MS Word not in default file associations list

endrick · Sep 21, 2010

I have installed MS Office Professional 2003 on Windows 7. I cannot get Word to associate with .doc files to open files from Windows. Word is not there as an option to choose as a default program in "Open with" or via "Associate a file type...". I can browse to find WINWORD.EXE within Office11, but when I click "Open" nothing happens! I can open Word, and then open .doc files from within Word but not from Windows. Any advice welcome....

Bill2 · Sep 21, 2010

Try repairing or reinstalling office 2003.

endrick · Sep 21, 2010

Thanks Bill2 but I've tried that already!

Bill2 · Sep 21, 2010

Try this.

Press winkey + R, then in the Run box type:

winword /r

Hit Enter, then check whether the problem is still there.

If that throws up an error, type in the full path to the Winword executable like this (whatever the exact path is):

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe /r

endrick · Sep 21, 2010

Thanks - OK - done that - it said it was configuring Office. But still can't choose Word as the default for .doc. Other file types have Word as the default and they work fine. This is so frustrating!

Bill2 · Sep 21, 2010

In regedit, navigate to the following key and highlight it:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc

Then look at the values in the right pane, what do they say?

endrick · Sep 21, 2010

(Default) REG_SZ doc_auto_file
Content Type REG_SZ application/msword

Bill2 · Sep 21, 2010

Try this. Backup the following registry key first (right click the key, then click Export):

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc

Then in the right pane, click on the "Default" you mentioned earlier and modify its data to:

Word.Document.8

Close regedit, now check.

endrick · Sep 21, 2010

Just found further folders and files within the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc as follows:

.doc/OpenWithList (Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
.doc/OpenWithList/wkswp.exe (Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
.doc/PersistentHandler (Default) REG_SZ {98DE59A0-D175-11CD-A7BD-00006B827D94}
.doc/Word.Document.8 (Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
.doc/Word.Document.8/ShellNew (Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
.doc/Word.Document.8/ShellNew FileName REG_SZ winword8.doc

So, is it the first one - in .doc and not in any subsequent folders - that I change the Default file?

Thanks so much for your help with this.

Bill2 · Sep 21, 2010

The first one, exactly the one i asked you to check the value of.

endrick · Sep 21, 2010

Getting there.....I can now associate Word as default program. When choosing a file to open, it now opens Word but not the file and a red X box appears saying "There was a problem sending the command to the program"

Thanks so much for your help here....but I'm afraid I have run out of time for today....hope to find you still online tomorrow....

Bill2 · Sep 21, 2010

"There was a problem sending the command to the program"

Yes, that is a problem i've come across before, please search these forums and also google because IIRC, it has been solved for many people.

If I'm not around tomorrow, somebody else will be.

markrheuer · Apr 1, 2013

icons restored for office programs, thanks!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! 'winword /r' did it. I've been looking for this fix for months! The REG file for PDF's fixed those too....AWESOME!

osteno · Sep 6, 2014

Windows 7: MS Word not in default file associations list

Rename WINWORD.EXE, for example to WINWORD2.EXE.
Then set .doc files to always open with WINWORD2.EXE.

ghopf · Feb 13, 2015

Thanks osteno. Renaming winword.exe to winword2.exe worked. Office 2013 overlays the Word association. Needed for conversions from Office 2003 to 2013. Then reset the doc file association until you're finished with all upgrades.

MS Word not in default file associations list

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