Word 97 Error

[GKProgrammer]

Hi All,

I have Word 97 installed in my computer and I can open Word and select a file to open from there and everything works fine. If I try to open a file by clicking on it in Explorer for example I get this wierd message:

"The Managed Software installer failed to install the program associated with this file. Please contact your system administrator"

This message won't appear if there is already an instance of Word running, the file will just open correctly in this case. Can someone please help this is very annoying.

Regards,
gkprogrammer

 

[Dreamboat]

From Windows Explorer, select any Word DOC file so that it's highlighted.

Hold left shift key, right-mouse-click the file.
Let go of shift key.
In menu, you'll have an extra option because you held shift key (shift not required in XP, I believe).
The extra option is Open With.
Choose it.
Check the checkbox that says "always uses this program..."
Scroll down to Word (winword) in the list of programs and select it.
Hit Ok.
That file should open with Word.
If so, all files should now work on double-click from Explorer.
This is called Windows File Associations. It sounds like your DOC files got configured to be opened with some other program that you likely uninstalled. Anne Troy
Dreamboat@TheWordExpert.com
Anne@MrExcel.com

 

[GKProgrammer]

Hi Anne,

Thank you for the reply but I have already tried doing this, I choose the open with in the menu and I can select winword and it will actually open the file properly. As soon as I try to click on the "always use this program to open this type of file" checkbox the same error message appears and it won't open the file. STRANGE!!!! Any other thoughts please let me know.

Regards,
gkprogrammer

 

[Dreamboat]

Do a find for winword.exe on your system. Perhaps you have more than one and Windows is pointing to a *bad* install. Instead of choosing Winword from the list, you could hit browse instead and point to any other winword.exe on your system.

If you only have one, then I would take the steps to troubleshoot Word at:

http://www.thewordexpert.com/word.htm

Anne Troy
Dreamboat@TheWordExpert.com
Anne@MrExcel.com

 

[joegz]

Try looking at the file association for DOC files by going through Explorer. There is no specification to the OS you are using so the steps could be slightly different

TOOLS - FOLDER OPTIONS
FILE TYPES
Locate the file type for DOC
(It could be listed as microsoft word it could be listed as something else but either way the file type should be DOC)
Once located click on ADVANCED
Select the OPEN action and click on EDIT
Look at the command line it is running as well as look if it using DDE and what is filled in.

I suspect the command line may be correct but perhaps the DDE info is not correct (that is if DDE is being used). joegz
"Sometimes you just need to find out what it's not first to figure out what it is."

 

[GKProgrammer]

Hi Anne and joegz,

Thank you both very much for your replies, I kind of used a combo of both of your answers to fix my problem.

Solution: I deleted the old file association reference to the word doc's and created a new one. I am not sure why this worked seeing as all of the options remained the same from the old file association.

Well some mysteries are better left unsolved.

Thanks Again,
gkprogrammer