Word only opens .docm not .doc or .docx

[pairughdocks]

Hello Neowin:

 

I am having a bizarre issue where I can no longer open .doc/.docx files. If I try to, word crashes and restarts (not recovering the data). If I right click on the file and save it as a Word Macro Enabled Document I can now open the file. Here is what I have tried so far:

 

• Deleting the normal.dot file from %appdata% (templates)
• Removing the read only attribute from all .dot, .doc, .docx, .docm, .dotm files (attrib -r C:\*.extlisted /s /d) 
• Trying to open the file with word in safemode (winword.exe /a)
• Trying to open the file with word in normal mode via File > Open
• Repair installation Office 2003 (completed, no change)
• Remove/Reinstall Office 2003 (completed, no change)
• Upgrade Office 2003 to Office 2007 (completed, worked temporarily, then same issue)
• Allowing all documents to run macro's via Trust Center in Office 2007

OS: Windows XP SP3 (All applicable updates)

Office: 2007 (installed after 2003 was removed)

AntiVirus: AVG Free Edition (up to date)

 

Other items of note:

• No malware has been located on the system via eSet online scan, AVG, or MBAM
• XLS, PPT, etc... open properly
• Computer reboots properly, logs in, no startup items disabled (or rogue entries discovered)
• The same issue happens in safe mode, safe mode with networking, and safe mode with command prompt (if a shell is spawned)

Resources located:

• http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-the-'Read-Only'-Status-on-MS-Word-Documents
• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/247028
• http://semnaitik.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/how-to-repair-corrupt-word-documents/
• http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Office_Productivity/Office_Suites/MS_Office/Word/Q_27491985.html

 

Thank you to anyone who can contribute to a solution.

 

Thank you to anyone who can help:

[sc302 Veteran]

try deleting the normal.dotx file, word will recreate upon launch.

open word and remove any add ins that aren't from microsoft. then try to open the document

make sure you are fully updated with microsoft updates.

[Max Norris]

Could always try repairing the installation too, via Programs and Features.

 

Edit:  One derp point for me, didn't see you already tried that.

[sc302 Veteran]

Won't fix if it it's a add-in issue. it won't reset add-ins.

[pairughdocks]

No add-ins are enabled, I have already replaced the normal.dot/normal.dotx file, and tried repairing/reinstalling the installation. 

[zhangm Supervisor]

I don't anticipate this working any differently than your forays into Safe Mode, but have you tried creating a temporary new user account on the computer and opening Word from there, in order to rule out that the 2003 installation left some account-specific cruft that's causing even the 2007 version to run amok?

 

Is it leaving more detailed logs in the system event viewer on crashing?

[techbeck]

snip

 

Are you double clicking the file to open?  Or doing a File\Open in Word?  If you are just clicking on the file to open it, try doing the File\Open in word and see if the doc loads.  If so, then you most likely have a file association issue.

[pairughdocks]

A new user account has been tried, same result - failed to load. I have tried double clicking the file, as well as doing file > open in word, both result in word crashing, offering to reopen and "restore my data" and if I let it, a blank document loads.

[Praetor]

i've already seen this happening, had to do a complete Office uninstall, clean up all the left behinds using revo uninstaller, restart the computer and do a complete install of the Office. Then it worked for about a couple of months until the disk died  :laugh: (that was the main reason of the problems).

 

check for other factors as well:

- are the registry entries for the Office all OK? You can see them by going into regedit > HKLU > Software > Microsoft > Windows > Current Version > Explorer > User Shell. All the keys, by default, should start with the variable %USERPROFILE% and the path of the folder.

- disable any AV or antimalware solutions and see if the issue remains.

- check the state of your disk (SMART table, to see if it's dying; many random stuff happens because of dying hardware).

[pairughdocks]

Sorry for the delay in response - I have been working with other clients. So far, all of the fixes mentioned have either been tried already, or have been tried after they were posted and have not resolved the issue. I'm at a loss at this point.

[sc302 Veteran]

There is always reimage the computer with a working one.

[pairughdocks]

Unfortunately this is a small office we just acquired, the user does not wish for down time due to a backup/reimage, and insist that we find a solution (I know, I know, not ideal, but it's what the client wants).

[farmeunit]

I re-image can take an hour or two at the most, so...

 

Unless your building it by hand of course.  How much time you spending on getting it working?