WD: "Word Cannot Open the Document" with No Extension

ID: Q139938

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

You get the following error message when you double-click a file that does not have an extension and select Word to open the document.

   Word cannot open the document (<path>\<filename>)

When you choose OK, Word opens a new document.

STATUS

Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

WORKAROUND

Use one of the following workarounds:

Method 1: Start Word, then open the document.

Method 2: Give the file an extension before you double-click it to open it.

KBCategory: kbusage kberrmsg KBSubcategory: Additional query words: 7.0 7.0a word95 word7 file open cannot can not errmsg winword word97

Version           : 7.0 7.0a 97
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: February 5, 1998