HLS home : administration : its : students :
Information Technology Services

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does the HLS Microsoft Campus Agreement for Microsoft Office 2003 get me?

A: The Harvard Law School (HLS) Campus Agreement allows HLS to lease one licensed copy of Microsoft Office 2003 for each student.  This lease is renewed year to year.  Each graduate of HLS will receive a hard copy of “Student Option Graduate Transfer of License Certificate”, which then allows you to keep your copy of installed Microsoft Office 2003.

However, if you leave HLS prematurely you MUST uninstall the Microsoft Office 2003 software completely.  The individual student is responsible for complying with the HLS Microsoft Campus Agreement for Microsoft Office.

To view a full transcript of the license agreement, please click here: Microsoft License Campus Agreement

Back to Top

Q: Are all Harvard Law School students eligible to install Microsoft Office 2003?

A: Yes. All HLS students are allowed to install one copy of Office 2003 under the Microsoft Campus Agreement.

Back to Top

Q: How do I obtain a copy of Microsoft Office 2003?

A: You have 3 options to obtain Microsoft Office 2003:

  1. You can purchase a HLS recommended model laptop which already has Microsoft Office 2003 installed on it.  Visit our purchase site here: http://www.law.harvard.edu/administration/its/students/admit.php#buy
  2. Visit a Microsoft Office Self-Install Kiosk in the Hauser Hall Computer Lab (Hauser 030)
  3. Visit the Student Help Desk in the Hauser Hall Computer Lab and a technician will help you install Microsoft Office 2003.  Please Note:

Back to Top

Q: What are the system requirements for Microsoft Office 2003?

A: System requirements for Microsoft Office 2003 are as follows:

Operating System: Windows XP or later.
Processor: CPU of 1266 Megahertz (MHz) or higher; Pentium III.
RAM (Memory): Minimum of 256Megabytes (MB).
Hard Disk space available: Minimum of 1.5 Gigabyte (GB), 30 GB total drive size.
Display Settings: Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution with 256 colors

Back to Top

Q: If I have another version of Microsoft Office on my computer, can I still install Microsoft Office 2003?

A: You must uninstall any existing Microsoft Office application from your computer, restart and then begin the Microsoft Office 2003 installation.  A second version of Microsoft Office or Microsoft Office Components are not compatible and most Operating Systems like Microsoft Windows XP will try to upgrade the Microsoft Office application install instead of installing it as a second product. 
 
To uninstall previous versions (in Microsoft Windows XP): Click START, click CONTROL PANEL. In Control Panel, click ADD or REMOVE PROGRAMS. Scroll through the applications in Add or Remove Programs to located Microsoft Office and/or related Office components and click Remove.

Back to Top

Q: Where can I download the installation files?

A: A wired connection located in the Hauser Hall Computer Lab, Hauser 030, is the only location where you can download the installation files.

Back to Top

Q: What will happen if I want to install Microsoft Office 2003 again?

A: The download/installation is only allowed one per user. If you try to go to the download page again, you not be allowed access.

Back to Top

Q: What will happen if I want to install Microsoft Office 2003 on another computer once it has been installed on my primary computer?

A: The download/installation is only allowed one per user independent to hardware. If you purchase a new computer and you are not going to be using your old computer, see the student help desk for assistance to install Microsoft Office 2003.

Back to Top

Q: What will happen if I when I try to download Microsoft Office 2003 from another location for example: Pound Classroom and/or Griswold?

A: You will see a “page not found” error message. You will not see a log in prompt. The download/installation has been limited to specific locations.  You will not be able to download/install Microsoft Office 2003 from the wireless network.  The Hauser Hall Computer Lab is the ONLY location you can complete the download/installation of Microsoft Office 2003.

Back to Top

Q: What will happen if the installation crashes halfway during install?

A: You will need to contact the HLS Student Help Desk and they will be able to assist you in continuing your installation. 

Back to Top


Q: How long will the download/install take?

A: You should plan on the entire process taking approximately 40 minutes.  The download will take approximately 5 minutes, the extraction of the file will take approximately 3 minutes and the Microsoft Office 2003 installation will take approximately 30 minutes. 

The times it will take is unique to each computer and are depended on the performance levels of each individual computer’s hardware/software.  These times were tested on a M55 model IBM Desktop with the following specifications:

Processor: 2990 MHz, Pentium 4
RAM: 512 MB
Free Disk Space: 64 GB

Back to Top

Q: Can I work on other applications on my computer while Microsoft Office 2003 installation is taking place in the background?

A: Yes, but it is recommended that you let the installation of Microsoft Office 2003 completed before working on other items on your computer. Applications will function slowly while the installation is taking place.

Back to Top

Q: After the Microsoft Office 2003 installation, can I delete extra files on my computer related to Microsoft Office 2003?

A: Once the application has been installed successfully, you can delete the office2003.exe which was downloaded to install the application. The additional folders and files related to Microsoft Office 2003 should be kept on the computer to allow additional installation if needed for updates.

Back to Top

Q: Do I need to be connected in the student lab in order to install Office updates after the installation?

A: No. Microsoft Office 2003 updates can be installed from any location where internet connection is available. As best practice, Microsoft Office 2003 updates should be installed on a regular basis.

Microsoft Office Updates can be obtained at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/maincatalog.aspx.

To automatically scan and install updates for Microsoft Office, go to: http://microsoftupdates.microsoft.com  

Back to Top

Q: After my Microsoft Office 2003 installation from HLS, why do I get a prompt to enter the CD key?

A: This is because there are multiple versions of Microsoft Office installations on your computer. You must uninstall all previous versions of Microsoft Office/Microsoft Office Components before you install Microsoft Office 2003 from HLS. 

To uninstall previous versions (in Microsoft Windows XP): Click START, click CONTROL PANEL. In Control Panel, click ADD or REMOVE PROGRAMS. Scroll through the applications in Add or Remove Programs to located Microsoft Office and/or related Microsoft Office Components and click Remove.

Back to Top

Q: Who can I contact for more information/assistance with Microsoft Office 2003?

A: If you need additional information or assistance with Microsoft Office 2003, please contact the HLS Student Help Desk:

  Back to Top