[Terryl]

Just bought a new PC with W7 after jumping from Windows ME. Quite a difference. Just a little help please.
My Word 98 .doc files were copied over and am now trying to read it with word 2007 in W7. I got alot of unreadable garbage at the begining of the file and then maybe some sense later but not in any order.
I then created and saved a file using file type word 98-2003 .doc but it came out unreadable.
I then created another file saved it in word document type .docx file, this came out as normal.
Is word 98 .doc file not compatible with 2007 Word .doc file ? Is there a fix for this ?
I ran all the updates today.
Thanks for any help.
Terryl

[davehc]

Try this . MsWord saves docx now, as a default. (Don't ask!) try this .exe and covert them all. You can also save all future files as the old .docs if you wish, in the options.
Sorry could not upload for some reason try here:

http://www.docx2doc.com/

P.S. Later.
Just read you post again (more carefully!) I can see I had the wrong direction here. But, as Calvin says, a Doc file is, up to MS word 2010, still a .doc file and opens normally.

[calvin-c]

Word 98 .doc files *should* open just fine in Word 2007. If you're certain they're Word 98 files (contrary to the way Microsoft programmed Windows, the extension does *not* indicate the file type) and you're opening them in Word 2007 (try opening Word 2007, then open the file-that way you won't get messed up if .doc is associated with some other program), then I'd suspect they got corrupted. Or have some sort of protection/encryption on them. If the latter, unprotect them before copying them-then reprotect them in Word 2007 if you want to keep them protected. If the former, then verify that they'll open correctly in Word 98 & try copying them again. Maybe use different media to copy them?

[Terryl]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for your replies, It was not .docx file problem but reading .doc files in WORD 2007. I tried recreating a .doc file (printing golf scorecard cards from .doc format) but still not reading it.The files are not protected or encrypted, just a straight copy from one media to the next.
Can any of you tell me what would happen if I install WORD 98 ?
I still have the original CD, would it corrupt MS office 2007 ?
I do not want to try it as I am still trying to get to grips with W7.
Thanks
Terryl

[Terryl]

Sorry Guys,
The old version of WORD is 97 not 98 as I mentioned, if this makes any difference.

[DoubleHelix]

To clarify, were you using a Mac with Word 98 installed? There is no Word 98 for Windows. There's Word 97, 2000, XP, 2003, and 2007.

Files from previous versions should open in newer versions. The problem could be related to a font or some other type of advanced formatting.

I've never installed multiple versions of Office on one computer. Others might be able to advise on that.

[Terryl]

Hi Guys
Thanks for all your help.
I have got the patch that would convert .doc files.
It is 'word viewer 2003', I installed it and it works perfectly.
I will close this now.
P.S word viewer 2003 will cease end December 2009.
Terryl