PRJ2000: "Paste Operation Cannot Be Completed" Error Message When You Open a Microsoft Project File (305644)

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use any of the following methods, as appropriate to your situation.

Method 1

Save your file as a Microsoft Project Database file (.mpd), and then open and resave it as a Microsoft Project file (.mpp). To do this, follow these steps:

1. Start Microsoft Project, and then open your file.
2. Click OK in response to the error message described in the "Symptoms" section of this article.
3. On the File menu, click Save As.
4. In the Save As dialog box, specify a file name and location in which to save your file.
5. In the Save as type box, click Project Database (*.mpd), and then click Save.
6. In the Save To Database dialog box, click Save.
7. Click Close on the File menu.
8. Open the .mpd file that you saved in step 5.
9. On the File menu, click Save As.
10. In the Save As dialog box, specify a file name and location in which to save your file.
11. In the Save as type box, click Project (*.mpp), and then click Save.

Method 2

If your Microsoft Project file is password-protected, remove your password, and then save your file with a new name. Then, password-protect and resave your file. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Start Microsoft Project, and then open your file.
2. In the Password dialog box, type your password, and then click OK.
3. Click OK in response to the error message.
4. On the File menu, click Save As.
5. In the Save As dialog box, click General Options on the Tools menu.
6. In the Save Options dialog box, remove your password, and then click OK.
7. Specify a new file name and location in which to save your file, and then click Save.
8. Click Close on the File menu.
9. Click Open on the File menu to open your Microsoft Project file.
10. On the File menu, click Save As.
11. In the Save As dialog box, click General Options on the Tools menu.
12. In the Save Options dialog box, type a password, and then click OK.
13. In the Confirm Password dialog box, retype your password, and then click OK.
14. Click Save.
15. Click OK in response to the A file with this name already exists message.

Method 3

If Method 1 and Method 2 do not resolve the issue, or if you can open but cannot save your Microsoft Project file, install Microsoft Project 2000 Service Release 1 (SR-1), and then re-create your Microsoft Project file. New Microsoft Project files that you create in Microsoft Project 2000 SR-1 do not exhibit the behavior described in the "Symptoms" section of this article. However, if you open an existing Microsoft Project file, you may receive the error message described in the "Symptoms" section of this article. To work around this behavior, you must re-create your Microsoft Project file. To re-create your Microsoft Project file without having to re-enter the project data, follow these steps:

1. Install Microsoft Project 2000 SR-1.
   
   For more information about how to obtain and install Microsoft Project 2000 SR-1, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   288953 PRJ2000: How to Obtain and Install Microsoft Project 2000 SR-1

2. In Microsoft Project 2000 SR-1, re-create your Microsoft Project file by following steps 1 through 28 under "Method 2: If You Cannot Create New Macros in the Project" in the "Workaround" section of the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

   255028 PRJ: Macro Warning, Missing Macros, or Cannot Edit Macro in a Project Saved in 98 Format