Why can't I save my Word 07 docs as PDF files anymore

Anonymous
2012-09-01T00:17:03+00:00

Hi Folks,

I've just found that I no longer can save my Word docs as a PDF file using the "Save as" option. Each time I try I get "File could not be found". I've ran the 'Diagnostics/Repair in MS tools and also followed that with placing my DVD back in the machine and choosing "Repair".

In both cases, it failed. I have Windows 7 64bit and MS Office 2007 Standard I've been running both for about 3 years. I also tried reinstalling Adobe Reader.

There is a strange thing I should mention: When I ran my DVD this last time in an attempt to repair this problem, The window opened identifying itself as the Office 2007 Standard "Trial" !!! So I opened a word doc, went to "Word Options" and then through the several clicks until I got to the "About" window.

Incredibly, it identified me as the registered owner of Office 2007 Standard but the key number it shows is way different than the key number I saved with my DVD I purchased. I'm going to have to uninstall this program if I can't get that Word to PDF option working.

I was able to convert in the past but i can't remember the last time I did.

Thanks, Rich

PS I can worry about that key number mix up later, I just want to know why I can no longer save as a PDF.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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  1. Ramesh 181.7K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2014-04-23T03:49:02+00:00

    Thanks for your help!

    Does the PDF/A-Option have some dependency? It should be easy for a developer to see what dependecies there are and how they could be corrupted.

    May be some additional module are involved when using the PDF/A option. First, I'd test if this is a user account specific problem by creating another account and try to save a "PDF/A" file from there. If the same problem happens, you may try using some specialised tools like ProcMon to track background events.

    One way to see what's happening behind is to use Process Monitor and track "winword.exe" process events.

    Download Process Monitor:

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx

    How to Use Process Monitor to Track Events and Generate a Log File: 

    http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/process-monitor-track-events-generate-log-file/

    Upload the PML log file (zipped) online and provide us the link.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-04-24T10:11:20+00:00

    Here are two procmon-files trying to save an empty docx. One fail with PDF/a enabled, One succes without PDF/a enabled:

    http://we.tl/YUWekBXSMY

    I hope you can read something out of these. Thank you already in advance!

    As a sidenote:

    Is there some secret option to enable higher dpi-output? Print quality 220dpi is not enough for me. 300 or even better 600dpi would be great. I know it is possible with a pdf-printerdriver. But it should be easy to implement with the SaveAs option as well. At least I think Microsoft should give that option, even if it is just a registry setting.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-04-29T06:28:07+00:00

    Anything new? Did you have time to look into the files?

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-01-05T21:19:19+00:00

    Thank you Ramesh.  I had the same problem and your suggestion fixed it.

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-01-31T19:47:45+00:00

    Same problem, 2015.  (This means that it is now the year 2015--years after the original post--and the same problem still exists with Office 2007.)

    Until earlier this month (Jan 2015) I routinely saved Word docs as PDF.  Suddenly this quit working.

    All I get is "The File could not be found."

    I had the add-in.  I uninstalled it and re-installed.

    I have uninstalled , downloaded, installed and tried the add-in several times with no luck.

    It shows up under Control Panel > Programs and Features.  (This is how I find it to uninstall it.)

    All other Word functions seem normal.

    Is there some box to uncheck or something else buried in the menus or files that needs to be done?

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