What program is CAD?
What extensions do the files you cannot open have? .doc?
Do you have MS Office installed?

When it wouldn't open I did a control/alt/delete (CAD)
This is a Word Data file (doc.)
I have MS Office 2003

When I do the control/alt/delete, I get the non-responsive program

On the right side of the page when I open Word, there is a list of recently used programs...that document shows up there and I can open it from there.

I tried renaming it and saving it again, but it still won't open in "MY DATA Sources". I tried just putting it into "My Documents" and it still won't open and is unresponsive.

I can open it from that place in Word, but with time, and use, that option won't be there unless I keep opening the document...just the recently used documents show up there

If you can open it by the other means then try saving it as a Rich Text Format (RTF) then it can be opened by any word processor.

Thank you very much..it "will" open when I do that, but it takes a very, very long time

After doing the owbist's RFT save, have you tried opening the RFT and saving as a .doc to see if it behaves as "normal?" And you do have a backup copy of the file?

I did the RFT save and it will open, but not for a long time...yes, I have a copy or I would "really" be in a panic. It's just that it used to work so well...I would just go into "MY Data Sources" where I had it saved and it would open. I e-mailed the file to someone else and it opened fine for them.

Is this the only file you have a problem with?, other then that word 2003 works ok.

And You created this file on your pc? right.

Now, I'm finding that "none" of the docs. I saved from Word into My Documents will open...

Yes, I created these documents in my Word Program and saved them to places in "My Documents"

NONE of them will open...my Word Program seems to be working just fine, it's just that I can't open any of the documents I save from there :o( !!!!

They used to pop right open whenever I needed one of them

Do you have access to another computer with Word installed? If so try 2 things. Copy one of your .doc files to a floppy and see if it will open on the other computer. Also try creating a short note in Word on the other computer, save it to floppy and try on your computer. This might tell us whether the files are corrupt or if it is the program.

If you still have the CD for your Office program you might consider either installing it over itself or removing the existing version and doing a fresh install. Or you could use the link below and try a repair, note the caveat that it will restore to default settings so you will lose any personalising you have done to the program itself.

There might be the possibility that the computer is infected so a few scans might be a wise choice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Repair Office programs

I e-mailed the file to someone and it opened for them. I've done a McAfee scan and Superantispyware scan...

Now...I "did" install the AIM (aol) instant messaging on my computer. I've been trying to think of anything I've done to make these shortcuts not open. Could this AIM site and instant messaging cause something like this to happen? And...if I were to uninstall it from the little place on the program that says "uninstall" would that get rid of all of it? If no one thinks this could be a factor, I will leave it on my computer because I like to talk to my granddaughter that way. But...if I unstall it, I would like to get rid of all of it....

What I would like to do is the repair to see if it would work before I try the unstaill and reinstall, but I get these two messages when I try to do that: I get a little hyper when I install things

{{gwi:1498426}}

{{gwi:1498429}}

I'm not sure what they mean if there is a way around them

Not too sure what the first notice suggests but is this computer part of a business network?

The second notice suggests you need to place the Office2003 CD in the drawer so the files can be accessed.

Here is a link that might be useful: MS info

No...this is a home computer

So...I should have the CD in the drawer when trying to do this?

Yes, if it does not work reinstall word then you may need to visit windows update.

actually the first thing I think I would do is visit the office update site and have it scan your pc to see if you need updates, how long has it been since you did your office updates? getting any updates may repair corrupt files, when getting the updates it will ask you to put your cd in the drawer so have them handy and when it tells you to insert them. I would try that before a repair or uninstall.
Get updates now

I posted a thread recently about office 2003 service pack 3 you might want to search here on this forum for that, you may need to get that update service pack because they will stop support of earlier ones.

here is that thread
users of office 2003

When I have time and the heart for it...I'll try the update thing with CD's in hand

I read some of that in that threat ravencajun and thought to myself.."Hey, I'm lucky..not having any problems." I guess nothing is easy

When I worked for Dell supporting Office applications, we would have the end user copy all data (using Select All and Copy from the edit menu) from the corrupted document and paste it into a blank document, then give it a new name. That resolved 99% of the corrupted document calls. Another thing to pay attention to...look at the bottom status bar of Word as it struggles to open your current document. My antivirus scans all docs before opening and advises that it is scanning.It does take a few seconds.

pkpounder....I can open the document from my Word Program, but they won't open when I "save as" and put them in a file. For instance I have a file for all information for a group. I made an address correction document for the group and I go in and change it from time to time when I get new information. So...I have all information pertaining to this group in a folder. When I go to this folder and try to open the address correction doctument saved there, it won't open...and it did open until recently. None of my documents that I have saved in this manner will open any more.

*sigh* I did go in and open my address list in Word did the select all and saved it under another name...just in case that "might" work before I go through some of this other stuff to try and fix this problem....it didn't work and that copy of the document was non-responsive also...so onward with my day.....

There is a video at this web link that might help you with your problem.

Here is a link that might be useful: Word Shortcuts

I'm getting lots of good help here...I check into that...

Okay...I'm down to zep's update reply on this thread...I did a repair with the discs inserted into the drawer and was notified that the detect/repair was successful....but it didn't solve my problem (that would have just been too easy)

So..I'm down to zep's reply...I find that I haven't updated Word or Office...don't you get a popup when those updates are available? My last updates were all done on 12/14/06 when I bought this computer.

So...should I update each on individually from that site or is there some place on this thing when you can click for updates and install them all one at a time, but do it automatically? I feel I need to update next and then work on from there.

I hate like heck to unstall the whole thing and reinstall it if I don't need to do that...

I now have all the updates for Office 2003 installed...including SP3

You just "know" this isn't going to solve the problem, though...and I'm afraid to even check it out tonight....I'll do that when I feel more like being frustrated. But..it "is" all updated...

So...if I have to reinstall Office, will I lose all these updates?

Thanks for all your good help....my shortcut problem seems to have been remedied by doing the updates....

I just couldn't leave it alone...had to go and give it a try.....

Who'd a thunk it???

see doing those update is important!
NO you must go to that site to have it scan your pc to get those updates for that version of office so remember to do that from now on and get your updates more timely.

Nice to read that everything is good now.