"windows cannot find" error accessing Word doc via windows (word X

[Cutterschoice]

I have a very irritating problem trying to access my Word documents via
windows. Be it double clicking through "my documents" or opening word files
through email - I receive a message saying : "windows cannot find C: .......
namedwordfile.doc, please check your spelling...".

The only way I am able to open a word file is to open word first and then
click though using the open file button.

This problem only happens with word documents - all of the other office
applications run perfectly.

I have read through a number of posts relating to word 2007 , but can't find
any for word XP (2002). Using advice from these I have done the following to
no avail:

-Reinstalled office XP - (Ccleaner used after uninstalling it to remove
registry entries)
-Deep scanned for malware using Comodo and a-squared free - nothing...
-I have checked file associations - this is fine
-Ran detect and repair in word.
-Uninstalled comodo security
-Used a different user account to see if it was user related - same problem
-tried registry fix - deleting "data" from :
HKEYcurrent _user/software/microsoft/office/10.0/word/data
(advice was to delete this from word 12 version - I have word 10)
-Tired using "fixit" from microsoft but got error saying it didn't work with
my operating system?

Btw: unlike a lot of other posts, word files still do not open if I was to
double click again(once word is open)

I am guessing a vista update as screwed things up - because I have had no
problems for the last year - I would really appreciate it if any one can
help.

FYI: I'm running Vista home premium and Office XP (both fully updated)

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Have you tried re-registering Word? What you're seeing does seem like an
error embedded in the file association, and re-registering Word sometimes
can fix this.

Try Start - Run, then type "winword.exe /r"

If that doesn't work... try creating another Windows user profile and see if
it's also broken for the "new" user.

--

Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com

 

[Cutterschoice]

Hi,

thanks for the response - I reregistered word as both administrator and in a
newly created user account- both to no avail. A dialog box came up saying
"preparing to install" and after around 20 seconds, disappeared. I assume
that this is normal?..

Anyhow - its still coming up "windows cannot find..." Anything else I
could try?

Thanks,

Ben

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Try creating another Windows user profile and see if the problem occurs for
the "new" user.


Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com

 

[Cutterschoice]

Hi Herb,

I have created a new user account and tested it (it still has the same
problem)- is that different to creating a new windows user profile? If so
how would I go about making one?

Thanks, Ben

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Different names for the same thing.

It does sound like a Vista update messed it up, since it seems to be
systemic and since uninstalling and reinstalling doesn't fix it--nor does
creating an entirely new Office/Word folder structure (which is what happens
when you create a new Windows user).

One suggestion would be to try to recall WHEN the problem began, and use
Windows' Restore feature to restore to a point from before the problem
occurred.

Another suggestion would be to try to selectively remove Windows and Office
updates that have been applied, checking after each removal to see if the
problem is fixed.

Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com