Unable to open file created in earlier version

[Dilbert]

Is there information listed anywhere in Microsoft concerning what versions of
WORD will open which previous WORD version documents from both Windows AND
MAC WORD apps?

There are many businesses that have been faithful to WORD for decades and
have important legacy WORD documents in countless volumes. It would be
helpful if a table could show forward compatibility limits.

Right now, Im ready to purchase newer versions of WORD, but it's prudent to
know which versions will blind me to even more older WORD docs!

Of course the same thing applies to Excel.

Can anyone make sense of this?
--
-Dilbert

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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