Powerpoint 2003/XP compatibility issues

[Stephen]

I know that Powerpoint 2003 is supposed to be backwards compatible as far as
Powerpoint 97, but we're having problems opening files saved in PP2003 with
PPXP. Regardless of the file or the machine, Powerpoint XP crashes if you try
to open a PP2003 file. However, if you save the file in Powerpoint 95 format
(which quadruples the file size), it opens just fine in Powerpoint XP.

All machines involved are running Windows XP SP2 and either Office 2003 Pro
or Office XP Pro with all applicable service packs.

Anyone else encountering problems like this?

 

[Michael Koerner]

You need to go into Tools | Options | View | and disable the new features before
you create and save your presentation. That, when you save as a PowerPoint
presentation, will work in 97

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Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


I know that Powerpoint 2003 is supposed to be backwards compatible as far as
Powerpoint 97, but we're having problems opening files saved in PP2003 with
PPXP. Regardless of the file or the machine, Powerpoint XP crashes if you try
to open a PP2003 file. However, if you save the file in Powerpoint 95 format
(which quadruples the file size), it opens just fine in Powerpoint XP.

All machines involved are running Windows XP SP2 and either Office 2003 Pro
or Office XP Pro with all applicable service packs.

Anyone else encountering problems like this?

 

[Stephen]

What do you mean by "new features"? If I go to Tools | Options | View, I've
got options for Show and Slide Show, but none of them seem to be relevant.

 

[Sonia]

(Psst. Michael, Stephen is opening the file in PowerPoint 2002, not 97. He
shouldn't need to turn off the new features.)

Stephen, when it crashes do you also get an error message? In other words, can
you define what crash means in this case. Does PowerPoint 2002 just shut down,
does it freeze, does it give you a blue screen of death and crash Windows, or
does it give you a message that it has encountered an error an needs to close?
If the latter, did you opt to send a report to Microsoft?

 

[Michael Koerner]

Whoops!! Should have said Tools | Options | Edit and not View. My apologies

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Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


What do you mean by "new features"? If I go to Tools | Options | View, I've
got options for Show and Slide Show, but none of them seem to be relevant.

 

[Michael Koerner]

Your right it is 2003. An error message would be appropriate. I must read these
messages more closely. I just assumed that he might be trying to open a password
protected 2003 presentation in PowerPoint 97
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<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


(Psst. Michael, Stephen is opening the file in PowerPoint 2002, not 97. He
shouldn't need to turn off the new features.)

Stephen, when it crashes do you also get an error message? In other words, can
you define what crash means in this case. Does PowerPoint 2002 just shut down,
does it freeze, does it give you a blue screen of death and crash Windows, or
does it give you a message that it has encountered an error an needs to close?
If the latter, did you opt to send a report to Microsoft?

 

[Stephen]

OK, just tried it again (and incidentally, I tried turning off the new
features just in case). The file opens, but as soon as it finishes loading, I
get the "Powerpoint has encountered a problem . . . " message. I've sent the
error report and there's no articles about it. The application event log has
an event ID of 1001 with the filename DW.exe, but the error log that is being
sent has the faulting module as ntdll.dll with offset 00010f29.

 

[Sonia]

It's good that you sent the report. Sometimes we luck out and the problem is
known and helpful feedback is received. Sometimes the problem isn't recognize
so no info comes back.

I'm wondering if there might be some corruption in the file, but you said that
it happens with all files. For the file that you just tested, could you try
"round-tripping" it? The steps for round-tripping are at:

HTML "Round-tripping" to repair corruption
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00526.htm

 

[mssmith357]

I, too, am having this issue. The problem with the "round-tripping" idea,
which I'd like to try, is that I can't open the file to do a "save-as". Is
there another way to save a powerpoint file in another format? Simply
renaming the filetype .htm from .ppt does not work.

 

[Echo S]

I don't know the answer to your specific question, but do you have all the
service packs for Office XP applied? That's probably where I'd start.