New PC, Office 97 docs won't auto start

[Bob]

Have installed Office 97 on new PC. Double clicking a doc saved under
Word 97 causes dialogue box that says "C:\....doc is not a valid Win 32
application." Document is easlity opened from Word 97. Right click on
doc, general tab, "opens with" shows Word 97. Clicking "change"
confirms Word 97 is already chosen to use to "open this file"

 

[garfield-n-odie [MVP]]

The default action in the Windows file association for .doc files
is probably set to "run" instead of "open". Try re-registering
Word as described at
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ReRegisterWord.htm .

 

[Bob]

OK. I tried running "winword /r" Dialog box pops up : "Please wait
while Windows configures Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003." Says
its gathering info, then disappears. Same "not valid Win32 app"
response. Any other ideas?

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Have you tried launching Word from the Start, All Programs menu? You
need to verify whether Office is installed properly by launching it
first.

File associations are automatic for a properly installed software.

Let us know what happens.

 

[Bob]

Well, I reinstalled Office 97 to a suuccessful finish (according to the
dialog box). I ran WORD 97 from the Start, All Programs Menu, and it
came up just fine. I saved a test document. closed WORD, and then
double clicked the test doc.
This time I got box that said "The command cannot be performed because
a dialog box is open. Click OK and then close open dialog boxes to
continue" I did so and up came WORD 2003 with a dialog box asking me to
choose to activate the trial version or buy the full production version
now. Neither was not an option!! They did provide a cacel
option which I took. Maybe all roads lead to Word 2003 no matter what
one does! So it seems!

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Bob,

You need to be precise when you are seeking any help on theis NG. In
your first message, you didn't say anything about trial version of
Office 2003. Did you? Your subject line is also misleading!

The trial version is your default application. Now when you installed
this trial version, did you you elect that you want to keep the old
version (office 97 as I understand it) to run with this trial version?

I think, the system is confused about file associations. This can only
be resolved if you uninstall the trial version or convert it to full
version. I don't think there is a facility to run two different
versions of Office when one is only a trial version.

hth

 

[garfield-n-odie [MVP]]

If you're using Symantec/Norton AntiVirus, try disabling the
Office Plugin that comes with it. See
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329820 "How to use Office
programs with the Norton AntiVirus Office plug-in" for more
information.

 

[garfield-n-odie [MVP]]

I would uninstall the trial version of Office 2003 before
installing your full version of Office 97. The trial version
will go into "reduced functionality mode" in a few weeks anyway,
so it won't be of much use to you.

 

[Bob]

OK, first of all, I never intentionally installed Office 2003 Trial.
Early in this sad saga, it just popped up and started installing
itself. It never offered an option regarding designating it default or
not. I would love it if I never saw Office 2003 Trial again. A Google
search lead me to understand that Microsoft won't let you uninstall it,
at least not completely. However, if someone can point me to the
uninstall process, I'll be happy to try that!

 

[garfield-n-odie [MVP]]

See
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA010984891033.aspx .