Can't open a word 2007 document from Windows Explorer

Open Word 2007 and go to Office Button | Word Options | Resources. Click Diagnose. This will repair and reregister Office 2007, which should solve the problem. If not, see http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/change-which-programs-windows-uses-by-default. Uninstalling the trial version of Office 2010 will help, too, of course.

Any .docx documents that you have created in Word 2007 or 2010 should still be .docx files. Documents created in earlier versions will be .doc files. If you're saying that you're now seeing file extensions where you didn't before, this is probably just a result of not having the correct file association for the .doc or .docx file type. That also will be corrected by reregistering Word. But, as a general rule, it is better to be able to see the file extensions to reduce the risk of being duped by a file named, say, Malware.doc.exe, which you think is a Word document but is really a malicious executable.

Before doing the 2007 Office Repairas Suzanne described, make sure you have completely uninstalled the 2010 trial. Run the Fix it in this tip:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301  2010 If you have 64-bit windows, download the tools to your HD before running them (make copy of your NORMAL.DOTM, EXCEL.XLSM, and for 2010 QAT: Excel.officeui and Word.officeui if you have done any customization). 

NOTE: 2 people have said that the Fix It in method 2 would not run in Windows 8.

Method 2 in this tip does a more thorough job that the “normal” uninstall via Programs and Features (aka Method 1 in the tip). The Normal uninstall is designed with the assumption that you will be re-installing Office. It does NOT delete everything. It leaves configuration files like NORMAL.DOTM and other templates etc. and it also leaves configuration Registry entries. These “carry-overs” may contain corruption that is causing your problem.

Method 1: Uninstall from Control Panel

Method 2: Uninstall using Fix it 9737366

Method 3: Uninstall with the Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter

Method 4: Remove manually

If uninstall of Click to Run Office does not work:

• Start run window: <Win R>
• Start Services dialog: services.msc
• Locate ‘Client Virtualization”
• Right click, select Properties.
• Set Startup type to disabled and Stop the service.
• Repeat FIX IT from KB 290301

After running the uninstall, shut down and restart the computer normally BEFORE doing the Office 2007 Repair that Suzanne instructed you to do.

Installing and uninstalling the Office 2010 trial WILL NOT have any effect on the file extension of existing files.  Any new files you created in the trial will use the default file format specified in the trial.  Normally that would be DOCX, but it could have been reset to DOC.   Do you remember doing something like that?

Are you saying that before none of the file showed ANY file extension? That is a Windows Explorer Setting. 

Or, are you saying that files you expected to see as DOCX are some how "magically" now DOC files?

Hi

I thought of uninstalling the 2010 version but there are so many things with 2010 at the end I'm scared of deleting something I shouldn't.

Hi

I thought of uninstalling the 2010 version but there are so many things with 2010 at the end I'm scared of deleting something I shouldn't.

Please expand on what "things with 2010" that you are concerned about deleting. I would like to alleviate your concerns so you can do the "right thing" technically.

To confirm, the situation you are talking about is a trial of Office 2010 that has expired to "limited function" mode and an Office 2007 installation you want to make your primary version.

The expired 2010 trial can only be used in "read only" mode. It is not of much use to you since you have a copy of 2007.

When do an Office uninstall it definitely will NOT delete any of your personal DOCX, XLSX etc files you have created using it. 

When you do an Office 2010 uninstall it definitely will NOT cause any problems with your Office 2007 installation.  The reason you have to do an Office Repair of your 2007 installation is simply to reset the Windows Registry so that Windows knows that Office 2007 is your currently installed version.

You still did not expand on your issue with "DOC" files.  Please do.

Hi and thanks for your reply.  

I tried to uninstall 2010 and it uninstalled everything with 2010 at the end except "Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010".  When I try again to uninstall it I get the message "This product installation has been corrupted.  Please run set up again from the CD, DVD or other original installation source" which of course I don't have.

Also, the file extensions used to be in lower case - doc, docx - but now they appear as DOC.  Don't know if this is significant.

Finally, doc email attachments now want to open in 2010.

Thanks for help.  Hope I've replied to everything.

See this article as to how to uninstall 2010 versions, it shows both the Fixit method and manual methods

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301/en-gb

The file extension font is not significant, untill you uninstall all 2010 trial versions & repair 2007 the file associations will not be reset to point to your Office version

After uninstalling and rebooting, repair your 2007 version

Hi Palcouk

I have tried that, and Office 2013 doesn't appear on the list, but there are various programmes with 2010 at the end.  Do I have to uninstall each of them?

I have printed the screen but don't know how to attach it for you to look at.  It's in Word format.

Not entirely sure where you are looking, see

I have printed the screen but don't know how to attach it for you to look at.  It's in Word format.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/feedback/wiki/feedback_other-na/how-to-embed-images-on-microsoft-community/f74dac61-38d6-492e-8e71-286ab2645b2a

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/feedback/forum/feedback_other-na/how-to-embed-images-on-microsoft-community/a7ccddd9-ffff-4114-a0ad-c004e4a72a8a

In short form, the image must be in PNG, JPG, GIF, and BMP format.  Use the “Add Image” button that is on the same line as the “Bold”, “Italic”, “Underline” feature buttons.

So, you will first have to save screen captures to a file on your HD or the internet, ie skydrive, before you can insert them in the discussion using the “Add Image” button.