Unable to open file created in earlier version

[Dot M]

I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003 and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain how to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[JoAnn Paules]

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you dealing with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Dot M]

I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just can't access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you dealing with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003 and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[JoAnn Paules]

Is it a .doc file? Are you sure it's a Word document?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just can't access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you dealing
with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain
how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[Jay Freedman]

I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003 and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain how to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't Microsoft
fix this problem?

Last question first: Microsoft believes that allowing Word to open documents
from older versions causes a security vulnerability. They chose the extremely
heavy-handed solution of shutting off the ability to open those documents,
rather than giving you any choice. As far as they're concerned, nothing needs to
be fixed because Word now behaves the way they want it to.

Fortunately there is a simpler way to repair the damage than the complicated
method in the article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922849.

1. Open the Notepad program (Start menu > Programs > Accessories > Notepad).

2. Copy the following lines from this post and paste them into the empty Notepad
window:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Security\FileOpenBlock]
"BinaryFiles"=dword:00000000

There should be four lines, including the blank second line. Save the document
on your Windows desktop as FileUnblock1.reg (the extension is important).

3. Double-click the icon of FileUnblock.reg on the desktop. A message box will
ask whether you want to add it to your registry, and you should click Yes.
Another message should say that it was successfully added.

Now try opening the document in Word. It should open; but if you get the same
message, open Notepad again to another empty window, and copy/paste these four
lines:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Security\FileOpenBlock]
"BinaryFiles"=dword:00000000

Save this file to the desktop as FileUnblock2.reg, and double-click that icon.
The same two messages should be handled the same way.

That should take care of the problem, but if it doesn't do it, post back here.
There are several other items in the registry that may need to be undone in a
similar way.

 

[Dot M]

Yes, it says Microsoft Word, and when I try to open it, it gives me the same
message everybody else is getting.

Is it a .doc file? Are you sure it's a Word document?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just can't access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you dealing
with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain
how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[Mary Sauer]

Could be your anti-virus software.

How to use Office programs with the Norton AntiVirus Office plug-in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/329820/en-us

--
Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
http://office.microsoft.com/

Yes, it says Microsoft Word, and when I try to open it, it gives me the same
message everybody else is getting.

Is it a .doc file? Are you sure it's a Word document?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just can't access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

:

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you dealing
with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain
how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[JoAnn Paules]

Is this just one file?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

Yes, it says Microsoft Word, and when I try to open it, it gives me the
same
message everybody else is getting.

Is it a .doc file? Are you sure it's a Word document?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just can't
access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

:

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you dealing
with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word
2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain
how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[Dot M]

I don't use Norton AntiVirus. Too many problems with it.

Could be your anti-virus software.

How to use Office programs with the Norton AntiVirus Office plug-in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/329820/en-us

--
Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
http://office.microsoft.com/
http://msauer.mvps.org/
news://msnews.microsoft.com

Yes, it says Microsoft Word, and when I try to open it, it gives me the same
message everybody else is getting.

Is it a .doc file? Are you sure it's a Word document?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just can't access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

:

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you dealing
with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain
how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[Dot M]

It is a CD sent to me with a document I need to open and make changes to. It
says it is a Word document, and it ends with Trust.doc. Does that help? He
also tried sending it as an e-mail attachment, but that didn't work either.

Is this just one file?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

Yes, it says Microsoft Word, and when I try to open it, it gives me the
same
message everybody else is getting.

Is it a .doc file? Are you sure it's a Word document?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just can't
access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

:

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you dealing
with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word
2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain
how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[Dot M]

Based on horror stories from others, I am so very afraid to do anything that
affects the "REGISTRY". One person wrote that he just uninstalled the whole
Word program, then reinstalled without adding SP3 and everything worked fine.
What do you say to that?

I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003 and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain how to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't Microsoft
fix this problem?

Last question first: Microsoft believes that allowing Word to open documents
from older versions causes a security vulnerability. They chose the extremely
heavy-handed solution of shutting off the ability to open those documents,
rather than giving you any choice. As far as they're concerned, nothing needs to
be fixed because Word now behaves the way they want it to.

Fortunately there is a simpler way to repair the damage than the complicated
method in the article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922849.

1. Open the Notepad program (Start menu > Programs > Accessories > Notepad).

2. Copy the following lines from this post and paste them into the empty Notepad
window:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Security\FileOpenBlock]
"BinaryFiles"=dword:00000000

There should be four lines, including the blank second line. Save the document
on your Windows desktop as FileUnblock1.reg (the extension is important).

3. Double-click the icon of FileUnblock.reg on the desktop. A message box will
ask whether you want to add it to your registry, and you should click Yes.
Another message should say that it was successfully added.

Now try opening the document in Word. It should open; but if you get the same
message, open Notepad again to another empty window, and copy/paste these four
lines:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Security\FileOpenBlock]
"BinaryFiles"=dword:00000000

Save this file to the desktop as FileUnblock2.reg, and double-click that icon.
The same two messages should be handled the same way.

That should take care of the problem, but if it doesn't do it, post back here.
There are several other items in the registry that may need to be undone in a
similar way.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

That would work, but you would lose the other benefits of SP3. Do as Jay
tells you, and you will be fine.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Based on horror stories from others, I am so very afraid to do anything
that
affects the "REGISTRY". One person wrote that he just uninstalled the
whole
Word program, then reinstalled without adding SP3 and everything worked
fine.
What do you say to that?

I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

Last question first: Microsoft believes that allowing Word to open
documents
from older versions causes a security vulnerability. They chose the
extremely
heavy-handed solution of shutting off the ability to open those
documents,
rather than giving you any choice. As far as they're concerned, nothing
needs to
be fixed because Word now behaves the way they want it to.

Fortunately there is a simpler way to repair the damage than the
complicated
method in the article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922849.

1. Open the Notepad program (Start menu > Programs > Accessories >
Notepad).

2. Copy the following lines from this post and paste them into the empty
Notepad
window:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Security\FileOpenBlock]
"BinaryFiles"=dword:00000000

There should be four lines, including the blank second line. Save the
document
on your Windows desktop as FileUnblock1.reg (the extension is important).

3. Double-click the icon of FileUnblock.reg on the desktop. A message box
will
ask whether you want to add it to your registry, and you should click
Yes.
Another message should say that it was successfully added.

Now try opening the document in Word. It should open; but if you get the
same
message, open Notepad again to another empty window, and copy/paste these
four
lines:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Security\FileOpenBlock]
"BinaryFiles"=dword:00000000

Save this file to the desktop as FileUnblock2.reg, and double-click that
icon.
The same two messages should be handled the same way.

That should take care of the problem, but if it doesn't do it, post back
here.
There are several other items in the registry that may need to be undone
in a
similar way.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup
so all may benefit.

 

[Jay Freedman]

I say it will work, until Microsoft Update sends SP3 again. Maybe that's enough
for you -- you really aren't likely to get many more files from old versions of
Word. (And tell the person who sent you this one that it's way past time to
upgrade.)

Based on horror stories from others, I am so very afraid to do anything that
affects the "REGISTRY". One person wrote that he just uninstalled the whole
Word program, then reinstalled without adding SP3 and everything worked fine.
What do you say to that?

I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003 and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain how to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't Microsoft
fix this problem?

Last question first: Microsoft believes that allowing Word to open documents
from older versions causes a security vulnerability. They chose the extremely
heavy-handed solution of shutting off the ability to open those documents,
rather than giving you any choice. As far as they're concerned, nothing needs to
be fixed because Word now behaves the way they want it to.

Fortunately there is a simpler way to repair the damage than the complicated
method in the article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922849.

1. Open the Notepad program (Start menu > Programs > Accessories > Notepad).

2. Copy the following lines from this post and paste them into the empty Notepad
window:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Security\FileOpenBlock]
"BinaryFiles"=dword:00000000

There should be four lines, including the blank second line. Save the document
on your Windows desktop as FileUnblock1.reg (the extension is important).

3. Double-click the icon of FileUnblock.reg on the desktop. A message box will
ask whether you want to add it to your registry, and you should click Yes.
Another message should say that it was successfully added.

Now try opening the document in Word. It should open; but if you get the same
message, open Notepad again to another empty window, and copy/paste these four
lines:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Security\FileOpenBlock]
"BinaryFiles"=dword:00000000

Save this file to the desktop as FileUnblock2.reg, and double-click that icon.
The same two messages should be handled the same way.

That should take care of the problem, but if it doesn't do it, post back here.
There are several other items in the registry that may need to be undone in a
similar way.

 

[JoAnn Paules]

What do you mean it ends in trust.doc? Is that document something you can
send to me to see if I can figure out what's going on?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

It is a CD sent to me with a document I need to open and make changes to.
It
says it is a Word document, and it ends with Trust.doc. Does that help?
He
also tried sending it as an e-mail attachment, but that didn't work
either.

Is this just one file?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

Yes, it says Microsoft Word, and when I try to open it, it gives me the
same
message everybody else is getting.

:

Is it a .doc file? Are you sure it's a Word document?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just can't
access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

:

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you
dealing
with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word
2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to
explain
how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why
doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[Dot M]

No, it is personal trust documents. That is the file extension .doc.

What do you mean it ends in trust.doc? Is that document something you can
send to me to see if I can figure out what's going on?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

It is a CD sent to me with a document I need to open and make changes to.
It
says it is a Word document, and it ends with Trust.doc. Does that help?
He
also tried sending it as an e-mail attachment, but that didn't work
either.

Is this just one file?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


Yes, it says Microsoft Word, and when I try to open it, it gives me the
same
message everybody else is getting.

:

Is it a .doc file? Are you sure it's a Word document?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just can't
access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

:

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you
dealing
with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word
2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to
explain
how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why
doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[JoAnn Paules]

Can you contact the file's originator?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

No, it is personal trust documents. That is the file extension .doc.

What do you mean it ends in trust.doc? Is that document something you can
send to me to see if I can figure out what's going on?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

It is a CD sent to me with a document I need to open and make changes
to.
It
says it is a Word document, and it ends with Trust.doc. Does that
help?
He
also tried sending it as an e-mail attachment, but that didn't work
either.

:

Is this just one file?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


Yes, it says Microsoft Word, and when I try to open it, it gives me
the
same
message everybody else is getting.

:

Is it a .doc file? Are you sure it's a Word document?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as
an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just
can't
access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

:

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you
dealing
with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S
Word
2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do
not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to
explain
how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why
doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[Dot M]

Yes, and he says it is Word Perfect, and I don't have Word Perfect. Is there
someway I can open a Word Perfect document that is sent to me as an
attachment?

Can you contact the file's originator?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

No, it is personal trust documents. That is the file extension .doc.

What do you mean it ends in trust.doc? Is that document something you can
send to me to see if I can figure out what's going on?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


It is a CD sent to me with a document I need to open and make changes
to.
It
says it is a Word document, and it ends with Trust.doc. Does that
help?
He
also tried sending it as an e-mail attachment, but that didn't work
either.

:

Is this just one file?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


Yes, it says Microsoft Word, and when I try to open it, it gives me
the
same
message everybody else is getting.

:

Is it a .doc file? Are you sure it's a Word document?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I don't know. I received a file on a CD and also the same file as
an
attachment in an e-mail and I don't know the version. I just
can't
access
the file. The message just says "earlier version".

:

Word 2003 will open several older versions. Which one are you
dealing
with?

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S
Word
2003
and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do
not
understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to
explain
how
to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why
doesn't
Microsoft
fix this problem?

 

[Don]

Yes, and he says it is Word Perfect, and I don't have Word Perfect.
Is there someway I can open a Word Perfect document that is sent to me
as an attachment?

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=wordperfect%
2Bviewer&btnG=Google+Search

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Dot,

MS Office 2007 comes with optional converters for opening Word Perfect documents that you can install.

From the Windows control panel, Add/Remove Programs, bring up the Microsoft Office 2007 program then in Add features choose
Microsoft Office=>Office Shared Features=>Converters and Filters
to set the 'Text converters' to 'run from my computer' status, then use File=>Open in Word to open the Word Perfect file after
saving it to your computer disk from the email.

========
Yes, and he says it is Word Perfect, and I don't have Word Perfect. Is there
someway I can open a Word Perfect document that is sent to me as an
attachment?>>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[jcrichar33]

I tried your registry fix procedure (changing the "BinaryFiles" dword=0) in
both the HKEY_CURRENT-USER sections you specified and I still could not open
files created in Word 2. Looking at the MS bulletin
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922849, I noticed that they said to change
the "FilesBeforeVersion" dword =0. So in the two procedures you gave us, I
changed "BinaryFiles" to "FilesBeforeVersion" and reran them both. Now my
Registry has both the "BinaryFiles" and "FilesBeforeVersion" dword=0 in both
the HKEY sections.

I can now open WORD 2.0 Files.

Thanks for your help.

I say it will work, until Microsoft Update sends SP3 again. Maybe that's enough
for you -- you really aren't likely to get many more files from old versions of
Word. (And tell the person who sent you this one that it's way past time to
upgrade.)

Based on horror stories from others, I am so very afraid to do anything that
affects the "REGISTRY". One person wrote that he just uninstalled the whole
Word program, then reinstalled without adding SP3 and everything worked fine.
What do you say to that?

I, like so many others, am having this problem. I have M/S Word 2003 and
cannot open an older file. I am not a computer guru and do not understand
all this hi-tech computer terminology. Is there some way to explain how to
fix this in easy to understand language? Furthermore, why doesn't Microsoft
fix this problem?

Last question first: Microsoft believes that allowing Word to open documents
from older versions causes a security vulnerability. They chose the extremely
heavy-handed solution of shutting off the ability to open those documents,
rather than giving you any choice. As far as they're concerned, nothing needs to
be fixed because Word now behaves the way they want it to.

Fortunately there is a simpler way to repair the damage than the complicated
method in the article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922849.

1. Open the Notepad program (Start menu > Programs > Accessories > Notepad).

2. Copy the following lines from this post and paste them into the empty Notepad
window:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Security\FileOpenBlock]
"BinaryFiles"=dword:00000000

There should be four lines, including the blank second line. Save the document
on your Windows desktop as FileUnblock1.reg (the extension is important).

3. Double-click the icon of FileUnblock.reg on the desktop. A message box will
ask whether you want to add it to your registry, and you should click Yes.
Another message should say that it was successfully added.

Now try opening the document in Word. It should open; but if you get the same
message, open Notepad again to another empty window, and copy/paste these four
lines:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Security\FileOpenBlock]
"BinaryFiles"=dword:00000000

Save this file to the desktop as FileUnblock2.reg, and double-click that icon.
The same two messages should be handled the same way.

That should take care of the problem, but if it doesn't do it, post back here.
There are several other items in the registry that may need to be undone in a
similar way.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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