Microsoft Document Imaging viewer gone after update

[Amadeus]

Automatic updates has installed certain updates in my system. I had not checked what it installed. But after a few days when I open .mdi files I am not able to find anything. There was no associated application available which can read those files. I tried to right click on the same and then clicked on Open With. Before I remember there was a tool called as Microsoft Document Imaging which read the files. It disappeared suddenly. I cannot view any of those files listed there. Does Windows Update has removed that feature. If yes then how can I get that back.

[Vanilla]

It is not removed it is disabled and it is not done by Windows update. It only happens when you upgrade your Office edition. You can get it back. You will need to install this. For that go on Control Panel and look for Microsoft Office. Click on Change and then from the setup window started you can install Microsoft Document Imaging. I am sure Updates had not removed it. This kind of issue never happened. It is also possible that the file association is changed. Go on Start Menu and look for Microsoft Document Imaging. If you can locate that then open the files in it. By the way it is located under Tools in Microsoft Office.

[shawntae]

That is really weird. Updates do not remove anything. But there are chances of getting certain elements disabled by default. I am facing another similar issue. After running fresh updates I cannot locate MODI printer drivers in it. I had tried to run system restore but that did not helped. The only thing worked is re-installing those drivers back again. This things need to be notified before when the updates are provided.

[Gregoryl]

It is right that thing is gone when you upgrade that. I had upgraded to Office 2007 and suddenly I cannot locate Microsoft Document Imaging. But it was possible to install the same by using Office 2007 installation disc. When you click on Change in Add/Remove program it offers you option to install additional component. From that you can choose to install Document Imaging. By the way there are certain third party mdi viewers available that can help you to fix the issue.

[mpb421]

I lost the same due to update. It looks this does not happen with everyone. Only on certain systems I had seen that the mdi viewer is gone after updates, while just before that I had used it. Now to get rid of the issue I cannot go run system restore or uninstall updates. The best way is to download a third party viewer. There are many mdi viewers available and those are not affected by changes made by Windows Update.

[Neo]

The file association gets removed by Service Pack 3 for Office 2003. While you can fix the file association, the next time a Office 2003 hotfix is applied, the file association will be removed again.

Other than that here are some comments to your questions...

1) Reducing the attack surface

2) Already answered that it is due to Office 2003 Service Pack 3 plus any/all hotfixes applied after

3) I wouldn't advise rolling back. If you decide to go this route, do this temporarily and convert all your MDIs to PDFs. The reason why is that Office 2007 deprecates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deprecation) the feature and two, you really want to be current on service packs and hotfixes for Office.

There are enough free PDF solutions out there plus the fact that Microsoft likes their XPS file format (and include the ability to create PDFs in Office 2007), that it only makes sense to move away from MDI and gain some cross platform compatibility.

[mpb421]

Is there a solution to undo MSPAINT as viewer and reinstall Document imagaing viewer - I cannot cut and past pieces of faxes as received with the MSPAINT viewer- and need to have it in pdf. format to do so

What do you suggest ? I need one step viewer as it is must go through 5 screens to even print. thanks for your help