Windows 10: What do I need to do to get previous Word docs to open in Windows vs "WordPad" after...

I downloaded Windows 10 yesterday, installing has been a hassle kept getting an error message that .NET "something" was needed but couldn't install correctly, now when opening previous Word docs they will only open in WordPad. How do I get these to open as Word docs?

:)

 

wordpad has taken over and opens word docs rather than word.

wordpad opens word docs rather then word. how to block word pad?

 

word to wordpad

Right-click on the .doc, choose 'Open with...' and select Wordpad. If Wordpad opens it correctly, repeat the exercise, this time ticking the 'Always open with...' box. If Wordpad shows a jumble of weird text, then that particular .doc may well be a genuine Word document. You'll need software that can handle the Word format, either from Microsoft or one of the 'office equivalents' - LibreOffice (the one I would choose) or OpenOffice.

As you said...

...it may well be that they really are in Word format. Did you have Word (or its equivalent) on the machine you imported from?

Do you still have that machine? If so you could open the documents and save in a format that Wordpad understands - .rtf is a 'lowest common denominator' understood by most apps.

 

Word docs

many thanks for responding and trying to help me. the problem is that all of the docs in various folders that were word docs are no longer word docs - they only open on wordpad (and so parts of the docs cannot be seen). does anyone know why that would
happen?

I actually don't know if I have a current subscription to office.

thanks again for any help anyone can give