Windows Vista Forums

Opening Attachments
  1. #1


    Daisy Guest

    Opening Attachments

    I have recently emailed an attachment to someone who is saying that becasue I
    am using Windows Vista and she is using Windows XP she cannot open it! She
    says she will have to download something which is going to cost her money to
    enable her to open it. In previous months I have used my dads machine
    (Windows XP) and it has never been a problem. I have just saved it as a
    nornal Word Document. Have I done something wrong or is it her end???

    Any ideas anyone???



    Daisy

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  2. #2


    Seth Guest

    Re: Opening Attachments

    "Daisy" <amy@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:276432E8-89F1-47DA-ADFA-D06068169476@xxxxxx

    >I have recently emailed an attachment to someone who is saying that becasue
    >I
    > am using Windows Vista and she is using Windows XP she cannot open it!
    > She
    > says she will have to download something which is going to cost her money
    > to
    > enable her to open it. In previous months I have used my dads machine
    > (Windows XP) and it has never been a problem. I have just saved it as a
    > nornal Word Document. Have I done something wrong or is it her end???

    What version of Word is running on the Vista machine?

    It running Vista vs. XP has nothing to do with it. Good chance the Vista
    machine might have Word 2007 (or Office 2007 which Word is part of) in
    which case you can re-save the document in an older Word format, or the
    recipient can download and install the FREE Office 2007 Compatibility
    package which will allow them to read and print Office 2007 documents (but
    not edit).

    And why are you posting this in a security group?


      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  3. #3


    Charlie42 Guest

    Re: Opening Attachments

    "Daisy" <amy@xxxxxx> skrev i melding
    news:276432E8-89F1-47DA-ADFA-D06068169476@xxxxxx

    >I have recently emailed an attachment to someone who is saying that becasue
    >I
    > am using Windows Vista and she is using Windows XP she cannot open it!
    > She
    > says she will have to download something which is going to cost her money
    > to
    > enable her to open it. In previous months I have used my dads machine
    > (Windows XP) and it has never been a problem. I have just saved it as a
    > nornal Word Document. Have I done something wrong or is it her end???
    Do you run Word 2007 by any chance? MS has introduced a new file format for
    documents, they are now stored with the .docx extension by default.Try to
    store your document in an older .doc format. Your friend should be able to
    read this.

    Charlie42


      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  4. #4


    Ken Blake, MVP Guest

    Re: Opening Attachments

    On Fri, 5 Oct 2007 12:46:00 -0700, Daisy <amy@xxxxxx> wrote:

    > I have recently emailed an attachment to someone who is saying that becasue I
    > am using Windows Vista and she is using Windows XP she cannot open it!

    She is wrong.



    > She
    > says she will have to download something

    That *may* be correct. See below.


    > which is going to cost her money to
    > enable her to open it.


    No, it's free.


    > In previous months I have used my dads machine
    > (Windows XP) and it has never been a problem. I have just saved it as a
    > nornal Word Document. Have I done something wrong or is it her end???

    Neither.

    First of all, there is no question that any difference between her
    operating system and yours is irrelevant. What may be (and probably)
    is) relevant is the particular software *versions* the two of you are
    using.

    My guess is that you are using Word 2007. Is that correct?

    And she is using an older version of Word. Is that correct?

    If so, that's the issue. It has nothing to do with Windows XP vs.
    Windows Vista. If both operating systems were running Word 2007 or
    both were running an older version, all would be well.

    But the default format for saving files in Word 2007 has changed from
    previous versions. It's now .docx instead of .doc, and that's why she
    can't open it. Her older version of Word doesn't recognize .docx
    files.

    Fortunately Word 2007 will let you easily save the file in the old
    ..doc format. Instead of doing "Save," just do "Save as," and change
    the type to .doc.

    Alternatively, she can add the ability to open Office 2007 file
    formats to her version by downloading the Compatibility Pack from
    https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...displaylang=en

    or http://tinyurl.com/3yzz8e

    But note that, despite what she told you, that compatibility Pack is
    free.

    --
    Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
    Please Reply to the Newsgroup

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  5. #5


    John Barnett MVP Guest

    Re: Opening Attachments

    The problem has nothing to do with Vista or XP. It is probably a case that
    you are running Word 2007 which has a default file extension of .docx Older
    versions of Word used a file extension of .doc - hence she cannot open the
    document because it is in the newer file format. In future when you save a
    document use the 'save as' option and save the file as a Word 97-2003 file
    format.

    --
    John Barnett MVP
    Associate Expert
    Windows - Shell/User

    Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
    Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

    The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
    kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
    reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
    any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
    use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
    mail/post..

    "Daisy" <amy@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:276432E8-89F1-47DA-ADFA-D06068169476@xxxxxx

    >I have recently emailed an attachment to someone who is saying that becasue
    >I
    > am using Windows Vista and she is using Windows XP she cannot open it!
    > She
    > says she will have to download something which is going to cost her money
    > to
    > enable her to open it. In previous months I have used my dads machine
    > (Windows XP) and it has never been a problem. I have just saved it as a
    > nornal Word Document. Have I done something wrong or is it her end???
    >
    > Any ideas anyone???
    >
    > Daisy

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

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