xp can't find files in word-for-dos format

[hotpotato71]

help!
i upgraded to winxp earlier this year, and it can't find my word files formatted in word-for-dos format. i've been using that format since 1994 to save space. had to create copies of those files in txt format which winxp thankfully can see.
tried to look up microsoft.com but found nothing.
is there a utility that can let xp 'see' those word files? i can't say the files were corrupted since a pc running win2000 and lower can see them in windows search.
any suggestion will be appreciated!

[Archer]

Have you checked your version of office has all the correct plug-ins for these files and what media are you using to store the files on ?

[CeeBee]

what do you mean by "can't see"? It doesn't find them when you do a search or what???

[eboyjones]

Read this article.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;104213

[hotpotato71]

really appreciate the inputs, archer, ceebee and eboyjones. you're correct, ceebee. i can't see the files during a search. tried the copernic desktop software a month ago. no luck either.

unfortunately, my files were saved as .doc, in word-for-dos, and not .rtf. i worked in two newspapers since 1994 and used that format to save disk space, about 10k per file. i store the files on an ntfs partition in my hard drive now. used to store them on a fat32 partition on the same hard drive but converted the entire thing after xp failed to find them. before, i never had a problem finding files in that format even in windows 2000, which is windows version 5, right? that's why i was surprised xp can't even find them in xp, which is version 5.1.

[Archer]

Just to test the documents see if you can view them with Word 97/2000 Viewer

Microsoft Word Viewer 97 for Windows 16-bit Operating Systems (Word Viewer), the newest member of the Word Viewer family, allows you to view and print Microsoft Word 97 documents. Like previous versions of Word Viewer, the latest version can also open documents created with all previous versions of Word for Windows and version 4.x and above of Microsoft Word for Macintosh®. You cannot edit an open document in Word Viewer. However, you can copy text to the Clipboard to paste it in other applications.

it will allow you to see if its the documents or a plug in problem.

[Archer]

After a quick google I think you need to instal a patch read this here and here as MS does not seem to have the answer on the knowledge base [why am I not suprised ].
The file you need appears to be WDSUPCNV .

[CeeBee]

I have a feeling your files either have the attribute "hidden" or "system" set, or they have been deleted.
Open "my computer", go to the Tools menu > Options, click on the "View" tab, and under "hidden files and folders" set the option to show hidden files and folders, and also uncheck "hide extensions for known filetypes" and "hide protected operating system files". Then try a search again.
If you can't find any you're most likely out of luck, hopefully you made a backup of them...
Also the following will create a list of all your .doc files, see if you can recognize any. In a command prompt type:
FOR /R C:\ %I IN (*.DOC) DO ECHO %I >>C:\DOCFILES.TXT
It will create a DOCFILES.TXT files under your C:\ drive which contains a listing of all your .DOC files
Now just as a shot in the dark, did you have your documents on other partition than C:\ ??? Is there another partition on your hard drive?
In a command prompt (or in the Run under the start menu) type diskmgmt.msc
This will open the disk management console, you can see if there is more than one partition... If there is let us know.

[hotpotato71]

thanks again for the suggestions. i tried the word viewer, it works. but the word-for-dos files still don't register in windows search. i really don't know what it is with word-for-dos formatting that prevents xp from finding the files; windows xp search can find text files just fine.
i also have copies of the files on my laptop, which runs xp home. problem's the same - the word-for-dos files just won't show up on windows search. i mean, i can open them all right but i can't find the files when i need to do a quick search. those files contain the articles i wrote for the last 10 years.
looks like i'll have to stick with using copies of the older files, in text format, so they show up in windows search... at least until someone finds a solution. but really appreciate the inputs. keep 'em coming! [img]images/icons/icon7.gif[/img]

[Archer]

Did you try the word plug in WDSUPCNV ?

[confus-ed]

Did you try the word plug in WDSUPCNV ?

He'll have a job

The page cannot be displayed

Is this where you meant him to go ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Softlib/MSLFILES/WDSUPCNV.EXE ? (I pressume so, but its 'having none of it' for me anyway )

[Archer]

Direct link to the download works for me

[hotpotato71]

yes i did. unfortunately, with the same result. i even tried google desktop search. all it came up with were the copies of my files in text format.

[Archer]

There is Office Converter Pack but it doesnt go back far enough for your documents.

The following text converters are installed by the Microsoft Office Converter Pack for your installed version of Microsoft Office.

Microsoft Word 6 RTF export converter (Wrd6Er32.CNV)
Microsoft Word 97 and above import converter (MsWrd832.CNV)
Text Converter shared code DLL (MSConv97.DLL)
Text Recovery converter (Recovr32.CNV)
WordPerfect 5 import converter (Wpft532.CNV)
WordPerfect 6 and above import converter (Wpft632.CNV)
WordPerfect Equation filter (WpEqu532.DLL)

[Archer]

Microsoft Word 98 supports conversion to and from a number of non-Word file formats

MS-DOS Text
• MS-DOS Text with Line Breaks
• Rich Text Format (RTF)
• Text Only (TXT)
• Text with Line Breaks
• Unicode Text - (new to Macintosh)
• Word 1.x - 5.1 for the Macintosh
• Word 1.x - 6.0 for Windows
• Word 95 for Windows

History of WinWord File Converters Categorized by Release