WD: Cannot Locate Documents After Upgrading to Word 7.x, 97 (166944)

SYMPTOMS

When you upgrade from a version of Word for Windows earlier than versions 7.x or Word 97, you cannot find document created prior to the upgrade when you click Open on the File menu.

CAUSE

When you upgrade to Word for Windows versions 7.x and Word 97, the default file location for documents is set to:

Windows 95

- <Drive>:\My documents

Windows NT

- <Drive>:\NT\PROFILES\<Default UserName>\PERSONAL

The default file location for versions of Word for Windows prior to 7.x and Word 97 is the installation directory. For example, <Drive>:\Winword.

WORKAROUND

Use one of the following methods to work around this issue.

Method 1: Change the File Locations

On the Tools menu, click Options.
Select the File Locations tab.
Select Documents in the File Types box and click Modify.
Select the folder you want for your document files and click OK.
Click Close.

Method 2: Copy the Documents to the User Folder

Start Windows Explorer.
Select the directory where your documents are stored.
Select all of your document files.
On the Edit menu, click Copy.
Navigate to the <Drive>:\NT\PROFILES\<Default UserName>\PERSONAL folder.
On the Edit menu, click Paste.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

When upgrading to the versions of Word for Windows listed at the beginning of this article, Setup does not scan for the default document location from the previous version. For this reason, after the upgrade process is complete, when you choose to open a document, the directory or folder does not default to the location set under a previous version of Word.