how do I open WinXP/Word '03 documents on a Mac?

[gkinard]

I have created documents in Word 2003 (WinXP) on my desk top. I have
just bought an Apple and want to transfer these documents to the Mac.
On the Mac (OS X) I have Word 2004.

I have copied the files from XP to a thumb drive and then copied them
to the Mac desktop. They will not open; get an error message. What can
I do to open these Word documents in the Mac?

 

[CyberTaz]

Word docs should transfer without a problem in the manner you described.
There is no difference in file format. If you're double-clicking the files
try launching Word & using the File>Open command instead. If that fails to
open the files it could be for any of several reasons. It would be quite
helpful to know what the error message is telling you, but I would guess it
stems from one of two common situations (or a combination of both).

First, if the new system came with the Office 2004 Test Drive installed,
that needed to be properly removed *before* installing the retail package
(or as apart of the Installation process). Simply leaving it there or
dragging the TD folder to the Trash will cause further problems down the
road... I assume you *are* using a purchased copy of Office - If you're
actually still using the Test Drive it may be expired (All the more reason
we need to know how the error reads.)

Also, make sure that both Office & OS X are fully up-to-date... Office
should be at 11.3.4 & OS X at 10.4.9 using the Combo update from the Apple
site. New systems are not always completely updated. There is also an OS X
program named Disk Utility in the Utilities folder which provides a routine
called Repair Disk Permission which should be run after any OS updates &
software installations.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[little_creature]

Hello and welcome to mac word!
Generally you should be able to open PC files on Mac-I do shere them almost
daily without problem, so I will ask you few question, which might help us
to find the problem?

*Can you open Word as it is - just double click on that W?

*Do you have test drive installed or it is full version of office - If you
have test drive and open for example excel you will see big notice TEST
drive written over the spreadsheet.

*Did you have test drive installed and you removed it and install full
version?How did you remove then?

If you have full version and you did not reinstall it over the test drive
(means you did not badly remove the test drive and install full version over
it), first of all I would recommended you following

1. update Office here:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx#Office2004

2. The verify and reapir disk permition, this is recommended to do every
time you instal anything to your Mac. Navigate to your Macintosh HDD (the
icon on your desktop) navigate to Application folder>utilities>double click
on disk utility and on the left side of the dialog window which will appear
find your hardisk and hit very/reapir disk permitions.

3. Instal apple combo update:
My guess is that this should be for you, but check please, you haven!t give
as all information needed:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosx1048comboupdateintel.html

4. run verify/repair disk permition again

If you remove testdrive first of all you need to remove it correctly - see
here http://www.microsoft.com/mac/default.aspx?pid=office2004td

Please try to answer above questions.

 

[John McGhie [MVP Word, Word Mac]]

It would have been *really* helpful if you had told us what the error
message "said"

Try starting Word and then using File>Open within Word to open those
documents.

It may be that the File "Kind" for Microsoft Word 2003 has not been
registered on your Mac yet.

That may be a problem with the Test Drive, as others have mentioned. You
need to remove that fully first.

Then select a document in the Finder, right-click it and choose Get Info,
and in that dialog "Open With" and choose Microsoft Word. Check the box
that says "Change All". That registers the Word 2003 file type as being one
that Word 2004 is interested in. After that they should open straight up.

Cheers

--

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. GMT + 10 Hrs
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]