Word cannot open the spelling file

[live]

WIN 7 64bits
multi-users account, one and only one account has admin rights

I've installed the MS-Proofing Tools 2000 for MS-Word 2000 under the admin account without any error msg.

When I try to spell/grammar check in some installed languages (i.e. German) I get

"Word cannot open the spelling file c:\programs files(x86)\common files\Microsoft Shared\Proof\MSSP3GEp.lex for German(Germany)"

I tried to apply
Help and Support - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3054921
but:
I do not see in registry "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Proofing Tools\Spelling\1033\Normal"

I see "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\"

Thanks for helping.

 

[seavixen32]

There are compatibility issues with Microsoft Office 2000 and Windows 7, so naturally Microsoft recommend you upgrade your Office software.

Windows 7 Compatibility for microsoft: Drivers, Updates, Downloads word 2000

 

[live]

I have no issue at all with MS-Word 2000 for a year.
I just wanted to install the MS Proofing Tools for grammar checking with additional languages.

>There are compatibility issues with Microsoft Office 2000 and Windows 7, so naturally Microsoft recommend you upgrade your Office software.
So what, you could also say there are bugs in Win7.

 

[Rainer Dynszis]

I just had the very same problem, and found the solution in a German forum.

I report the solution here on behalf of those who speak English and end up on this forum via Google (like I did earlier today): Word 2000 does not find the spelling file

c:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\microsoft shared\Proof\MSSP3GEp.LEX

because it cannot handle the path name that is found in the registry, from which this error message is derived. The indigestible path name in the registry is

c:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\microsoft shared\Proof\MSSP3GEA.LEX

Note that the file name there is MSSP3GEA.LEX, not MSSP3GEp.LEX

You need to change that into

C:\PROGRA~2\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\Proof\MSSP3GEA.LEX

and all is well. How to do that:

1. click the start menu

2. locate the text input field where it says "Search programs and files"

3. enter "regedit" (without the quotes)

4. you see one icon in the search results, and "regedit.exe" right next to it.

5. right-click that icon, and choose "Run as administrator"

6. The Registry Editor should be open by now. Type [Ctrl]+F, enter MSSP3GEA.LEX into the search field, and click "Find Next".

7. (optional) Go smoke a cigarette or fetch a cup of coffee. It takes time.

8. When you're back, you should see c:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\microsoft shared\Proof\MSSP3GEA.LEX in the result. Double-Click the name of that result. A window pops up which is titled "Edit String"

9. replace the "Value data:" with C:\PROGRA~2\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\Proof\MSSP3GEA.LEX

10. click "OK", close the Registry Editor; Done.
.