My saved documents are no longer the W icons but orange icons that I can't open. Please help.

I had same problem which seemed to appear on 11 September, cooinciding with a 'Critical Windows Update' - i.e. it appears it was the update itself that upset the settings of the computer.

Some of the solutions above sound complex and I didn't understand them.

By far the easiest way to reset the computer is:

• to click once on any Word or excel or powerpoint document -
• right click,
• click on 'open with' -
• choose 'default programme', and then choose the appropriate programme (Word or Excel etc....)
• You may have to do this more than once since some files are Doc files and others are DocX files, but that is all you need to do, Magically all the icons return to normal state and open immediately as before.

Makes me wonder whether I should somehow prevent Microsoft updates from communicating with my computer!

#1 So I guess I will wait untill Monday and hope that Microsoft makes some way for us to easily download/re-install Office Starter on our machines.

#2 And also a way to download Office 2010 for those of us like Paul that have un-installed it as well as Starter. 

 

#3 What does "This issue has been escalated to the Word product group" mean? I thought it meant that there was a group/community on this website called the "Word Product Group" where I would be able to find a thread with people discussing how to get Office Starter back if you have un-installed it.

 

Luke:

#1 don't hold your breath. MS won't help you with Starter, it is totally an OEM supported product. Neither will the OEM help you, they will LIE and point you back to MS. There used to be an online download for the Starter installer. But MS blocked it after I posted the link here. OEM Support for Starter is part of the contract license terms that it was provided to the OEMs for US$2 per license (yup, the OEM paid MS 2 whole bucks to give you Starter).  Look (WAY) below for the instructions I found to re-install Starter.

#2 Here are some download links for Office 2010 installation files. You will need your Product key to re-install:

This site has direct download links to Digital River for most Office 2010 installation file, Office bundles and standalone programs. You may have to scroll down to find your language.  Office 2010 Professional Plus / Office 2010 Language Pack / Project 2010 Professional / Visio 2010 Professional**http://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/18-office-2010-direct-download-links******

Office 2010 / 2007 Download locations -**http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office\_2010-office\_install/here-are-the-download-locations-for-office-2010/ac67aa2f-dc1c-46f4-8b1d-ca00b3f02a18******

https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/buy/using-the-product-key-card-FX101853163.aspx?CTT=5&origin=HA101847520

• Download 2010 using Product Key card PKC****

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/microsoft-office-2010-backup-FX101853122.aspx

• Download Backup Buy Backup disk 2010 using Product Key – FPP

http://www.office.com/backup 

• Download Office 2010 Installation Backup. You will need your original Product Key, such as one from a Product Key Card.

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https://office.microsoft.com/en-us/buy/netbook-FX101850729.aspx - Download Office for Netbooks (H&S, H&B, PRO, Standalone Apps)****

Direct downloads from Digital River of Trials (you need to have the Product Key already)

http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/office2010/X17-75058.exe   Office 2**010 Home and Student x86** (English)

http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/office2010/X17-22376.exe Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 English 32-bit (x86):

http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/office2010/X17-75161.exe  Office **2010 Home and Student x64** (English)

http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/office2010/X18-20255.exe Office H&S 2010 Click to Run.

http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/office2010/X17-75058.exe  Office **2010 Pro x86** (English)

http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/office2010/X17-75161.exe  Office **2010 Pro x64** (English)

http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Microsoft-Office-Download-58321.html - Softpedia links to: Home and Business, Groove SP1, Office 2010 SP1

http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/office2010/X17-75161.exe - Office 2010 Single Image (Home and Student, Home and Business and Pro all installed at once) 64-bit

#3 Suzanne has worked as an author of Office books long enough to have made contact with some of the people who actually work on coding Office for MS. So she is one of the few non-MS people who can actually pass our concerns on to someone inside MS who will listen and may be able to do something about them.  Cool, eh!

******************

Here are the instructions I have for re-installing Office

HP instructions on Office Starter Repair, Program Manager, Uninstall Starter and Re-install Starter via Program Manager in Pictures

Although they are by HP, they can by used on many computers. The best instructions I've seen for "fixing" Office Starter are this HP page:

**http://h10025.www1.hp.co`m/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=uk&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=c02981221#N272**

Starter is not actually installed on your computer. It runs inside of a “virtual computer” , “computer within a computer”,  located in the “Q:\” drive and the program code is downloaded over the internet every time the program is started. Therefore there are limited things we as users can do to "fix" starter:

1.   Run an Office Repair on Starter

2.   Confirm that you have the KB 2553141 update (in theory it should be there ‘automatically’ … )

3.   Use "MS Office Manager" to re-install Starter from the Windows program Manager

4.   Re-install WINDOWS from the recovery partition, wiping all installed programs and personal data files!

5.   Phone the OEM who supposed to support Starter. They will tell you to do steps 1-4 and then lie to you and tell you to call MS!

**http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=2553141** – CTR Feb 14 update, kb 2553141

Lovely!!! Updated Office with http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=2553141, and all in a sudden could get rid of it via Control Panel - Programs and Features!!! Good luck community, hope it works for you as well :)

These instructions are not bad too - ******http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/officeinstall/thread/1ae40c57-100e-4dbe-ad6d-0d9df26a5b0f**

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HP Recovery Manager

**http://www.zdnet.com/photos/12-ways-hardware-makers-screw-up-a-perfectly-good-windows-pc\_p13/6331812#photo******

On this HP notebook, if you go to the Advanced Recovery Methods page in Control Panel, you're given an option to "Return your computer to factory condition." After a restart, you're presented with these three options. The Minimize Image Recovery option does exactly what it sounds like. You get a clean Windows installation, with the proper drivers and required HP utilities. But trialware and other unwanted software are completely missing. On a default installation, the Programs option in Control Panel includes 50 entries. Using this option, the same list is stripped down to a mere 25 entries.

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Manual backup of Starter re-install files

**http://triplescomputers.com/blog/casestudies/click2run-configuration-failure-when-office-2010-starter-is-launched/******

Make a backup of the Starter installation files if you don’t have access to them elsewhere by copying the following directory to another location:

%PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\OEMOffice14\OStarter\en-us

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Manual Fix to set CTR to be Default File Associations

If Repair doesn’t work, try this: Set Click to Run (CTR) to be Default File Association :

·    Open File Manager and navigate to the file.

·    Right click the file (i.e. doc) and select Properties.

·    Now click on the general tab and select open with change.

·    Change ''Microsoft Office 2010 Component'' to "Microsoft Office Client Virtualization Handler".

·    If these tips don’t work, you will have to go back to the manufacturer for support.

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Re-install Office Starter

https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=e9a78c332557256f&resid=E9A78C332557256F!212&parid=E9A78C332557256F!132

**http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2465140#method7******

Office 2010 Starter is only officially installed by computer builders. If you google skillfully, there are a few links to the installation files.  Home users do not have access to the installation file so there are only 3 options for “re-installing” it.

There is an option that allows users to re-install Office Starter without using the recovery partition.  It requires that you have the “Microsoft Office 2010 Program Manager” installed. If you go into Programs and Features dialog, look for the “Microsoft Office 2010” entry.  The link above shows how this entry appears in Programs and Features, and how to use it to re-install Office Starter.

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Starter is Part of the Recovery Partition

https://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/products/office/Pages/office_2010_build.aspx****

Hard drive recovery is a requirement for distributing Office Starter 2010. A hard-disk-based recovery solution enables Win7 to automatically recover from most known causes for unbootable systems as a result of loss or corruption of files.

This type of recovery will wipe out all of your installed programs and personal data files. Therefore, before starting this type of “repair” you should make a backup of your disk and make sure that you have the installation files and product keys for all of your applications.

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Activate Starter - Activated at Factory, No Product Key

**http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint-workspace-help/activate-office-2010-programs-HA010354227.aspx?CTT=3******

<snip> If you are using Microsoft Office Starter 2010, the software came pre-installed on your computer. Office Starter 2010 is already activated, and there is no Product Key for you to enter. <snip>

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Support for Starter - OEM responsibility by the license

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=2b37ad5e-dc64-400b-a00d-88d982292b07&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+MicrosoftDownloadCenter+%28Microsoft+Download+Center%29#tm****

Starter is only installed by the manufacturer. If you have a problem with it, you have to go back to them for support because it is installed under the "OEM" license. They will try to fob you off on MS, but that is not the terms of the license they agreed to when they installed it.

<snip from Starter OEM License Terms>

2.   OEM LICENSE TERMS

These license terms are an agreement between you and

• the device manufacturer that distributes the software with the device;

            or

• the software installer that distributes the software with the device.

Please read them. They apply to the software that accompanies these license terms, which includes the media on which you received it, if any. Printed-paper license terms, which may come with the software, take the

...

17. SUPPORT SERVICES.

For the software generally, contact the manufacturer or installer for support options. Refer to the support number provided with the software.

</snip>

<snip http://oem.microsoft.com/public/worldwide/featured-dls/microsoft\_office\_2010\_opk-all\_up\_download\_license\_agreement\_english.pdf  >

8. End User Support:

For Microsoft Office Starter 2010, under the License Terms, you are the licensor and are responsible for providing end user support.

</snip>

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MS Instructions to re-install Starter

**http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2465140******

If Word Starter 2010 or Excel Starter 2010 cannot be opened, uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Office Starter 2010:

1.   Click Start ****(or Start > Run in Windows XP).

2.   Type appwiz.cpl, and then press Enter.

3.   Before going any further, make sure you see Microsoft Office 2010 in the list of installed programs. You'll need to use this program later to reinstall Office Starter 2010 on the computer.

4.   Click Microsoft Office Starter 2010, and then click Uninstall (or Remove in Windows XP). See image.

5.   Click Yes and follow the instructions to uninstall Office Starter 2010. See image.

6.   To reinstall Office Starter 2010, click Start > All Programs > Microsoft Office 2010. See image.

7.   Click Use. See image.

8.   And then click Open. This will re-install Office Starter 2010. See image.

If the error continues to occur, you may have to do a full restore of the computer to reinstall Microsoft Office Starter 2010. We recommend you contact the computer manufacturer to talk about your options before you do this.

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Initialize Starter

You have to initialize starter before it will run.

Type Office Starter into search programs and files text box, using the resulting shortcut, a window should open, select starter and initialize, it will take a few minutes.

If there is still a problem call the PC makers support, office starter is a preinstalled version supported by that PC maker, and not MS, despite what the manufacturer “service” rep may tell you.

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And even more to add.  After looking at my programs, I have Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office System, and I can't delete it.  Is that what's causing the issue? 

When I click on a document to try to open it with Word, my options include Microsoft Open XML Converter, but not Word.  I have no clue what that is or if it's relevant to this.  

Thanks!

Dawn: The 2007 compatibility pack is installed when you have Office 2003 or earlier, to allow you to open DOCX files using those older programs. I have no idea why you aren't allowed to uninstall it.

What version of Windows do you have?

Here are some various ways of resetting Windows to use Office / Word as the default

File will not open on double click - File Association

Note: if you have the Click-To-Run installation of Office Starter and you have “normal” installation of other version of Office you have to decide which version is going to have file association. Only one can be invoked by double clicking on file. Normally that would not be Starter.

Try repairing your Office installation, for example via Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel.

Repair or remove Office 2010 - http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/repair-or-remove-office-2010-HA010357402.aspx?CTT=1

Re-register the application

There are several different ways you can reset the proper file associations. Word itself provides a way to do it. Open a command prompt window and, at the command line, enter the following:

winword /r

This invokes part of the installation process. It is good for all apps in the 2010 Office bundle. Word will reregister itself back in Windows. In the process, it resets the file associations for the files it uses, such as DOC and DOT files. You can close the command prompt window and double-click on a document; Word should start right up.

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How to Change File Associations in Win7 and Win8

**http://www.7tutorials.com/how-associate-file-type-or-protocol-program******

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Change File Associations in Vista / Win 7

**http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Change-which-programs-Windows-uses-by-default**

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If that doesn't work, try:

Alternate Re-register the application

(Note: You may have to adjust the path to the EXE to match your installation. Verify the path before running the command.)

Close the app. Open the Run Window: <WIN > R, use the following command (Modify the Path to match your specific installation):

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\winword.exe" /unregserver

The quotes are necessary, but you may need to change the path so it reflects the location of the winword.exe file on your system. (You can use Windows’ Search tool to locate the path to the winword.exe file.) The /unregserver switch “unhooks” all the references to Word in the Windows Registry.

You should then, immediately, use the following command:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\winword.exe" /regserver

“C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office 14\Office14\winword.exe” /regserver

This command causes Word to rewrite all its Registry keys and to reassociate itself with document and template files. Now you can double-click a document file and see if Windows starts Word and opens the document.

Note: This article says that regserver does not work with Office 2010: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291288

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Re Register  re-register – regserver batch file

Make sure the path is correct for your installation. I have put these files into a BAT file on my desktop so I can run it as needed.

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2010\Office14\winword.exe" /unregserver

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2010\Office14\winword.exe" /regserver

Pause

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2010\Office14\excel.exe" /unregserver

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2010\Office14\excel.exe" /regserver

Pause

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Quick Determine Office applications path

·      open Excel

·      open the Visual Basic Editor (aka VBE)

·      open the Immediate window, Ctrl-g (also in the View menu)

·      type or paste the following in the Immediate window

?application.path

·      With the cursor at the end of the line, ie after "path", hit Enter

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Set Click to Run (CTR) to be Default File Association

·      Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the file.

·      Right click the file (i.e. doc) and select Properties.

·      Now click on the general tab and select open with change.

·      Change ''Microsoft Office 2010 Component'' to "Microsoft Office Client Virtualization Handler".

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If that doesn't work, try:

This page has instructions, with pictures, on how to use builtin windows tools to fix file associations:

http://www.worldstart.com/how-to-set-defaults-successfully/print/

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If that doesn't work, try:

There is a freeware tool called  Default Programs Editor. It brings many of the default settings into one place: http://defaultprogramseditor.com/

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Need to associate the file type with program:

In Win7:

1. Right-click the file,
2. Select "Open With"   select [Your Program Here]
3. Check always use this program.

In Windows XP:

1. Locate the file as you have described above
2. Right click the file
3. Select Open with from the pop-up menu
4. Click Choose default program…
5. Select Excel in the Recommended Programs box
6. Check Always use the selected program to open this kind of file
7. Click on OK.

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Alternate method of associating file type with program:

·      Click Start

·      type cmd in the run dialog box then press ok.

·      On the command prompt line type "control panel" without the quotation marks.

·      In control panel > folder options > file types > new (button) in the new window click advanced.

·      In the file extension dialog box type the file extension to fix, ie: exe.

·      In the drop down menu locate and select application > click ok.

Sometimes one of these works when you're having trouble with double clicking on the file in windows explorer:

(xl2003 menus) - Tools|Options|General|Uncheck "Ignore other applications"

(xl2007) Office Button|Excel Options|Advanced|General|Uncheck "Ignore other applications that use DDE"

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If that doesn't work, try:

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If you're using Starter and can't find winwordc.exe, and also don't have an active link to Word Starter or Excel Starter on the desktop, right-click on the desktop and create new shortcuts with the following paths:

For Word:   "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\microsoft shared\Virtualization Handler\CVH.EXE" "Microsoft Word Starter 2010 9014006604090000

For Excel:  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\microsoft shared\Virtualization Handler\CVH.EXE" "Microsoft Excel Starter 2010 9014006604090000".

Then right-click on the file you want to associate, and Open With > Choose Default Program.  Select one of those new desktop shortcuts and it should be linked up again.

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Makes me wonder whether I should somehow prevent Microsoft updates from communicating with my computer!

NO, do NOT stop applying Windows Updates.  (Double negatives suck)

To frame it In positiver terms, YES you MUST continue applying Windows Updates in a timely manner.

You may want to switch to "download and notify" rather than automatic update. That way you can wait a few days, I typically wait at least until the weekend, to let some other (no offense intended) "sucker" find problems like the one ran into. Waiting to the weekend allows me also enough time to do an image copy backup of my System BEFORE apply Windows updates, giving me double protection.  Other people find problems, and even if one slips through, I still can restore my computer to BEFORE I applied the current updates so I lose very little.

Windows Updates are your protection against the world, and MS itself. They are fixes to known problems with Office and Windows. The fixes are for both "security" issues, and for defects that they identified and decided to fix.  The one defect that comes to mind is some (not all) of the causes of XML End Tag errors in Word. But there are lots of others. 

Although there are times like this that MS messes up an update (or at least 5 of 32(?) this month), but most of the time they get it right. And not applying the updates leaves you susceptible to hacking.  Hackers often already have attacks written before MS distributes the update, this is known as a "Zero-day attack". But if they didn't have one before, they will develop hacks afterward to take advantage of "low hanging fruit". There are lots of people who don't bother with updates.

PS: the number one attack prevention technique is to NOT do you daily work using the Administrator USERID. Studies have shown that MORE than half of attacks are blocked by simply using a USER class USERID.