The Convert File dialog box does not appear when you open a document that was not saved as a Word document in Word 2003 (834948)

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

When you open a file that was not saved as a Microsoft Word document (for example, if you open a *.txt file) in Microsoft Office Word 2003, the Convert File dialog box does not appear.

Note This problem may occur even if you click to select the Confirm conversion at Open check box on the General tab (on the Tools menu, click Options).

CAUSE

This problem may occur after you install and activate the hotfix that is described in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

290981 WD2002: The File Conversion Encoding dialog box appears when you open a text file

RESOLUTION

This problem was first fixed in a hotfix that is now contained in a service pack. If you installed the latest Microsoft Office 2003 service pack, you do not have to install the hotfix.

Service pack information

This problem is corrected in Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 1.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Office 2003. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

870924 How to obtain the latest service pack for Office 2003

Hotfix information

How to obtain the hotfix

This issue is fixed in the Word 2003 Hotfix Package that is dated December 19, 2003. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

833985 Word 2003 hotfix package: January 20, 2004

After you install this hotfix, follow the steps that are listed in the "More Information" section of this article to set the DefaultCPG registry key and to activate the hotfix.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem without installing the hotfix that is described in the "Resolution" section, delete the DefaultCPG registry value that is used to activate the hotfix that is described in the article that is listed in the "Cause" section of this article.

To do this, follow these steps.

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.

Quit Word.
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate, and then click to select the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Options
After you select the registry key that is specified in step 4, right-click DefaultCPG, and then click Delete.
Click Yes to confirm that you want to delete this value.
Click Exit on the File menu to quit Registry Editor.

MORE INFORMATION

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 activate this hotfix, follow these steps:

Quit Word.
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate, and then click to select the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Options
After you select the key that is specified in step 4, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD Value.
Type DefaultCPG, and then press ENTER.
Right-click DefaultCPG, and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type 1252, and then click OK.
On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.