Problem sharing Office documents btwn Vista and XP

I can create a Word or excel file on my laptop (which is running Vista and
Office 2007) and can re-open it and read it on my laptop. However, if I
attach it to an email, I can't open it on a desktop running XP/Office 2003.
The converse is true too -- on my laptop, I can't open documents created on
XP either and sent to myself via email attachment. The error message I'm
getting is something about "locked by another user" and can only open a
read-only copy, but even when I try to open a read-only version, this is the
error message that pops up:

"Word experienced an error trying to open the file. Try these suggestions:

* Check the file permissions for the document or drive.
* Make sure there is sufficient free memory and disk space.
* Open the file with Text Recovery converter."

Now, it actually WON'T open the file with Text Recovery converter. Also, if
I look at the properties of my folders, the "Read-Only" box is shadowed. If
I UNcheck that box and try to "apply" the new settings, it seems to take --
but when I open it again, there it is shadowed again.

Please note that the default file format used in Word 2007 and other Office
2007 applications is incompatible with Office 2003. When sharing files
created with Word 2007, make sure you save it in a compatible format Word
97 - 2003 using the 'Save As' function. Alternatively, you can install the
Compatibility Pack for Office 2000 and later so users of older versions of
Office can view Office 2007 formatted documents.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...3-c6bb74cd1466
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"Sherri" <> wrote in message
news:FEE42C59-A5E9-4A66-A06F-...
> I can create a Word or excel file on my laptop (which is running Vista and
> Office 2007) and can re-open it and read it on my laptop. However, if I
> attach it to an email, I can't open it on a desktop running XP/Office
> 2003.
> The converse is true too -- on my laptop, I can't open documents created
> on
> XP either and sent to myself via email attachment. The error message I'm
> getting is something about "locked by another user" and can only open a
> read-only copy, but even when I try to open a read-only version, this is
> the
> error message that pops up:
>
> "Word experienced an error trying to open the file. Try these
> suggestions:
>
> * Check the file permissions for the document or drive.
> * Make sure there is sufficient free memory and disk space.
> * Open the file with Text Recovery converter."
>
> Now, it actually WON'T open the file with Text Recovery converter. Also,
> if
> I look at the properties of my folders, the "Read-Only" box is shadowed.
> If
> I UNcheck that box and try to "apply" the new settings, it seems to
> take --
> but when I open it again, there it is shadowed again.

Thanks for your reply, but it's when I'm trying to save the document as 2003
compatible that I get that error. Any other ideas?

"Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]" wrote:

> Please note that the default file format used in Word 2007 and other Office
> 2007 applications is incompatible with Office 2003. When sharing files
> created with Word 2007, make sure you save it in a compatible format Word
> 97 - 2003 using the 'Save As' function. Alternatively, you can install the
> Compatibility Pack for Office 2000 and later so users of older versions of
> Office can view Office 2007 formatted documents.
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...3-c6bb74cd1466
> --
> Andre
> Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
> My Vista Quickstart Guide:
> http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
> "Sherri" <> wrote in message
> news:FEE42C59-A5E9-4A66-A06F-...
> > I can create a Word or excel file on my laptop (which is running Vista and
> > Office 2007) and can re-open it and read it on my laptop. However, if I
> > attach it to an email, I can't open it on a desktop running XP/Office
> > 2003.
> > The converse is true too -- on my laptop, I can't open documents created
> > on
> > XP either and sent to myself via email attachment. The error message I'm
> > getting is something about "locked by another user" and can only open a
> > read-only copy, but even when I try to open a read-only version, this is
> > the
> > error message that pops up:
> >
> > "Word experienced an error trying to open the file. Try these
> > suggestions:
> >
> > * Check the file permissions for the document or drive.
> > * Make sure there is sufficient free memory and disk space.
> > * Open the file with Text Recovery converter."
> >
> > Now, it actually WON'T open the file with Text Recovery converter. Also,
> > if
> > I look at the properties of my folders, the "Read-Only" box is shadowed.
> > If
> > I UNcheck that box and try to "apply" the new settings, it seems to
> > take --
> > but when I open it again, there it is shadowed again.
>
>
>

Have you tried repairing your Office 2007 installation? Click Start > type
Programs and Features > click it > select Microsoft Office 2007 > click
Repair and follow the instructions.
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"Sherri" <> wrote in message
news:86CE09BC-CE7D-45E2-A996-...
> Thanks for your reply, but it's when I'm trying to save the document as
> 2003
> compatible that I get that error. Any other ideas?
>
> "Andre Da Costa[ActiveWin]" wrote:
>
>> Please note that the default file format used in Word 2007 and other
>> Office
>> 2007 applications is incompatible with Office 2003. When sharing files
>> created with Word 2007, make sure you save it in a compatible format Word
>> 97 - 2003 using the 'Save As' function. Alternatively, you can install
>> the
>> Compatibility Pack for Office 2000 and later so users of older versions
>> of
>> Office can view Office 2007 formatted documents.
>>
>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...3-c6bb74cd1466
>> --
>> Andre
>> Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
>> My Vista Quickstart Guide:
>> http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
>> "Sherri" <> wrote in message
>> news:FEE42C59-A5E9-4A66-A06F-...
>> > I can create a Word or excel file on my laptop (which is running Vista
>> > and
>> > Office 2007) and can re-open it and read it on my laptop. However, if
>> > I
>> > attach it to an email, I can't open it on a desktop running XP/Office
>> > 2003.
>> > The converse is true too -- on my laptop, I can't open documents
>> > created
>> > on
>> > XP either and sent to myself via email attachment. The error message
>> > I'm
>> > getting is something about "locked by another user" and can only open a
>> > read-only copy, but even when I try to open a read-only version, this
>> > is
>> > the
>> > error message that pops up:
>> >
>> > "Word experienced an error trying to open the file. Try these
>> > suggestions:
>> >
>> > * Check the file permissions for the document or drive.
>> > * Make sure there is sufficient free memory and disk space.
>> > * Open the file with Text Recovery converter."
>> >
>> > Now, it actually WON'T open the file with Text Recovery converter.
>> > Also,
>> > if
>> > I look at the properties of my folders, the "Read-Only" box is
>> > shadowed.
>> > If
>> > I UNcheck that box and try to "apply" the new settings, it seems to
>> > take --
>> > but when I open it again, there it is shadowed again.
>>
>>
>>

Sherri wrote:
> I can create a Word or excel file on my laptop (which is running
> Vista and Office 2007) and can re-open it and read it on my laptop.
> However, if I attach it to an email, I can't open it on a desktop
> running XP/Office 2003. The converse is true too -- on my laptop, I
> can't open documents created on XP either and sent to myself via
> email attachment. The error message I'm getting is something about
> "locked by another user" and can only open a read-only copy, but even
> when I try to open a read-only version, this is the error message
> that pops up:
>
> "Word experienced an error trying to open the file. Try these
> suggestions:
>

Word or Excel may have password protected or encrypted the document. Look
also at Information Rights Management which allows you to restrict what
others (like on another computer) can do with/to the document.