PRJ: Cannot Open Project Saved in Microsoft Project 98 Format (284146)

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Project 98, when you try to open a file that was created with Microsoft Project 2000 and then saved in the Microsoft Project 98 file format, you may receive the following error message:

This file was created by a later version of Microsoft Project. To open this file, you need a converter that you can download from the Web site. After downloading the converter, please restart Microsoft Project and reopen the file.

Do you want to connect to the site to download the converter now?

NOTE: There is currently no converter to convert Microsoft Project 2000 files to Microsoft Project 98 format. If you click Yes, the link opens a Web site that contains instructions on how to save files in Microsoft Project 98 format from Microsoft Project 2000.

If you click No, you receive the following error message:

Microsoft Project cannot open this file because the format is not recognized.

The file was probably created by a newer version of Microsoft Project.

CAUSE

This behavior can be caused by one of the following causes.

Cause 1

This behavior can occur because of an invalid registry value at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSProject.MPP.8\CLSID. If the registry key is invalid the files are saved as Microsoft Project 2000 file format rather than as Microsoft Project 98 file format. There is no warning message that this error is occurring.

One common cause for this behavior is installing Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project 98 on the same computer. Both versions of Project use some of the same system settings and registry keys. Microsoft recommends that you not install both Microsoft Project 98 and Microsoft Project 2000 on the same computer. This configuration is not supported by Microsoft Product Support Services.

Cause 2

This behavior can occur if you are attempting to open a file through e-mail.

Files sent directly from Microsoft Project 2000 by using the Send To command on the File menu are always sent in Microsoft Project 2000 .mpp format.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.

Resolution for Cause 1

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this issue, manually edit the system registry to correct the invalid key at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSProject.MPP.8\CLSID. To manually edit this key, follow these steps:

Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Run dialog box, in the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
In the Registry Editor, select the following key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSProject.MPP.8\CLSID
In the right pane, click the name under the Name column.

The name should be "(Default)".
On the Edit menu, click Modify.
In the Edit String dialog box in the Value data box type 000C0A09-0000-0000-C000-000000000046, and then click OK.
On the Registry menu, click Exit.

Resolution for Cause 2

In Microsoft Project 2000, click Save As on the File menu.
Browse to the location where you want to save the file.
In the Save As Type box, select Microsoft Project 98 (mpp), and then click Save.
On the File menu, click Close.
In Microsoft Outlook, open a new e-mail message.
On the Insert menu, click File.
Browse to the location of the Microsoft Project file, and then click Insert.
Click Send.