Windows Vista Forums
Vista Forums Home Join Vista Forums Windows 7 Forum Vista Tutorials Tags
Welcome to Windows Vista Forums. Our forum is dedicated to helping you find solutions with any problems, errors or issues you are experiencing with Windows Vista. The Vista forum also covers news and updates and has an extensive Windows Vista tutorial section that covers a wide range of tips and tricks.

Go Back   Vista Forums > Vista Newsgroups > Vista mail

Vista - Cannot Open Word attachment

Reply
 
Old 01-28-2008   #1 (permalink)
Hudineker


 
 

Cannot Open Word attachment

When I receive a Word document as an attachment in an email Windows Mail will
not let me open it.

The file is in the email and has the proper icon and file extension. When I
try to open it it asks if I want to Save or Open the document; I choose Open.
The I get an error message:
"This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this
action. Create an association in the Set Associations control panel."

I can save the attachment to my desktop and then open it no problem but I
don't think that I should have to do that. I should be able to double click
on any attachment and it should open with the proper program, right?

Any Ideas?



My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 01-28-2008   #2 (permalink)
Gary VanderMolen


 
 

Re: Cannot Open Word attachment

Try this fix:
http://www.winhelponline.com/article...ows-Vista.html

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)


"Hudineker" <Hudineker@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:4D3B3B0E-7480-47AC-A88E-6C558C25AE64@xxxxxx
Quote:

> When I receive a Word document as an attachment in an email Windows Mail will
> not let me open it.
>
> The file is in the email and has the proper icon and file extension. When I
> try to open it it asks if I want to Save or Open the document; I choose Open.
> The I get an error message:
> "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this
> action. Create an association in the Set Associations control panel."
>
> I can save the attachment to my desktop and then open it no problem but I
> don't think that I should have to do that. I should be able to double click
> on any attachment and it should open with the proper program, right?
>
> Any Ideas?
>
>

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 01-29-2008   #3 (permalink)
Hudineker


 
 

Re: Cannot Open Word attachment

SOLUTION:

After reading about numerous people with the same problem and trying many
suggestions there was only one that worked for me. This is what I did:

1. Open up the Set Associations tool in Windows Vista.
2. Scroll to and choose the .doc file type, Select "Change Program" button
at top.
3. Select a different program(not Word); I used Adobe Reader; click OK.
4. In the long list of file types the .doc type should reflect that it
associated with the program that you chose. Of course, this means that the
file will definitely not open by default with word anymore. So, don't forget
the next step!!
5. Choose the .doc file type, press the "Change Program" button again; This
time select Word as the default program and click OK.
6. Check that the .doc type in the list says that it is Associated with
Word. If it is, your problem is solved... at least mine was.

I don't know why this trick worked but it did.

Thanks to BARRY HAIGH for posting it in another thread.

Thanks to Gary for his quick response to my previous post.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 01-29-2008   #4 (permalink)
Gary VanderMolen


 
 

Re: Cannot Open Word attachment

It is indeed strange that Vista requires this toggling back and forth
before a setting will stick properly. But we have seen the same
thing with the spelling language selection.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)


"Hudineker" <Hudineker@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:FBE0C674-B5F5-4958-8964-65CF87B34650@xxxxxx
Quote:

> SOLUTION:
>
> After reading about numerous people with the same problem and trying many
> suggestions there was only one that worked for me. This is what I did:
>
> 1. Open up the Set Associations tool in Windows Vista.
> 2. Scroll to and choose the .doc file type, Select "Change Program" button
> at top.
> 3. Select a different program(not Word); I used Adobe Reader; click OK.
> 4. In the long list of file types the .doc type should reflect that it
> associated with the program that you chose. Of course, this means that the
> file will definitely not open by default with word anymore. So, don't forget
> the next step!!
> 5. Choose the .doc file type, press the "Change Program" button again; This
> time select Word as the default program and click OK.
> 6. Check that the .doc type in the list says that it is Associated with
> Word. If it is, your problem is solved... at least mine was.
>
> I don't know why this trick worked but it did.
>
> Thanks to BARRY HAIGH for posting it in another thread.
>
> Thanks to Gary for his quick response to my previous post.

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Reply

Thread Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Forum
Open Word attachment..Word has stopped working on close Vista General
I cant open word documents sent as an email attachment Vista file management
Unable to open word attachment in Windows Mail Vista mail
I cann't open an E-mail that has word in it as an attachment.I need help please. Vista mail
Word 2003 attachment fails to open in Windows Mail Vista mail


Vista Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized,
sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation.
"Windows Vista", the Start Orb, and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
© Designer Media Ltd

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46