How To Install Office 2010 On Windows XP SP2

The latest version of Office suite, Microsoft Office 2010, is undoubtedly the best productivity suite out there for Windows. Office 2010 is available in four editions and is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008 operating systems.

Though it is compatible with the good old Windows XP, users must be running a 32-bit version XP with Service Pack 3 installed to be able to install and run Office 2010. In simple words, Office 2010 can’t be installed on Windows XP SP1 or SP2.

When you try to run the Office 2010 setup on Windows XP SP1 or SP2, you get “Setup is unable to proceed due to the following error: To install and use this product, you must be running one of the following operating systems: Windows 7, Vista SP1, XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Windows 7 (x64), Vista SP1 (x64), Server 2008 x(x64). Correct the issue(s) listed above and re-run the setup” message.

While downloading and installing Service Pack 3 is not a difficult task, many Windows XP users are still running SP2 for various reasons. Windows XP users who can’t upgrade to SP3 and still want to install Office 2010 will be glad to know that Office 2010 can be installed on XP SP2 as well with a small workaround. The only condition is that you must be running the x86 version of XP.

Installing Office 2010 on Windows XP SP2

Follow the instructions given below to install your favorite Office 2010 on Windows XP SP2:

Step 1: Open Registry Editor. To do this, go to the Start menu, click on Run, type regedit.exe in the Run dialog box and then press the enter key.

Step 2: In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Windows

Step 3: On the right-side, double-click on CSDVersion and change its value from 200 to 300.

Step 4: Close the Registry editor. Reboot the machine and then run Office setup to begin installing Office 2010. You should now be able to install it without any issues. Once installed, navigate to the same registry key and then change the value back to 200.

You might also like to know how to extend Office 2010 trial period with the help of the Office 2010 Trial Extender tool. Don’t forget to check out our how to disable Office 2010 splash screen to speed the start.