Word 2007 and 2010 installed - how to ALWAYS force documents to open with 2010
Hi all,
We have Office 2010 installed around our business as standard (on Windows 7).
However, one department requires Outlook 2007 due to a call centre plug-in that does not work with 2010. In order for these users to access the advanced editing option in Outlook 2007 (e.g. spell check etc), they also require Word 2007 to be installed.
So this means that they have the full Office 2010 installation, plus Outlook & Word 2007. Word 2010 should be configured as the default program to open Word documents with, but everynow and then we find that something (usually an old .doc file) triggers Word 2007 to become the default application.
This annoyingly means that it runs through the 'configuration setup' for Word 2007.
If you try and right click on the file and select 'always open with', it doesn't seem to differentiate between 2007 and 2010 - it just displays the Microsoft Word icon. Presumably this is because it is just looking for the 'winword.exe' application.
Is there anyway (perhaps via a reg hack?) that we can force these machines to ALWAYS open .doc, .docx or any kind of Word file with 2010?
We have Office 2010 installed around our business as standard (on Windows 7).
However, one department requires Outlook 2007 due to a call centre plug-in that does not work with 2010. In order for these users to access the advanced editing option in Outlook 2007 (e.g. spell check etc), they also require Word 2007 to be installed.
So this means that they have the full Office 2010 installation, plus Outlook & Word 2007. Word 2010 should be configured as the default program to open Word documents with, but everynow and then we find that something (usually an old .doc file) triggers Word 2007 to become the default application.
This annoyingly means that it runs through the 'configuration setup' for Word 2007.
If you try and right click on the file and select 'always open with', it doesn't seem to differentiate between 2007 and 2010 - it just displays the Microsoft Word icon. Presumably this is because it is just looking for the 'winword.exe' application.
Is there anyway (perhaps via a reg hack?) that we can force these machines to ALWAYS open .doc, .docx or any kind of Word file with 2010?
Chris Millard
You can simply do that in using the "Default Programs" option in control panel
ASKER
I dont think that works as it leads me to the same menu as 'open with'.
If you look, it shows the 'current default' simply as 'Microsoft Word' and doesnt specify which version of Word.
If you look, it shows the 'current default' simply as 'Microsoft Word' and doesnt specify which version of Word.
You can use this free program to set it without any problem:
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/file_types_manager.html
read more here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/microsoft-office/221956-need-word-2007-word-2010-how-set-file-associations.html
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/file_types_manager.html
read more here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/microsoft-office/221956-need-word-2007-word-2010-how-set-file-associations.html
ASKER
I really dont want to use a 3rd party bit of software. This needs to be fixed on a number of PC's in a business environment so I cant really be installing a 3rd party application.
OK, I've set up a test PC running Windows 7 with Word 2007 and Word 2010 and can see what you mean!
It appears that whichever version of Word you ran last is the one that becomes the default for opening Word docs.
So if you want 2010 to be the default version, simply open Word 2010, then whenever you click on on .docx, it will open in 2010. (The same applies for 2007 - or at least that's how it is working for me!)
It appears that whichever version of Word you ran last is the one that becomes the default for opening Word docs.
So if you want 2010 to be the default version, simply open Word 2010, then whenever you click on on .docx, it will open in 2010. (The same applies for 2007 - or at least that's how it is working for me!)
ASKER
Hi Chris,
Yes, and 95% of the time it works fine and .doc's and .docx's open normally in both Word 2010.
However, every now and then something triggers it to open .doc files with 2007 (I have a feeling it might be macro enabled .doc's).
Once this is triggered its an annoying cycle of running through the 2007 config setup, then the 2010 config setup.
Like I say, this is working fine most of the time, just on occasions it is triggered and then is really difficult to sort out and get working as it should. Thats why I am looking for something to force the files to always open with 2010.
Yes, and 95% of the time it works fine and .doc's and .docx's open normally in both Word 2010.
However, every now and then something triggers it to open .doc files with 2007 (I have a feeling it might be macro enabled .doc's).
Once this is triggered its an annoying cycle of running through the 2007 config setup, then the 2010 config setup.
Like I say, this is working fine most of the time, just on occasions it is triggered and then is really difficult to sort out and get working as it should. Thats why I am looking for something to force the files to always open with 2010.
Why do you have both? Why not do a custom install of the Office 2007 and deselect Word so you only have one installed.
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ASKER
We never found a solution to this and now have Office 2010 installed around the business.