# Word 2007 cannot start converter mswrd632



## lyntoconquer (Feb 19, 2010)

One of my users has a problem. She is using a Dell OptiPlex 760 with XP Pro. Microsoft Office 2007 is installed with all of its updates. She is getting an email attachment, Outlook 2007, from a Mac user who has a document in Office 2008. Both users' default are set to save documents in Office 97 - 2003 (2004 for the Mac user). When the user double clicks the attachment, Word 2007 gives the error message stated in title. You click "ok" three time then you are at the encoding screen.

I googled the error and saw the references to the Microsoft security update - Kb973904. I checked Add/Remove programs and Kb973904 is not listed. Next step, I deleted registry subkey *HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Text Converters\Import\MSWord6.wpc*. That did not work. Next step, I added the registry subkey to allow conversions. That did not work.

Does anyone have any ideas? Other Mac users can open the document. I put the document on another Dell PC and got the same error. I'm currently at a lost.


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi lyntoconquer,

Did you try running the 'Fix It' download on that page (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/973904)?


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## lyntoconquer (Feb 19, 2010)

No, I did not. As soon as I get bench space, I will set it up. I copied all of the user's data to a loaner, which I was going to leave with her. But the loaner had the same problem. So I returned to my office with the loaner intact. I will post the results. Thanks!!!


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## lyntoconquer (Feb 19, 2010)

Okay, I ran FixIt. It did not fix my problem. The error message is not being displayed, but the document is not being displayed, either. The screen I get now is to select encoding. This document is a document from an Office 2008 user with extension *.doc. I have checked the Mac user's computer. Office 2008 users can open this file, but Office 2007 users cannot. What am I missing here?


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi lyntoconquer,

Curious. Are your sure your original registry edits were correct? It might be best to restore the registry (eg via roll-back) before running the Fixit.

Also, have you tried repairing Word (Word Options|Resources|Diagnose)?


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## Zazula (Apr 27, 2006)

Macropod is far more qualified than me in this, but I'm also curious if the encoding issue exists even in the case where both Office 2008 for Mac and Office 2007 exchange a document that has been saved in their own native format, i.e. docx. Could you please also try saving a .docx in Word 2008 and see if it opens correctly and with no encoding issues in Word 2007?


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## lyntoconquer (Feb 19, 2010)

We solved the problem. Office 2008 has a compatability setting in their preferences. Some of the older douments are oening with document using Office 2000 - 2004 and X compatability instead of Office 2007 - 2008. Unfortunely, Microsoft Office does not save the changes to preferences when you save or save as a document. While the document is open, preferences show correctly. But once you close the document then re-open it, the preferences are changed back to the old compatability setting. One Mac expert here think if the users save the document as a docx first then change the compatability setting, the setting will stay. Then the user can change it back to a doc -- my company's policy to use Office 97 - 2004 setting for all of Office. Otherwise, users will have to copy and paste old documents into new blank documents. That is it from here!!!!


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi lyntoconquer,

Re:


> Otherwise, users will have to copy and paste old documents into new blank documents.


That simply isn't true. With or without the compatability setting, Word 2007 & 2008 should work happily with Office 97-2004 documents. The compatability setting affects only the format in which new documents are saved. Plus you can convert old documents to the new format without any copying & pasting, simply by resaving them in the new format.


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