After installing Windows XP SP2 , how do I open old Excel 2003 fil

After installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 ( SP2 ), how do I open old Excel
2003 and old Word 2003 files ( worksheete and documents )?

Before installing Windows XP SP2, my environment was composed of Windows XP
and Office 2003 ( Excel 2003 and Word 2003 ). I had many "files" of Excel
worksheets ( .xls ) and Word documents ( .doc ).

I installed Windows XP SP2 and did NOT change Excel 2003 or Word 2003.

After installing Windows XP SP2, I can create, close, and open newly created
Excel 2003 and Word 2003 worksheets and documents.
I am now unable to open the "old" ( pre SP2 install ) Excel 2003 and Word
2003 worksheets and documents.

When I try to open the "old" ( pre SP2 ) Word 2003 documents I only see
unreadable "stuff" ( not the original English text of the document).
When I try to open the "old" ( pre SP2 ) Excel 2003 worksheets I receive an
error message stating: "The file is not in a recognizable format".

I noted the following for the pre SP2 and the post SP2 install files for
both Excel 2003 and for Word 2003 "files" (worksheets and documents):
If I right click on the Excel 2003 or the Word 2003 file name and then click
on Properties, I see the following:
1) Pre SP2 install ("old") files show only two Tabs ("GENERAL" and "SUMMARY").
2) Post SP2 install ("new") files show three Tabs ("GENERAL", "CUSTOM", and
"SUMMARY").
What is the significance of this difference?????

Questions:
1) Do I go back to my pre SP2 environment?
2) Do I abandon my "old" Excel and Word files?
3) Do I move my "old" files to another system that does not have SP2
installed and see what happens?

Thank you.

I just installed WinXP/SP2. I have Excel and Word 2002. I am not having the
problems that you see. I would try Repairing Excel and Work (the option is on
the Help menu).

On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 18:43:04 -0700, Mike D
wrote:

After installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 ( SP2 ), how do I open old Excel
2003 and old Word 2003 files ( worksheete and documents )?

Before installing Windows XP SP2, my environment was composed of Windows XP
and Office 2003 ( Excel 2003 and Word 2003 ). I had many "files" of Excel
worksheets ( .xls ) and Word documents ( .doc ).

I installed Windows XP SP2 and did NOT change Excel 2003 or Word 2003.

After installing Windows XP SP2, I can create, close, and open newly created
Excel 2003 and Word 2003 worksheets and documents.
I am now unable to open the "old" ( pre SP2 install ) Excel 2003 and Word
2003 worksheets and documents.

When I try to open the "old" ( pre SP2 ) Word 2003 documents I only see
unreadable "stuff" ( not the original English text of the document).
When I try to open the "old" ( pre SP2 ) Excel 2003 worksheets I receive an
error message stating: "The file is not in a recognizable format".

I noted the following for the pre SP2 and the post SP2 install files for
both Excel 2003 and for Word 2003 "files" (worksheets and documents):
If I right click on the Excel 2003 or the Word 2003 file name and then click
on Properties, I see the following:
1) Pre SP2 install ("old") files show only two Tabs ("GENERAL" and
"SUMMARY").
2) Post SP2 install ("new") files show three Tabs ("GENERAL", "CUSTOM", and
"SUMMARY").
What is the significance of this difference?????

Questions:
1) Do I go back to my pre SP2 environment?
2) Do I abandon my "old" Excel and Word files?
3) Do I move my "old" files to another system that does not have SP2
installed and see what happens?

Thank you.

HELP did not help solve the problem. Thanks.

"Myrna Larson" wrote:

I just installed WinXP/SP2. I have Excel and Word 2002. I am not having the
problems that you see. I would try Repairing Excel and Work (the option is on
the Help menu).

On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 18:43:04 -0700, Mike D
wrote:

After installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 ( SP2 ), how do I open old Excel
2003 and old Word 2003 files ( worksheete and documents )?

Before installing Windows XP SP2, my environment was composed of Windows XP
and Office 2003 ( Excel 2003 and Word 2003 ). I had many "files" of Excel
worksheets ( .xls ) and Word documents ( .doc ).

I installed Windows XP SP2 and did NOT change Excel 2003 or Word 2003.

After installing Windows XP SP2, I can create, close, and open newly created
Excel 2003 and Word 2003 worksheets and documents.
I am now unable to open the "old" ( pre SP2 install ) Excel 2003 and Word
2003 worksheets and documents.

When I try to open the "old" ( pre SP2 ) Word 2003 documents I only see
unreadable "stuff" ( not the original English text of the document).
When I try to open the "old" ( pre SP2 ) Excel 2003 worksheets I receive an
error message stating: "The file is not in a recognizable format".

I noted the following for the pre SP2 and the post SP2 install files for
both Excel 2003 and for Word 2003 "files" (worksheets and documents):
If I right click on the Excel 2003 or the Word 2003 file name and then click
on Properties, I see the following:
1) Pre SP2 install ("old") files show only two Tabs ("GENERAL" and
"SUMMARY").
2) Post SP2 install ("new") files show three Tabs ("GENERAL", "CUSTOM", and
"SUMMARY").
What is the significance of this difference?????

Questions:
1) Do I go back to my pre SP2 environment?
2) Do I abandon my "old" Excel and Word files?
3) Do I move my "old" files to another system that does not have SP2
installed and see what happens?

Thank you.