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Unable to Open Some Word docs

C

Carbo

Diamond Member
I did a fresh install of Windows XP. Followed with a reinstall of my programs, including Office XP. Then I restored my various files and data, including a variety of Word documents.
Strangely, some of those docs open just fine, while many others greet me with an error: "Word cannot open the document: user does not have access privileges".
Can anyone clue me in? Thank you.
 
To start with, make sure Office is all patched up at Office Update.

Putting your error phrase into Microsoft's search box came up with some stuff. One possibility is that your documents are virus-infected and the antivirus software is preventing them from being opened. You didn't encrypt the files, did you?
 
mech, first, thanks for the reminder regarding Office updates. Bucket load of 'em, but they're all installed. Bad news is, though, it didn't make a difference. Still unable to access certain Word docs.
None of the files are infected. Did a complete system scan with an up-to-date Kaspersky AV 6, and all is clean.
But, as I looked further into this, here is what I found. For some reason, some of these Word docs are encrypted. Now, I am certain that I did not do this. No reason to, as these are not of a sensitive nature. Documents that I kept on my desktop, for example, for easy access. I'm baffled how they came to be encrypted. Even more so how to crack 'em open. Any suggestions?
 
Originally posted by: Carbo
mech, first, thanks for the reminder regarding Office updates. Bucket load of 'em, but they're all installed. Bad news is, though, it didn't make a difference. Still unable to access certain Word docs.
None of the files are infected. Did a complete system scan with an up-to-date Kaspersky AV 6, and all is clean.
But, as I looked further into this, here is what I found. For some reason, some of these Word docs are encrypted. Now, I am certain that I did not do this. No reason to, as these are not of a sensitive nature. Documents that I kept on my desktop, for example, for easy access. I'm baffled how they came to be encrypted. Even more so how to crack 'em open. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
If they were encrypted under the previous Windows installation, using EFS, then they're gone forever. There's no way back except by resurrecting the previous installation of Windows to decrypt them 🙁
rose.gif


If you do have the previous installation of Windows available, hurry hurry hurry, get it going and decrypt those files :Q

 
This turn of events certainly sucks! Some of the files are needed, and for the life of me I can't understand how they became encrypted.
For example, one of the Word docs on my desktop is labeled Fax. It is simply a fax template I make available for easy access and convenience. There is no reason for me to have ever encrypted this file. Now, in the overall scheme of things, this is unimportant and can be replaced in a heartbeat.
Other docs, though, aren't so easily replaced. I'm in the process of building a new website for my business, and many of the Word docs are website pages of text needed for the site. Time consuming and a real pain in the ass if I have to go through the process again of writing them.
Man! How on earth did these docs become encrypted?! 😕 :|
And what is it going to take to decrypt 'em??
 
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