File Previewers not working in Explorer

Anonymous
2009-11-12T16:07:39+00:00

I can't seem to "preview" document files in Explorer, most types anyway.

Image viewers still seem to work.

If I open the Preview pane, then select any .TXT, .DOC, or .XLS files, the Preview pane says:

"This file can't be previewed because of an error in the Windows TXT previewer."

"This file can't be previewed because of an error in the Microsoft Office Word previewer."

"This file can't be previewed because of an error in the Microsoft Office Excel previewer."

Any ideas as to what might be causing this?

(Running Windows 7 Professional)


J_Mack

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2009-11-22T23:20:32+00:00

I found a solution that seems to have worked for me.  In Microsoft Word I went to:

Office Button -> Word Options -> Resources, and clicked on "Run Microsoft Office Diagnostics."  It took a while.  It found one installation issue as the very last test of 40 tests.  I closed Word and re-opened, and the previews are now working again.

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-02-20T04:41:20+00:00

    Has anybody ever actually seen this work?  I never saw it work on my old W7 Office10 installation and was looking forward to seeing it work on my new W7 Office10 installation on  a brand new laptop.  So, I had a look around the office to check and it doesn't work there either.  I think it's just a myth.  I love the Microsoft support answer which just says, it doesn't work and we don't know why.  I wonder if it ever will, would be nice.  I hope they are working on it.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-01-05T13:56:40+00:00

    Thanks for the link.  Microsoft are still working on this issue apparently.  I have reported that the work around offered is wrong.  Since upgrading from Office 2007 to Office 2010 I cannot preview Office documents in Explorer or in the 'Open' command dialog box.  I just get the error message "This file can’t be previewed because of an error in the Microsoft Word previewer."  Sometimes the preview works on the 'Search' command...

    I have tried disabling several of the add-ins but to no avail.

    Thanks again for your help.

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-01-04T20:40:19+00:00

    Refer to this link. It's a known issue...

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/983097

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-01-01T23:54:44+00:00

    I have the problem but I don't have Avery installed.  Word previews Excel files but not Word files.  Excel previews Word files but not Excel files.  Windows 7 explorer will preview both.  Seems like Microsoft needs to fix something as this has been going on for the past two versions of Office!

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