Word wont work right with .doc files

[Xedden]

If I click on a .doc file the computer doesnt know what to do with it. If I
right click and go to open with word is not an option. Where is the actual
program located? Is there something else I need to do to get this to work
out? This is on a Vista machine, no problems on the xp machine that I
installed it on too.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Try this:

Click Start (the Vista orb/pearl), type winword.exe /r into the Start Search
box, and press Enter.

This should re-register Word and fix the file associations. If not, then try
doing a repair (close all Office programs, open Control Panel - Uninstall a
Program - click on Microsoft Office [version] - Click Change - Click
Repair - Click Continue, and follow any prompts).

(To answer your other question... the executable for Word [2007] usually is
located here:

D:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12

If you have Word 2003, it will be in OFFICE11 instead of Office12. The
executable is winword.exe.)

 

[Xedden]

So I had the right place for where word was actually located, and I tried
uninstalling and reinstalling Office already. Running the winword.exe /r
didnt work and neither did the manual fix. Thank you for the help though.

Let me add a few details to be more clear. I can open word and then through
word search for the document I want and it will open fine. The problem
comes when I am outside word and flick on a file in the documents folder for
example and it doesnt know what to do with it. The location you said is
where I navigated to in the open with window, but when I click on winword
nothing happens.

Try this:

Click Start (the Vista orb/pearl), type winword.exe /r into the Start Search
box, and press Enter.

This should re-register Word and fix the file associations. If not, then try
doing a repair (close all Office programs, open Control Panel - Uninstall a
Program - click on Microsoft Office [version] - Click Change - Click
Repair - Click Continue, and follow any prompts).

(To answer your other question... the executable for Word [2007] usually is
located here:

D:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12

If you have Word 2003, it will be in OFFICE11 instead of Office12. The
executable is winword.exe.)

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

If I click on a .doc file the computer doesnt know what to do with it. If
I
right click and go to open with word is not an option. Where is the
actual
program located? Is there something else I need to do to get this to
work
out? This is on a Vista machine, no problems on the xp machine that I
installed it on too.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

A not-terribly-satisfying solution might be found in the following way:

1. Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to a .doc file.

2. Right-click the .doc file, choose Open with... -- Choose Default Program.

3a. If Word is displayed among the Recommended Programs listed, click on it,
tick "Always use the selected program...." then click OK.

3b. If Word is NOT displayed among the Recommended Programs, then use the
Browse button... navigate to winword.exe, click on it, click Open, tick
"Always...", then click OK.

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

So I had the right place for where word was actually located, and I tried
uninstalling and reinstalling Office already. Running the winword.exe /r
didnt work and neither did the manual fix. Thank you for the help though.

Let me add a few details to be more clear. I can open word and then
through
word search for the document I want and it will open fine. The problem
comes when I am outside word and flick on a file in the documents folder
for
example and it doesnt know what to do with it. The location you said is
where I navigated to in the open with window, but when I click on winword
nothing happens.

Try this:

Click Start (the Vista orb/pearl), type winword.exe /r into the Start
Search
box, and press Enter.

This should re-register Word and fix the file associations. If not, then
try
doing a repair (close all Office programs, open Control Panel - Uninstall
a
Program - click on Microsoft Office [version] - Click Change - Click
Repair - Click Continue, and follow any prompts).

(To answer your other question... the executable for Word [2007] usually
is
located here:

D:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12

If you have Word 2003, it will be in OFFICE11 instead of Office12. The
executable is winword.exe.)

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

If I click on a .doc file the computer doesnt know what to do with it.
If
I
right click and go to open with word is not an option. Where is the
actual
program located? Is there something else I need to do to get this to
work
out? This is on a Vista machine, no problems on the xp machine that I
installed it on too.

 

[Xedden]

Thats the first thing I did. I would click on winword and it would go back
to the screen with the programs that you can use to open with and it isnt
there. Word will not show up on that screen.

A not-terribly-satisfying solution might be found in the following way:

1. Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to a .doc file.

2. Right-click the .doc file, choose Open with... -- Choose Default Program.

3a. If Word is displayed among the Recommended Programs listed, click on it,
tick "Always use the selected program...." then click OK.

3b. If Word is NOT displayed among the Recommended Programs, then use the
Browse button... navigate to winword.exe, click on it, click Open, tick
"Always...", then click OK.

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

So I had the right place for where word was actually located, and I tried
uninstalling and reinstalling Office already. Running the winword.exe /r
didnt work and neither did the manual fix. Thank you for the help though.

Let me add a few details to be more clear. I can open word and then
through
word search for the document I want and it will open fine. The problem
comes when I am outside word and flick on a file in the documents folder
for
example and it doesnt know what to do with it. The location you said is
where I navigated to in the open with window, but when I click on winword
nothing happens.

Try this:

Click Start (the Vista orb/pearl), type winword.exe /r into the Start
Search
box, and press Enter.

This should re-register Word and fix the file associations. If not, then
try
doing a repair (close all Office programs, open Control Panel - Uninstall
a
Program - click on Microsoft Office [version] - Click Change - Click
Repair - Click Continue, and follow any prompts).

(To answer your other question... the executable for Word [2007] usually
is
located here:

D:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12

If you have Word 2003, it will be in OFFICE11 instead of Office12. The
executable is winword.exe.)

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


If I click on a .doc file the computer doesnt know what to do with it.
If
I
right click and go to open with word is not an option. Where is the
actual
program located? Is there something else I need to do to get this to
work
out? This is on a Vista machine, no problems on the xp machine that I
installed it on too.

 

[M Scott]

Hi - I am having if not the same, a very similar problem.
I am running Vista Business (OEM Dell) which also came with MS Works
preinstalled. I have since installed MS Office 2003 Pro, after which I
unistalled Works.

I can open .doc files from within MS Word and I can create new .doc files. I
am unable to open them via shortcuts or Windows Explorer.

What I am unable to do is add MS Word to the list of applications when I
highlight .doc extension. (via Control Panel - Default Programs - Set
Assciations - Change Program - browse for winword.exe and click 'open'). It
does not add the application to the applications list. I can add other Office
applications such as PowerPoint, Excel etc)

Word is associated with other file extensions such as .dot .docxml etc - it
just seems to be the .doc extension.

I am thinking that this may be a bug - any ideas?

Thats the first thing I did. I would click on winword and it would go back
to the screen with the programs that you can use to open with and it isnt
there. Word will not show up on that screen.

A not-terribly-satisfying solution might be found in the following way:

1. Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to a .doc file.

2. Right-click the .doc file, choose Open with... -- Choose Default Program.

3a. If Word is displayed among the Recommended Programs listed, click on it,
tick "Always use the selected program...." then click OK.

3b. If Word is NOT displayed among the Recommended Programs, then use the
Browse button... navigate to winword.exe, click on it, click Open, tick
"Always...", then click OK.

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

So I had the right place for where word was actually located, and I tried
uninstalling and reinstalling Office already. Running the winword.exe /r
didnt work and neither did the manual fix. Thank you for the help though.

Let me add a few details to be more clear. I can open word and then
through
word search for the document I want and it will open fine. The problem
comes when I am outside word and flick on a file in the documents folder
for
example and it doesnt know what to do with it. The location you said is
where I navigated to in the open with window, but when I click on winword
nothing happens.

:

Try this:

Click Start (the Vista orb/pearl), type winword.exe /r into the Start
Search
box, and press Enter.

This should re-register Word and fix the file associations. If not, then
try
doing a repair (close all Office programs, open Control Panel - Uninstall
a
Program - click on Microsoft Office [version] - Click Change - Click
Repair - Click Continue, and follow any prompts).

(To answer your other question... the executable for Word [2007] usually
is
located here:

D:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12

If you have Word 2003, it will be in OFFICE11 instead of Office12. The
executable is winword.exe.)

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


If I click on a .doc file the computer doesnt know what to do with it.
If
I
right click and go to open with word is not an option. Where is the
actual
program located? Is there something else I need to do to get this to
work
out? This is on a Vista machine, no problems on the xp machine that I
installed it on too.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

This does seem to be a common problem with Word .doc (sometimes docx) files
in Vista. It appears to be a registry key issue. Take a look at the
discussion here to see if the solution provided by "anna" on 6/17/2007 can
fix your problem:

http://www.computerhaven.info/forum/printable.aspx?m=55770&mpage=1

You might need to join that conversation and see if Patty MacDuffie will
send you the fix she's sent to others.

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

Hi - I am having if not the same, a very similar problem.
I am running Vista Business (OEM Dell) which also came with MS Works
preinstalled. I have since installed MS Office 2003 Pro, after which I
unistalled Works.

I can open .doc files from within MS Word and I can create new .doc files.
I
am unable to open them via shortcuts or Windows Explorer.

What I am unable to do is add MS Word to the list of applications when I
highlight .doc extension. (via Control Panel - Default Programs - Set
Assciations - Change Program - browse for winword.exe and click 'open').
It
does not add the application to the applications list. I can add other
Office
applications such as PowerPoint, Excel etc)

Word is associated with other file extensions such as .dot .docxml etc -
it
just seems to be the .doc extension.

I am thinking that this may be a bug - any ideas?

Thats the first thing I did. I would click on winword and it would go
back
to the screen with the programs that you can use to open with and it isnt
there. Word will not show up on that screen.

A not-terribly-satisfying solution might be found in the following way:

1. Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to a .doc file.

2. Right-click the .doc file, choose Open with... -- Choose Default
Program.

3a. If Word is displayed among the Recommended Programs listed, click
on it,
tick "Always use the selected program...." then click OK.

3b. If Word is NOT displayed among the Recommended Programs, then use
the
Browse button... navigate to winword.exe, click on it, click Open, tick
"Always...", then click OK.

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


So I had the right place for where word was actually located, and I
tried
uninstalling and reinstalling Office already. Running the
winword.exe /r
didnt work and neither did the manual fix. Thank you for the help
though.

Let me add a few details to be more clear. I can open word and then
through
word search for the document I want and it will open fine. The
problem
comes when I am outside word and flick on a file in the documents
folder
for
example and it doesnt know what to do with it. The location you said
is
where I navigated to in the open with window, but when I click on
winword
nothing happens.

:

Try this:

Click Start (the Vista orb/pearl), type winword.exe /r into the
Start
Search
box, and press Enter.

This should re-register Word and fix the file associations. If not,
then
try
doing a repair (close all Office programs, open Control Panel -
Uninstall
a
Program - click on Microsoft Office [version] - Click Change - Click
Repair - Click Continue, and follow any prompts).

(To answer your other question... the executable for Word [2007]
usually
is
located here:

D:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12

If you have Word 2003, it will be in OFFICE11 instead of Office12.
The
executable is winword.exe.)

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


If I click on a .doc file the computer doesnt know what to do with
it.
If
I
right click and go to open with word is not an option. Where is
the
actual
program located? Is there something else I need to do to get
this to
work
out? This is on a Vista machine, no problems on the xp machine
that I
installed it on too.

 

[Chris Hooker]

The problem with Word not opening "doc" files correctly when they are double clicked OR when they are right clicked and then "Open With" is a result of a Microsoft Update that was released in July.

I haven't identified yet which update it was, but it started on two different machines and installation of Word immediately following a slew of Windows Updates that were done.

A search of the Microsoft Knowledge base so far doesn't uncover a specific solution, so to date there is no solution that I've found.

I will be reviewing all the Windows updates and will try uninstalling each individually to see if I can identify the culprit.

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