Word Error

[Lois]

My brother in law was running ME2000 on his previous laptop and changed to a new laptop running Vista Premium. He transferred all his word document files over using a pen drive but encountered problems trying to open them. The files are all visable in folders, however when you try and open them in word it says...

word experienced and error trying to open the file
Try these suggestions
Check the file permissions for the document or drive - appear OK
Make sure there is sufficient free memory and disk space - loads of space
Open file with text recovery converter - not sure how, but have run detect and repair

He's now installed office 2003 but the problem is exactly the same.

I can get the basic texts for him by opening it in WordPad but all his business headders and layouts are gobbledegook!!

Help!

[Globulator]

Phone up Microsoft Support?

[annodomini2]

What version of word are they from?

[JamieBeeston]

Sounds like the files might be corrupt.

try and repair them (iirc word has a repair feature, but I'm no secretary so don't quote me!)

J

[Scraggles]

open with word pad onr notepad to retrieve the text part and forget about the formatting

[Lois]

I've got all the text elements, but all his company headers etc aren't available.
He's been on the microsoft website and downloaded some update thingymabob but I'll advise him to ring them up by the sounds of it.

[Lord Grover]

Does he/do you still have access to the original laptop? If so, are you able to open the files there?

[Lois]

The files were all fine on the old laptop. They were all transferred to the pen drive and subsequently deleted after transfer to new laptop.

[Lord Grover]

Let me rephrase then; are you ab;e to copy the files back to the original laptop?
I ask because I'd be amazed if it's just a newer version thing - what version of Word do you have on the ME laptop?

[TheKeyboardDemon]

Alternatively if you can't try original laptop with original files, take copied files to a different pc/laptop with either XP or Win 2000 and see if the files open on the PC/laptop. That way you can determine whether files are corrupted or Vista is having a problem with them.

[Lord Grover]

The reason I ask is it would have been an unusual and expensive option to have Office or just Word on a Windoze ME PC at the time. I think it's likely you had M$ Works - is that possible? If so, open the files in Works, save them as .RTF so that the current version of Word will get most of the formatting right.

HTH

[andy_s]

Word's an arse isn't it - I've also had similar problems and had to resort to nicking someones disc to install word - surely this should be a global free standard rather than a very very expensive add-on....

Sorry - having thought about it and seeing that Microsoft are nearly destitute and broke with Gates rolling around in an old Allegro I take back my harsh words and wish them all well in trying to achieve having their product on evryones computer for an exorbitant sum. Sorry....

[spitfire-ian]

Lord Grover said:

The reason I ask is it would have been an unusual and expensive option to have Office or just Word on a Windoze ME PC at the time. I think it's likely you had M$ Works - is that possible? If so, open the files in Works, save them as .RTF so that the current version of Word will get most of the formatting right.

HTH

Word does open Works files you know

[Lois]

I'm pretty sure he was using Word previously.

I'll see if he can bring a copy and I'll try them on my PC

[BliarOut]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Just because they're deleted doesn't mean they're actually gone. Restorer2000 can probably get them back if you have access to the laptop still. The demo copy will show you what files are recoverable and if they're less than 64k in size the free version will even recover them

If they're .doc files it sounds like the versions copied to the pen drive became corrupt somehow.