, select Add or Remove programs, and get rid of the whole thing. It won't hurt your computer in any way. Just make sure you have another program to open your files.

Answer 3

Open My Computer.

Go to Tools -> Folder Options -> File Types -> scroll down to TXT -> Click Change -> Choose Notepad.

You can also install Open Office as a free alternative to Office 2003

http://www.openoffice.org/

Answer 4

uninstall office 2003 and all your troubles will be gone. go to control panel > add/remove programs > highlight office 2003 > uninstall.

Answer 5

Uninstall Office, it won't mess up you're computer. You can also set a permanent file association with another program.

Open My Computer. Go to to tools>folder options>file types and associate .txt with Notepad.exe, etc. You won't be able to open other documents already created in Office. Open Office is only for Linux, don't know why people keeping pushing Open Office, without telling you it's a Linux app.

Answer 6

the next time you want to open a file:
hold shift
right mouse click
select open with
select the program you want to use to open it
look for the check mark on the bottom that says "always use this program to open"

also try openoffice.org as a free alternative to office.

Answer 7

Try re-installing your OS, then stay away or buy the full version before this happens again.