Cannot associate Word!

[Jim Wood]

I've read all the other postings here about associating programs with files,
and to the best of my knowledge, I've done all this properly. I can open all
mail attachments from within Windows Live Mail except for Word .docs. I have
to drag these to the Desktop and double-click them there. This is running
under Vista/64-bit.

In the Associations list, the icon associated with .doc is not the "flying
W" icon, it may be the Works icon instead, not sure. Word is listed in print
as the associated program next to the .doc extension in the list. When I
open that file type, both Word and Works are shown as options, but Works is
highlighted... make that 'graylighted.' I click on Word and hit Save, and
sure enough, Word remains listed as the program to open .doc files... but it
won't from within WLM. Double clicking a .doc in any other program or from
any list or directory opens Word just fine. This is only a WLM problem.

Now. If I instead re-associate Works to open a .doc file, it opens just
fine from within WLM. It's as though WLM does not find Word when the
association is pointed that way. Strangely enough, I had the same problem
under XP with an early version of WLM. Never did resolve that one, but sure
want the new computer and OS to work properly.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Try this fix:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/232/1/Unable-to-open-DOC-attachments-from-Windows-Mail.html

 

[Jim Wood]

Gary:

Thanks very much; that fixed it just fine. I didn't have to go back
and reset Associations, but checked it anyway. The 'flying W' logo is indeed
the one next to .doc on the list and Word opens just fine.
However, when I did the fix and then clicked on the mail icon in my
Quick Launch area, it opened Windows Mail, rather than Windows Live Mail. I
had to detlet the icon and pull another into the QL area from the program
listing. Strange but by no means a problem. Just thought you might like to
know.
I sure hope that the fixes you fellows come up with eventually find
their way into Vista updates. Many of us users are getting to be
quasi-experts in fixing things, but I feel bad for those who haven't the
patience to wade through all this.

Thanks again!

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

You're very welcome, Jim. Thanks for reporting back.