Why can't I open my old word files?

[JAKARTAJIVE]

I have just bought a new iMac and have installed Microsoft Office: Mac 2008
on it.
I have saved a load of important files from my old eMac on an external hard
drive.
However, whenever I try to open them, it tells me this:

THE DOCUMENT NAME OR PATH IS NOT VALID.
TRY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING:
- CHECK THE PATH TO MAKE SURE IT WAS TYPED CORRECTLY.
- ON THE FILE MENU, CLICK OPEN. SEARCH FOR THE FILE USING THIS DIALOG BOX.

or else it tells me that the document uses a file typoe that is blocked from
opening in this version - and recommends the Open on the File Menu again.

I have tried using the FILE - OPEN route and still get nothing.

What can I do to re-access my old word files?

Many thanks,
Hugh

 

[grammatim]

If this turns out to be a Mac-specific question, you may have to ask
in a different newsgroup, but as a general rule, Word files should
never be opened directly from external media -- copy it to your hard
drive first.

(Though this warning hasn't usually been seen regarding an external
hard drive, but only flash drives and emails and CDs and diskettes.)