Word 2003 does not open document

When clicking on a document (either standalone or at an Outlook attachment) Word starts but it does not open the document. It just displays the grey background (not a blank sheet). When opening a MS Outlook attachment, it additionally displays a message "The system cannot fond the requested file" (translated from Dutch; the English text may be different). The crazy thing is that if a Word window is already open - even with a grey background - the attachment opens normally, i.e. if I click on the document for a second time (and removed the MS outlook message above if applicable).

I tried a number of things that were suggested in this forum, by microsoft or elsewhere: reregistered word.exe, re-associated .doc files with Word (first associate with another program, then back to word), repaired the Office installation. Besides this, I cannot think of anything special I did, like software installs. It just started. I performed a clean install to get rid of this and now it's back...

The problem isn't killing me but quite annoying. Something with the registry?

Any ideas, would lower my heart beat.

Jan

Go through the following links:
You cannot open a document in Microsoft Word 2003
You receive run-time error 429 when you automate Office applications

See suggestions given in similar type of threads: http://forums.techarena.in/ms-office-support/786028.htm
http://forums.techarena.in/ms-office-support/581922.htm
http://forums.techarena.in/ms-office-support/547638.htm

For opening outlook attachment right click and save the file to the hard drive. Then see if you can open it.

I checked all of these suggestions. Either they do not work or are not applicable to the problem. Of course I can save and open the document, but I just want Word to open it as it should, straightforwards

Have you checked to make sure Outlook is set to allow you to open .doc attachments?

For XP:

Go into Windows Explorer, and choose Tools -> Options and go to the "File Types" tab. Scroll down to .DOC and click on the "Advanced" button near bottom of the options pane. You'll have a small "Edit File Type" window pop up and one of the options at the bottom will be "Confirm Open after Download". If you remove the check/tick mark from that box, you'll be able to open .DOC documents in Outlook and Outlook Express.

Good luck

Changed - but problem remains

Try using another user on the PC or create a new user and try using word from that account. I recently had a similar problem with 2007 - it just didn't work with a particular user but did with a new user. Then it tells you its not the office installation but maybe the user profile...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JanP

Changed - but problem remains

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You should restart the PC after doing that. Have you done that?