Answer: Cannot Open DOCX. Files in Microsoft Office 2010 Starter

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Kloi asked on September 11, 2013

Cannot open DOCX. files in Microsoft Office 2010 Starter
I have Microsoft Office 2010 Starter. Suddenly, all my files are in docx. format, and I cannot open them. I
get a message saying I need to purchase Office. Why has this suddenly happened? How can I change it
back?

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Suzanne S. Barnhill replied on September 12, 2013

MVP

Community Moderator

In reply to trebor65's post on September 11, 2013
This suggests that the file association has been damaged. See this post for repair instructions.
Microsoft MVP (Word) since 1999
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://sbarnhill.mvps.org

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kjeld65 replied on September 12, 2013

In reply to kjeld65's post on September 12, 2013
The problem is solved for now. I went to Control Panel and uninstall programs. Clicked on Office Starter
and then Change. Then I selected Repair. This solved the problem for me. But I see others have the
problem also, and I still wonder if starter wasn't corrupted with the 9/10/13 update (or was it a marketing
ploy????)

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trebor65 replied on September 11, 2013

Same problem. Seems they did critical UPDATES today; since then I cannot open from my document
library, but can access some files through my WORD icon in task bar. Who to contact with this
problem?????

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I can't believe MS would do this. For years I have used simple versions of Word such as Starter. Now that
I have financial files, letters, documents all in Word Starter, I can't open them. Microsoft gets me to put
all my files on Word Starter and then holds them hostage forcing me to pay. I don't need or want office; I
don't need or want Powerpoint: I don't run a business. I simply want to be able to use a word processing
program and spreadsheet. I was deceived, tricked, and now held hostage by Microsoft. I WILL NOT PAY
MICROSOFT HOSTAGE MONEY, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO LIKEWISE. If Microsoft does
not provide an option for me to open the files I have, I will be finished with Microsoft. Any solutions for
opening word and excel files without paying hostage money?

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Answer


MVP

Community Moderator

This suggests that the file association has been damaged. See this post for repair instructions.

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MVP

Community Moderator

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." This problem is almost certainly
not due to a conspiracy or a marketing ploy but just the result of an honest mistake, an unintended
consequence of some other change. It will be fixed.

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In reply to Suzanne S. Barnhill's post on September 12, 2013
Thanks for one explanation. But I find it hard to believe that Microsoft would make such a mistake with
an upgrade, and why doesn't it just say, "can't open file" instead of "you must purchase on the these
programs to open the file." Sounds like a marketing ploy to me. I won't believe it until it is fixed without
me uninstalling and installing the program again.

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I might try the reinstall later. But if I go to program files and click Office Starter the program opens and I
can do Word or Excel. But if I save the file in my documents, I get the same message when I try to click on
the document to open it: "You must purchase an Office Program to open this file." All the file icons are a
bright orange. The only way I can open a saved Word document is to open the Office Starter program,
click open, and select the file I want to open. Then it opens. But I'll wait a while to see how many others
have this problem, if it is an error in the update, a marketing ploy, or a simple reinstall.

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The problem is solved for now. I went to Control Panel and uninstall programs. Clicked on Office Starter
and then Change. Then I selected Repair. This solved the problem for me. But I see others have the
problem also, and I still wonder if starter wasn't corrupted with the 9/10/13 update (or was it a marketing
ploy????)

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Graham Mayor replied on September 12, 2013

MVP

It was undoubtedly neither. Windows updates for the Office system frequently cause the Office part of the
registry to be reset. In the case of the Starter edition, this is installed as virtual system that does not follow
the usual practice for Office file associations. The file associations would have been reset to Office and as
Office is not present, you get the prompt to purchase. This may be corrected by re-associating the files,
and that can be done by repairing the Starter version, or by associating the files with the "Microsoft Office
Client Virtualization Handler" that will appear in the list of programs and which handles the file association
for the virtual system. The issue may re-occur next time there is a major update of Office components.
http://www.gmayor.com

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Kloi replied on September 12, 2013

In reply to Graham Mayor's post on September 12, 2013
Thanks for the knowledge.
Do I need to be concerned about my files disappearing when I do the repair (uninstall and install)?

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Kloi replied on September 12, 2013

Thanks for the link.
Do I need to be concerned about my files disappearing when I do the repair (uninstall/install)?

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Kloi asked on September 11, 2013

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