How to make Word my default word processor instead of Wordpad?

Installed Office Professional 2007 (academic edition--still spendy, but not
as bad) about a week after I bought my new computer. Wordpad is set as my
default download processor (e.g., when I am opening/saving an attachment from
an e-mail). How do I change it to Word 2007?

 

Hi,

Go to the Control Panel/Default Programs. Click the line to associate a file
type with a program. Scroll down the list to .doc and select it, then click
the button to 'change program'. This should allow you to select Word as the
default.

 

Hey Felix--

Easy. Put up an IE browser Window>Tools>Programs>Choose the program you
want IE to use to edit HTML files>and choose Word on the pulldown instead of
Wordpad.

CH

 

Rick,

Thanks. Worked like a charm...except when I try to save or open an
attachment from my cwu.edu account (CWU = Central Washington University) it
doesn't work. Even though the default list in the control panel says
"Microsoft Word" when I go to save the attachment (which is designated as a
..doc file) the default given is Wordpad. What is even weirder is when I go to
the control panel default program list it says Word is the default program
but when you click on the .doc Wordpad is highlighted, but Word is given as
one of the choices. If you highlight Word and then chose it as the default it
does its thing and says Word is the default, but once again I go to my
university e-mail account and Wordapd comes up as the default. It is really
strange and really annoying. Any ideas?

 

Hi felix_the_cat,

Can you export a copy of these registry keys:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.DOC
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DOC_auto_file

and post the contents? Run regedit, expand to the key and click on it. Click
file/export and save with a name of your choice to the desktop. Repeat for
the other key (using a different name). Close the registry editor. Now right
click a saved key and use 'edit' to open it in notepad. Click edit/select
all/edit/copy, then open a response to this post and click in the message
text area. Hit ctrl+v to paste the contents. Repeat for the other key.

 

Rick,

Here is the info:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc]
@="doc_auto_file"
"Content Type"="application/msword"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc\OpenWithProgIDs]
"opendocument.WriterDocument.1"=" "

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc\PersistentHandler]
@="{98DE59A0-D175-11CD-A7BD-00006B827D94}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc\shellex\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}]
@="{84F66100-FF7C-4fb4-B0C0-02CD7FB668FE}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc\Word.Document.8]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc\Word.Document.8\ShellNew]


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\doc_auto_file]
@=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\doc_auto_file\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\doc_auto_file\shell\open]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\doc_auto_file\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\
00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,\
4e,00,54,00,5c,00,41,00,63,00,63,00,65,00,73,00,73,00,6f,00,72,00,69,00,65,\
00,73,00,5c,00,57,00,4f,00,52,00,44,00,50,00,41,00,44,00,2e,00,45,00,58,00,\
45,00,22,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

In addition, in the Command folder under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\doc_auto_file the
"Data" line reads: "%ProgramFiles%\Windows NT\WORDPAD.EXE""%1"

The name for this data is "ab(Default)." So, I definitely think you are on
to something here. Obviously, Wordpad is set as the default in this registry
file, no?

Thanks a million. Let me know if I can safely alter this situation.

Nicholas

 

Chad,

Followed your instructions and Word is/was set as the default program to
edit HTML files, but I still only get Wordpad when I try and download .doc
files that are attached.

 

Hi,

Yes, you can safely alter the path file to that of MSWord. At worst, you
change it back.

 

Rick,

Just change WORDPAD.EXE to MSWORD.EXE?

NJS

 

It worked! The default says "doc_auto_file" not MSWORD, but Word is what
opens up the attached .doc file so what the heck. If there is some reason to
change it other than aesthetics let me know, if you know.

Thanks abunch,
NJS

 

Hi,

No, change:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows NT\WORDPAD.EXE""%1"

To:
"%ProgramFiles%\microsoft office\Office12\Winword.exe""%1"

Or whatever the correct path is for this program on your machine, appended
with the "%1".

 

Cool.

 

Rick,

I went a head and just changed WORDPAD.EXE to MSWORD.EXE bc I didn't hear
back and figured what the heck. It worked, but if you think I should change:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows NT\WORDPAD.EXE""%1"

To:
"%ProgramFiles%\microsoft office\Office12\Winword.exe""%1"

Or whatever the correct path is for this program on your machine, appended
with the "%1".

How do I figure out/confirm the correct path for MSWORD program on my
computer if it is different than the one you supplied above? What is Office
12, etc. and how do I gain this info?

Thanks,
NJS
p.s. I am tempted to leave it as is bc it worked for both my hotmail and
cwu.edu accounts, buy please let me know what you think, o.k.?

 

Hi,

Click start, type winword, right click the entry in the menu, select 'open
file location'. The file path will be in the atmosphere. Office12 is just
another name for the version of Office I am using (2007).

 

RR,

File path "%ProgramFiles%\microsoft office\Office12\Winword.exe""%1"worked
like a charm. Really appreciate all your help and I learned quite a bit in
the process. Thanks again.

Nicholas