Windows Vista Issues

[stargazer]

Let me absorb all this & get back to you guys. Gooblax, I didn't see ur reply till after answering David. That might be useful info, yes. David seems to be pretty good at finding relevant info by search engine -- not my forte, especially when I'm feeling pressured or annoyed.

One of the three people involved in these file exchanges (that seem to be consuming my day off so far) is a luddite, and I'm sure that for today's purposes, it's best to paste all relevant files into the body of an email. I left home and went to a work computer, just to make sure I could open one of the people's Word docs.

So it will be a while before I can follow the directions in David's reply, simply because I'm no longer at my desk at home.

This might "auto-merge," I'm not sure, but it's about three hours later (5:16pm PDLT.) Will it appear as though I'm posting now, or three hours ago? If the latter, it won't look as though I've posted again, and people won't necessarily know that I'm saying anything more on the subject. Is there a way around this feature?

Anyway, neither of the above sets of instructions seem to work. I've really tried. In the first case, certain select programs appear on a list (Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Yahoo Mail, etc.) -- and MS Word is not among them.

In the second case, once I open Windows Explorer and then find a program with a .docx extension, then right-click on it, there is no option to "open with." There is only an "open" option, so it opens up on my system as a Word 2007 doc, and I'm back to where I started.

I sent a PM to Daniel, who I think runs Vista, but I don't know when he'll be online again. I can keep rummaging thru message boards, but it's not exactly the way I'd planned to spend my Friday night. I'm in such a bad mood though, I might as well keep plowing away at it.

Once again, auto-merging?

I finally went to Microsoft Online help -- not sure why I didn't do that before. Apparently, they say I have to install a service pack:

"To open Microsoft Office Word 2007 .docx or .docm files with Microsoft Office Word 2003, Word 2002, or Word 2000, you need to install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for 2007 Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint File Formats and any necessary Office updates. By using the Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office system, you can open, edit some items, and save Office Word 2007 documents in previous versions of Word."

 

[David Baxter PhD]

This might "auto-merge," I'm not sure, but it's about three hours later (5:16pm PDLT.) Will it appear as though I'm posting now, or three hours ago? If the latter, it won't look as though I've posted again, and people won't necessarily know that I'm saying anything more on the subject. Is there a way around this feature?

Even though it automerges, the additional post (1) does "bump" the thread as having a new reply, and (2) does send out a new notification to members who have subscribed to the thread.

"To open Microsoft Office Word 2007 .docx or .docm files with Microsoft Office Word 2003, Word 2002, or Word 2000, you need to install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for 2007 Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint File Formats and any necessary Office updates. By using the Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office system, you can open, edit some items, and save Office Word 2007 documents in previous versions of Word."

There you go. I would have thought that would ship with the software as it did in previous versions of Word.

 

[Retired]

Should a home user running a stable and satisfactory system with XP consider changing their OS to Vista at this time?

If so, why?

If not, why not?

 

[stargazer]

Should a home user running a stable and satisfactory system with XP consider changing their OS to Vista at this time? If so, why? If not, why not?

Well, I would say "no" if you're satisfied with XP and you don't have a whole lot of time/energy to get to know a new OS that is significantly different in many ways. I'd say this for the reason that it takes a lot of time to figure this stuff out, and for some of us, myself included, it can be emotionally taxing.

In my case, of course, I'd been functioning without a computer at all for three months; and the best bet financially was to go to the Rent-a-Center, where the only computers available had Windows Vista. I was excited to get a computer finally, and it never occurred to me I'd be spending so much time with the logistics of re-arranging, re-formatting, re-filing, etc.

Of course, in two or three months, when I've gotten used to everything, I'll probably think Vista is the greatest thing since sliced cheese.

By the way, a friend sent me a Word 2003 doc, and it's still opening in jibberish in WordPad, despite my having installed the compatibility pack. I honestly don't know how the default got set to WordPad, and I can't seem to find the way to change it.

Even though it automerges, the additional post (1) does "bump" the thread as having a new reply, and (2) does send out a new notification to members who have subscribed to the thread.

That's good to know, David. I'll ease up on the feature in the future.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Generally, if I can, I wait for the release of Service Pack 1 with a new version of Windows.

 

[stargazer]

Generally, if I can, I wait for the release of Service Pack 1 with a new version of Windows.

That seems sound.

I wasn't corresponding with you guys at the time, but I recall that my acquisition of Windows XP was also an effect of a near-emergency. I'd had Windows 98 on my first computer forever, then got Windows ME on my second computer -- little did I know!

The system was so unstable it got to the point where I couldn't even start it up with major hassle and time consumption. Then I installed XP on the same comp, and it ran great, although it didn't leave much room for anything else.

Finally, about a year later, I got a computer that came with XP, and I think Service Pack One was up by that time. It's been XP ever since, till now.

 

[Daniel E.]

By the way, a friend sent me a Word 2003 doc, and it's still opening in jibberish in WordPad, despite my having installed the compatibility pack. I honestly don't know how the default got set to WordPad, and I can't seem to find the way to change it.

OpenOffice should be able to open it.

If you have Word 2007 installed, can you start Word 2007 and then open the file from Word 2007?

Should a home user running a stable and satisfactory system with XP consider changing their OS to Vista at this time?

What's your hardware like? If it's not dual core, I wouldn't upgrade to Vista.

For most people, it will only be worthwhile to get Vista by waiting for their next computer purchase.

The main advantage of Vista for me is the better graphics. The only problem I had was a driver issue with my sound card, but the driver was eventually made fully compatible for Vista.

 

[stargazer]

If you have Word 2007 installed, can you start Word 2007 and then open the file from Word 2007?

Yes, though circuitously. Look what I found:

"Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Convert.
In the Microsoft Office Word dialog box, click OK.
Do one of the following:
To replace the original file with a file in the Office Word 2007 file format, click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Save.
To save the original document in its original file format and create another document in the Office Word 2007 file format, click the Microsoft Office Button, click Save As, and then type a new name for the file."

My problem is solved at last!!

It's relatively easy to get adjusted to re-naming the files to avoid confusion. For example, if the original file is "Brief_Bio.docx" in Word 2007, I can re-name it "Brief_Bio_X.doc" in Word 2003. And vice-versa.

My problem is solved at last!!

It's been a rewarding evening after all. I'm glad I stuck this out. I will now do the town. After all, isn't that what San Francisco's for? :dance:

My problem is solved at last!! :dance:

 

[Daniel E.]

I never knew Microsoft Office could be so thrilling

 

[stargazer]

Microsoft in general is only thrilling when one gains a victory over it. Even small victories, however, are unusually sweet when dealing with Microsoft, IMHO. (By the way, I never did go "do the town," obviously.)

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I'm happy to hear you worked it out, SG. :goodjob: :2thumbs:

 

[stargazer]

Aye. The path toward the solution was a little simpler than, in my anxiety, I had assumed. I say this knowing that I speak to one who is a therapist by profession. Often, I expect things to be harder than they need to be, and then I limit myself from seeing their simplicity.

For example, when dealing with a Word 2007 issue, it's best to click first on the little "?" in the upper right hand corner, before scowering the message boards of the Universe. This leads to an array of FAQ's, the 3rd from the top being "Conversion Issues." Occam's Razor.

Ah well. All's well that ends well.

 

[Daniel E.]

I think even some Microsoft employees would agree there is at least an initial productivity loss when upgrading to Word 2007.

For example:

As a long-time user of the Microsoft Office Suite, I am completely frustrated by this new product. I have spent an incredible amount of time searching through menus to do simple things: adding an org chart, adding a row to a table, finding the ruler...

...Cons: Decreased productivity, loss of shortcuts...

Compare Prices and Read Reviews on Microsoft Office Word 2007 at Epinions.com

Personally, I like it because it's prettier. That's about it.

 

[stargazer]

Personally, I like it because it's prettier. That's about it.

I'll second that. It sure is prettier. I think that, now that all the work for today is over, I might take an hour or two and sort through all of its features while I'm not under pressure. Too often I wait until I actually *have* to do something on a certain program, before realizing I haven't bothered to learn how to do it.

 

[stargazer]

Say, Daniel (or anyone else familiar with Vista), I am still having the problem that if someone sends me a Word doc, the default is set so that it opens up automatically in WordPad and looks like jibberish. Although it is true that I can now open up Word, locate the document, and open it in Word; it seems to me that the default ought to be set somehow so that it opens in Word in the first place, and not in WordPad & jibberish. Do you know how to set that default? Or does yours open up in Word to begin with? Earlier someone sent me a way to set the default, but it didn't seem to apply to Vista. I hope I'm making sense.

 

[Daniel E.]

Have you tried right clicking on the file? Then select "Open with..." --> "Choose Default Program."

 

[David Baxter PhD]

SG, see my post at Psychlinks Psychology and Self-Help Forum - View Single Post - Windows Vista Issues

 

[stargazer]

Have you tried right clicking on the file? Then select "Open with..." --> "Choose Default Program."

I addressed this earlier. There is no option to "open with" when I right-click on the file.

SG, see my post at Psychlinks Psychology and Self-Help Forum - View Single Post - Windows Vista Issues

I addressed this earlier as well.

"The Windows Vista tool you use to change file associations in located in the Control Panel under the Default Programs icon.

Once on the Default Programs screen you have two choices for changing file associations:

1. Set your default programs
2. Associate a file type or protocol with a program"

The tool to set default programs applies only to a specific list of programs that appear on a list on the left, once I click open the Default Programs screen. Among these programs are Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and a few others. There are about nine of them, WordPad is not among them, and there is no option I can find to add additional programs to the list so as to adjust defaults.

I also addressed the Computer Haven procedure earlier. It didn't work at all.

It all boils down to there being no option to "open with" when I right-click on the file. Maybe I have a different version of Vista than you do, Daniel?

 

[Daniel E.]

. There are about nine of them, WordPad is not among them, and there is no option I can find to add additional programs to the list so as to adjust defaults.

Do you see a button called "Browse"? If you do, that is what allows you to select the executable file of the program you want to be made default. If you don't see that option, then providing a screen shot may be a good idea.

Also, just to be clear, what you are wanting is Word 2007 (not WordPad) to be the executable file that is made default for opening the file type in question.

UPDATE: You won't see a "Browse" button unless using the "Open With.." procedure, which doesn't seem to work for that file type, anyway. So I'm still searching...

 

[Daniel E.]

There are about nine of them, WordPad is not among them, and there is no option I can find to add additional programs to the list so as to adjust defaults.

So Word 2007 or Office 2007 is not in the left panel? That's what we are looking for.