Unable open Word doc "file type blocked due registry policy setti

[david@rogersmead]

Unable to open an (old) word document. Error message indicates that:-
File was created in an earlier verison of Microsoft Office.
This file type is blocked from opening in this version by your registry
policy setting.

How do I access/change my "registry policy setting"? And or how do I
otherwise open this document

 

[Peter Jamieson]

See

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922849

 

[david@rogersmead]

Thanks to P Jamieson (and Microsoft) but as my various old docs are in
various subfolders this is fairly impractical.

I am using 2003 and presume this blocking has been brought in only in the
recent Word SP and or 2007 converter. WHY

Has anyone got a "batch" converter or am I going to have to install ANOTHER
(old) copy of word (or Open Office!) to read my own files readily.

I am astounded that Word 2003 (even after SP's) should not remain backwards
compatible with MS's own products! Is there likely to be a "proper" fix
brought out?

a copy of

 

[Scott R]

Try Article 938810. This has the Registry changes you need. For Word I had
to add New DWORD Value FilesBeforeConversion manually.

 

[Scott R]

Sorry, what I meant to say was I had to add new DWORD "FilesBeforeConversion"
manually.

 

[Tamarah Hoffman]

Similarly to David, I am unable to open an ealier version of a word
document. I am currently using Vista and Word 2007. While I have done
Peter's suggestion, read the article AND have done the changes suggested
(manually and as much as I could figure out) I am not a techo wiz. Any
suggestions?

 

[Yunik Z.]

Similar problem to the above posters'. Is there a phone number available to
get someone walk us through?
Thanks.