File Association Issue

I have Office XP and Office 2007 both installed.

I've associated .doc files with Winword.exe in the Program File (X86) directory, which is Office XP. But they still open in Office 2007.

I've tried:
- Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Choose by File Type and set the association there.
- I tried right clicking on a .doc file, choosing Open With, then hunted down Winword in the X86 area
- I tried right clicking on a .doc file, choosing Open With, hunted down Winword, and then chose "Always".

It still opens Office 2007. Office XP runs fine if I run it from a shortcut or the exe. But a double-click on a file name always gets Office 2007.

I checked the MS site and their recommendation was basically "Remove the versions of Office you don't want". Seems like a dodge to me

I looked at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\ but there aren't even entries for the MS-Office doc types.

Is there some special bypass happening for MS Office programs that's built into the OS? Is there another place to check/hack registry entries?

Levitate11 said:

I checked the MS site and their recommendation was basically "Remove the versions of Office you don't want". Seems like a dodge to me

Click to expand...

Not from how I look at it, you’ve superseded one with the other. Did you use the default install paths when installing or did you choose another?
I’d suppose, files in AppData are overwritten, perhaps?

antspants said:

Not from how I look at it, you’ve superseded one with the other. Did you use the default install paths when installing or did you choose another?
I’d suppose, files in AppData are overwritten, perhaps?

Click to expand...

Default paths to the extent you can... Office XP is installed in Program Files (X86). Office 2007 is installed in Programs Files.

I don't see anything interesting in AppData. Is there a particular file or files that might be redirecting? I do have access to a Win 7 Office XP install to steal things from to try if you have an idea of what to grab.

Seems to be a deep seated association issue, as you basically mentioned. I’m yet to find anything helpful on the net.

Levitate11 said:

I have Office XP and Office 2007 both installed.

Click to expand...

Installing two (or more) versions of MS Office has been flawed since time immemorial. It is certainly not a new phenomena

Levitate11 said:

I've associated .doc files with Winword.exe in the Program File (X86) directory, which is Office XP. But they still open in Office 2007.

Click to expand...

You can set the default for one version of any MS Office component, but the moment you open the other version, Windows will "steal" back the default and re-appropriate to the version last opened. A never ending, futile, pointless battle. If you have to use different versions, go for an installation in a virtual OS environment

EDIT Why would you want 2 versions (especially released consecutively) for MS Word docs. Outlook, meh, maybe, perhaps Access, but Word???

Here's a Fun Fact: For Kicks, I renamed the Program Files > Microsoft Office directory, which contains Office 12 and Office 16 (not much in either) as well as a "root" directory which contains another Office 15 and Office 16 directory to a temp name.

I also renamed the Program Files > Microsoft Office 15 directory (which only has some x64 tidbit in it) to a temp name.

Office 2007 still started up when I double clicked on a .doc file.

I’d actually suggest that it’s a registry issue.

antspants said:

Seems to be a deep seated association issue, as you basically mentioned. I’m yet to find anything helpful on the net.

Click to expand...

Yeah... see my post above. Wacky.

idgat said:

Installing two (or more) versions of MS Office has been flawed since time immemorial. It is certainly not a new phenomena

You can set the default for one version of any MS Office component, but the moment you open the other version, Windows will "steal" back the default and re-appropriate to the version last opened. A never ending, futile, pointless battle. If you have to use different versions, go for an installation in a virtual OS environment

EDIT Why would you want 2 versions (especially released consecutively) for MS Word docs. Outlook, meh, maybe, perhaps Access, but Word???

Click to expand...

I'd be happy with that... but I can't even get it to run once in the XP version. It won't even run the version I selected via Open With, once.

Something along the lines of this?

If Office 2007 is installed alongside Office XP, Windows may default to opening `.doc` files with the newer version. To change this behavior via the Windows Registry, follow these steps carefully—editing the Registry incorrectly can cause issues.


Registry Editing Steps:
1. Back up your Registry: Open `regedit.exe`, go to File > Export, and save a backup.
2. Navigate to the File Association Key:
- Go to: `HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc`
- Find the `(Default)` value, which might reference `Word.Document.12` (Office 2007).
3. Modify the Default Program Association:
- Locate `HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.12\shell\Open\command`.
- Change the default string value to point to Office XP's `WINWORD.EXE` location. Typically:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\WINWORD.EXE" "%1"

4. Check the CLSID Reference:
- In `HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc`, change any references from `Word.Document.12` back to `Word.Document.8` (used by Office XP).
5. Restart Your Computer** This ensures changes are applied.

I obviously can not confirm the above, due to not having either Office 2007 or Office XP

antspants said:

Something along the lines of this?

If Office 2007 is installed alongside Office XP, Windows may default to opening `.doc` files with the newer version. To change this behavior via the Windows Registry, follow these steps carefully—editing the Registry incorrectly can cause issues.


Registry Editing Steps:
1. Back up your Registry: Open `regedit.exe`, go to File > Export, and save a backup.
2. Navigate to the File Association Key:
- Go to: `HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc`
- Find the `(Default)` value, which might reference `Word.Document.12` (Office 2007).
3. Modify the Default Program Association:
- Locate `HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.12\shell\Open\command`.
- Change the default string value to point to Office XP's `WINWORD.EXE` location. Typically:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\WINWORD.EXE" "%1"

4. Check the CLSID Reference:
- In `HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc`, change any references from `Word.Document.12` back to `Word.Document.8` (used by Office XP).
5. Restart Your Computer** This ensures changes are applied.

Click to expand...

Thanks, BUT, you're not going to believe this...

On my system, the first key you mentioned (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc) is actually Word.Document.8 for a .doc file. Comparatively, the .docx key is Word.Document.12. Makes sense so far as a.docx file would be an Office 12 document.

I scrolled to the second section (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.nn), where the shell/open commands are located under both Word.Document.8 and Word.Document.12. They both point at the Office 12 directory. I changed the Word.Document.8 command to point at Office 10.

Restarted the system. Double-clicked a file.doc to test. Office 2007 popped up "Configuring Office 2007"... then eventually Word 2007 started.

So I went back in. The process had apparently changed the Word.Document.8 shell open registry entry from Office 10 back to Office 12!

I repeated the change and this time also changed the Word.Document.12 shell open command to Office 10 too.

Reboot. Check the keys... still there. Retry double-click test. Same results: "Configuring Office 2007" and it changed the keys back again.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FYI - There is no CLSID reference under Word.Document.8 in the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc section. There is a Persistent Handler with a key of {98DE59A0-D175-11CD-A7BD-00006B827D94}. If I scroll much further down, there is a master CLSID section with lots of key entries, all long strings. There's a key with the matching name and it has one key under it: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{98de59a0-d175-11cd-a7bd-00006b827d94}\PersistentAddinsRegistered\{89BCB740-6119-101A-BCB7-00DD010655AF} . That key has another long string as its default value.

There are also CLSID keys under the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.nn keys. Again, long string value name. There is a matching entry in the master CLSID section but while it has a number of sub keys, they are all unset with just "Default Value".

I have no idea what to do with that info.

please have a look in settings > apps > default apps
at the bottom of this page there is 'choose defaults by file type'

try changing .doc to office XP (if it is listed)
unsure about .docx but maybe able to change that default.

best of luck, Steve ..

I would be willing to bet you installed Office 2007 before your installed XP. Is that correct? When running more than one version of Office the older versions must be installed first in order to keep file associations in the registry straight.

Per Microsoft: "

Installation order​

If you want to install and use more than one version of Office on the same computer without virtualization, use the following order.
Expand table

Microsoft Office 2003	First
Microsoft Office 2007	Second
Microsoft Office 2010 suites and programs (32-bit versions only)	Third
Microsoft Office 2013 suites and programs (32-bit versions only)	Fourth

[th]

Version​

[/th][th]

Installation order​

[/th]​

You must install the earliest version of Office first. For example, if you want to use both Office 2007 and Office 2013 programs on the same computer, install Office 2007 first. You must use this order because of how registry keys, shared programs, file name extensions, and other settings are managed for each version of the Office suites and programs.

glasskuter said:

I would be willing to bet you installed Office 2007 before your installed XP. Is that correct? When running more than one version of Office the older versions must be installed first in order to keep file associations in the registry straight.

Per Microsoft: "
Installation order
If you want to install and use more than one version of Office on the same computer without virtualization, use the following order.
Expand table

Microsoft Office 2003	First
Microsoft Office 2007	Second
Microsoft Office 2010 suites and programs (32-bit versions only)	Third
Microsoft Office 2013 suites and programs (32-bit versions only)	Fourth

[th]
Version

[/th][th]
Installation order

[/th]​

You must install the earliest version of Office first. For example, if you want to use both Office 2007 and Office 2013 programs on the same computer, install Office 2007 first. You must use this order because of how registry keys, shared programs, file name extensions, and other settings are managed for each version of the Office suites and programs.

Click to expand...

I installed it every which way trying to get XP to run on Win 11. So many times I can't even tell you what the final order was, LOL. But, Office XP was the original install before 2007.

But I'd bet that that is only going to result in what I have: the latest version grabbing all the associations no matter what I try.

XxXxX said:

please have a look in settings > apps > default apps
at the bottom of this page there is 'choose defaults by file type'

try changing .doc to office XP (if it is listed)
unsure about .docx but maybe able to change that default.

best of luck, Steve ..

Click to expand...

Yeah... that's where I started. Doesn't change anything. MS still runs Office 2007.

Didn't read it all but my thought: Office 2007 was the first to have the newer file formats that are identified by the x added to the file extension, e.g. .docx, xlsx, etc. Office 2000, 2002/XP and 2003 need a Compatibility Pack installed in order to work with the newer format [which is still available online]. Office 2010 was the first to be available as either 32-bit or 64-bit. Win11 is only 64-bit but still can work fine with 32-bit programs. Having both the older and newer format files opening in their own program might be accomplished by settings of the File Associations, set .doc for 2000 and .docx with 2007.

Have you tried the NoReReg trick outlined here?

pseymour said:

Have you tried the NoReReg trick outlined here?

Use Office 2013 on a computer that's running another version of Office - Microsoft 365 Apps

Describes how to run multiple versions of Office on a computer that has Office 2013 suites and programs installed.

learn.microsoft.com

Click to expand...

Thanks, looks promising. That appears to be exactly what's happening. Giving it a try tonight.

Berton said:

Didn't read it all but my thought: Office 2007 was the first to have the newer file formats that are identified by the x added to the file extension, e.g. .docx, xlsx, etc. Office 2000, 2002/XP and 2003 need a Compatibility Pack installed in order to work with the newer format [which is still available online]. Office 2010 was the first to be available as either 32-bit or 64-bit. Win11 is only 64-bit but still can work fine with 32-bit programs. Having both the older and newer format files opening in their own program might be accomplished by settings of the File Associations, set .doc for 2000 and .docx with 2007.

Click to expand...

I've tried that. No go.

antspants said:

Something along the lines of this?

If Office 2007 is installed alongside Office XP, Windows may default to opening `.doc` files with the newer version. To change this behavior via the Windows Registry, follow these steps carefully—editing the Registry incorrectly can cause issues.


Registry Editing Steps:
1. Back up your Registry: Open `regedit.exe`, go to File > Export, and save a backup.
2. Navigate to the File Association Key:
- Go to: `HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc`
- Find the `(Default)` value, which might reference `Word.Document.12` (Office 2007).
3. Modify the Default Program Association:
- Locate `HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.12\shell\Open\command`.
- Change the default string value to point to Office XP's `WINWORD.EXE` location. Typically:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\WINWORD.EXE" "%1"

4. Check the CLSID Reference:
- In `HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.doc`, change any references from `Word.Document.12` back to `Word.Document.8` (used by Office XP).
5. Restart Your Computer** This ensures changes are applied.

Click to expand...

pseymour said:

Have you tried the NoReReg trick outlined here?

Use Office 2013 on a computer that's running another version of Office - Microsoft 365 Apps

Describes how to run multiple versions of Office on a computer that has Office 2013 suites and programs installed.

learn.microsoft.com

Click to expand...

SO, using @pseymour 's referenced trick fixed a couple things: When Officer 2007 starts up, I no longer get the "Configuring Office 2007" splash screen. As part of that, it's no longer changing back the reg keys that I changed under @antspants pointer. They are currently pointing at the Office 2010 directory (XP).

BUT, at this point it still started up Office 2007 on a double click. Ugh.

I did a Repair Installation on Office XP. I do now get Word XP kicking up when I double click a document, as long as that document was not originally created in Word 2007. Yay. But it doesn't bring up the document. Word XP comes up with no document open. The document I double clicked is also not included on the "Recent Files" entry.

So, halfway there. Word XP is now starting up. It's also not starting up with the normal blank document it would have. But it's also not bringing up the double clicked document.

I'm open to other hacks and ideas.