Need help with CD-R problem

[tickledkitty]

My job requires that I save word documents on a disc in order to give them to my client. I am now using Word 07, and he is using an earlier version. I have been saving them as Word 97-03 compatible documents, and he can open them when I e-mail them to him but not when I give them to him on a disc.

He has several different computers, and my cd's don't work on any of them. However, they do work on my laptop and my desk top computer.

I'm not the most computer-savvy person in the world, so I may be doing something wrong.

Any ideas?

ETA: Should I be using CD-RW's instead?

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Should work. Are you just copying the files to the CD? or are you using another program to write to the CD?

 

[tickledkitty]

Should work. Are you just copying the files to the CD? or are you using another program to write to the CD?

Nope, just copying the files. He even has a newer laptop that is running Vista, as well, and he can't open them there either.

 

[tickledkitty]

My client seems to think that my computer is protecting them in some way, but wouldn't I have to do that myself? Also, if that were the case, wouldn't I have trouble opening them on my laptop?

 

[christabelll]

Hey Tickled -

What does the label on your blank CD say?
And it should be - 400 - 700 Mb something like that -

CD -R CD-RW

And stupid question I know... did you copy the short cut or the actual document???

And - What format did you USE when you saved it to disc (program)...

(My SO is trying to answer your questions so if this seems discombobulated its his fault)

 

[Zeb_Carter]

My client seems to think that my computer is protecting them in some way, but wouldn't I have to do that myself? Also, if that were the case, wouldn't I have trouble opening them on my laptop?

Yes, you would explicitly have to protect them, so that's not the problem. Is your OS Windows XP? 98? 2000? or Vista?

Are his machines a mix of different OS's?

Other than your two machines both being out of alignment the same amount, I have nothing that could help. Sorry.

 

[tickledkitty]

Hey Tickled -

What does the label on your blank CD say?
And it should be - 400 - 700 Mb something like that -

CD -R CD-RW

And stupid question I know... did you copy the short cut or the actual document???

And - What format did you USE when you saved it to disc (program)...

(My SO is trying to answer your questions so if this seems discombobulated its his fault)

LOL

CD-R 80 min 700/MG/Mo

I didn't use the shortcut. They are Word documents, which I save as Word 97-03 compatible onto my F drive.

 

[tickledkitty]

Yes, you would explicitly have to protect them, so that's not the problem. Is your OS Windows XP? 98? 2000? or Vista?

Are his machines a mix of different OS's?

Other than your two machines both being out of alignment the same amount, I have nothing that could help. Sorry.

Both of mine are Vista. His are all mixed, with one of them being Vista.

Thanks, anyway, for taking the time to think about it and respond.

 

[Weird Harold]

My client seems to think that my computer is protecting them in some way, but wouldn't I have to do that myself? Also, if that were the case, wouldn't I have trouble opening them on my laptop?

what program are you using to write the files to the CVD-R and what format does it use?

 

[tickledkitty]

I am going to try using a flash drive now and hoping I won't run into the same problem. I can't understand why he can open them when I send them via e-mail but not from a disc.

And on another note, why are things encased in plastic that is practically bullet proof? I just cut my thumb getting the flash drive out of its packaging.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Both of mine are Vista. His are all mixed, with one of them being Vista.

Thanks, anyway, for taking the time to think about it and respond.

Ah...Vista. They maybe protected...Microsoft had made Vista so cumbersome to use and anti-intuitive that you very well could be protecting the disks as that might be the default for Vista.

I hate Vista.

 

[christabelll]

when he puts the disc in can he see the files sitting there... or can he see them at all?

Can he send you screen shots of the problem on his end? or the error message?
Also - it may be in the program you are using to make it "Compatible." Have you tried saving it straight up? no conversions? (Thats my question) sometimes its a simple as that...

Scoundrel - My SO - is looking at a couple of things... but it helps having More information on what the computer is actually telling you when he does try to open it...

Stand by....

 

[tickledkitty]

when he puts the disc in can he see the files sitting there... or can he see them at all?

Can he send you screen shots of the problem on his end? or the error message?
Also - it may be in the program you are using to make it "Compatible." Have you tried saving it straight up? no conversions? (Thats my question) sometimes its a simple as that...

Scoundrel - My SO - is looking at a couple of things... but it helps having More information on what the computer is actually telling you when he does try to open it...

Stand by....

Thank you both very much.

On some of the discs (I've done several for him) he can see the files but can't open them. On others he's getting some sort of error or it looks like the disc is blank.

Yes, I did try saving them "as is" at first. When I did that, he could see the files on the disc but couldn't open any of them, as the computer with Vista doesn't have Word. However, this computer isn't "his" so having him install Word 07 wouldn't be an option.

Honestly, I don't even want to talk to him about it anymore. It's become annoying.

I'm going to try the flash drive next. If that doesn't work, we're going to have to use e-mail I think. What I don't understand is how he can open them when I send them via e-mail but not on a disc.

 

[christabelll]

it has nothing to do with the documents themselves...

its mostly a CD problem.


You can save them as text files (notepad) as an alternative -
Scoundrel seems to think the error is on his end not yours... that said

here is a link that he should download from - regardless of what program did the saving - it will read it....

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/CD102258581033.aspx

You should download it as well...Hope this helps - if it doesnt - then I simply dont know what to tell you...

Also have him send you a blank disc he knows works on his system - both one with something saved and one blank - then you do work from his discs - and save to his discs...

Its one way to see which system is at fault - if at all -

rambling and hes walked away in search of nosh -

Goodluck

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Word 2007 allow you to save in computability of past versions of Word. There is also a plug in for past Versions of Word to allow it to open Word 2007 or .docx files.

 

[tickledkitty]

it has nothing to do with the documents themselves...

its mostly a CD problem.


You can save them as text files (notepad) as an alternative -
Scoundrel seems to think the error is on his end not yours... that said

here is a link that he should download from - regardless of what program did the saving - it will read it....

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/CD102258581033.aspx

You should download it as well...Hope this helps - if it doesnt - then I simply dont know what to tell you...

Also have him send you a blank disc he knows works on his system - both one with something saved and one blank - then you do work from his discs - and save to his discs...

Its one way to see which system is at fault - if at all -

rambling and hes walked away in search of nosh -

Goodluck

Thank you both very much. I really appreciate you taking the time.

My client is even more computer illiterate than I am, so it really could be his problem. I will send him that link.

 

[tickledkitty]

Word 2007 allow you to save in computability of past versions of Word. There is also a plug in for past Versions of Word to allow it to open Word 2007 or .docx files.

I do save them as Word 97-03 compatible.

 

[gauchecritic]

Apart from this:

Honestly, I don't even want to talk to him about it anymore. It's become annoying.

I think this:

Yes, I did try saving them "as is" at first. When I did that, he could see the files on the disc but couldn't open any of them, as the computer with Vista doesn't have Word. However, this computer isn't "his" so having him install Word 07 wouldn't be an option.

may be the problem. Opening mail doesn't need word. Opening a file needs the original or compatible program to open it.

or maybe your docs are being saved as wavs or something equally ridiculous that you just wouldn't even think could happen. Most cd writers I've used are default music files.

 

[tickledkitty]

Apart from this:



I think this:

may be the problem. Opening mail doesn't need word. Opening a file needs the original or compatible program to open it.

or maybe your docs are being saved as wavs or something equally ridiculous that you just wouldn't even think could happen. Most cd writers I've used are default music files.

Ok, so do you think saving them on the flash drive will work better for him then?

 

[gauchecritic]

Ok, so do you think saving them on the flash drive will work better for him then?

Not if he hasn't got word to open them with. But it will probably solve the problem of not seeing the files at all.

 

[john-the-author]

Ok, so do you think saving them on the flash drive will work better for him then?

There are many things that could be happening here, all of which are Microsoft's fault.

Vista is a piece of shit, worse even than Windows ME. Word 2007 is not much better. I won't let my students or any of my writers use them.

I agree with some of the preceding comments and save the files out of Word 2007 with some level of earlier compatibility (which doesn't always work!) to your hard disk. I'd try several different versions thereof: Word 2003, Word 2000, Word 97, and RTF.

Then, rather than copy these to a CD at first, put them on a flash drive. You might also try uploading them to something as email attachments if that doesn't work.

Check the version of Word 2007 you're using by going to the Help About box and seeing if you're using different releases. MS typically has the first release, then the first maybe it works release, then the SR1 or SP1 release and then possibly more releases thereafter. (I got quoted by InfoWorld a few months ago for saying "At Microsoft, quality is job SP1!")

Once you have a path you can follow that will get you files that work, try copying those files to a CD and see if that works as well. If not, you'll know several things:
* which version of previous Word file format to use to swap files
* that it ain't you
* that only Microsoft could take a simple, straightforward operation like saving files to a CD and fuck it up

John

 

[tickledkitty]

Not if he hasn't got word to open them with. But it will probably solve the problem of not seeing the files at all.

He does have Word, but it's an earlier version, and I'm using 07. Only the new computer, which doesn't even belong to him, does not have it. He was just trying that one to see if it would work.

 

[tickledkitty]

There are many things that could be happening here, all of which are Microsoft's fault.

Vista is a piece of shit, worse even than Windows ME. Word 2007 is not much better. I won't let my students or any of my writers use them.

I agree with some of the preceding comments and save the files out of Word 2007 with some level of earlier compatibility (which doesn't always work!) to your hard disk. I'd try several different versions thereof: Word 2003, Word 2000, Word 97, and RTF.

Then, rather than copy these to a CD at first, put them on a flash drive. You might also try uploading them to something as email attachments if that doesn't work.

Check the version of Word 2007 you're using by going to the Help About box and seeing if you're using different releases. MS typically has the first release, then the first maybe it works release, then the SR1 or SP1 release and then possibly more releases thereafter. (I got quoted by InfoWorld a few months ago for saying "At Microsoft, quality is job SP1!")

Once you have a path you can follow that will get you files that work, try copying those files to a CD and see if that works as well. If not, you'll know several things:
* which version of previous Word file format to use to swap files
* that it ain't you
* that only Microsoft could take a simple, straightforward operation like saving files to a CD and fuck it up

John

Thanks, John. I'm going to try the flash drive first. If that doesn't work, I will try your suggestions. I'm just sick of messing with it at this point.

I was afraid somebody might say pretty much what you said. I had a lot of trouble with Word 07, but now that I've got a handle on it, it's not so bad. I think the old version was better and can't figure out why they changed it though.

Yeah, you're right. It should be a simple thing, but I've found after a month with two new computers that nothing is that simple.

Thanks, again.

 

[fifty5]

The flash drive should work, because the following doesn't apply - these devices do use Microsoft's filing system, pretending to be something similar to solid-state floppy discs. (It's more complicated than that, of course, but that's close enough for practical use.)

In contrast, as I understand it, a 'data CD' uses a different format to the Microsoft operating system - the format was laid down by an international committee who were more interested in music than in Windows computers - which means it's impossible to 'just copy the files' onto a CD. There is plenty of software that overcomes that problem, by using a non-standard, apparently Windows-style format for the CD, but then you need the same software to read it.

What you need is software that will create a standard 'data CD' from the files on your hard disc. That doesn't 'just copy the files', but also sets up the rest of the filing system (the directory structure, directory entries and more) in the way the CD standard lays down. Windows does understand that standard, so the files can be read.

Even once you've done that - or used the flash drive - the problems may still not be over. Microsoft has been pretty bad at making sure that successive versions of Word created compatible files, and in addition, precise layout - pagination and so on - depends on the versions of fonts installed on the different computers. As long as it's the content that matters, rather than the exact layout, using Rich Text Format (created by M$ to overcome the problems they'd created for themselves) is pretty reliable; rtf files are usually both forwards and backwards compatible for content.

Hope that helps,

 

[tickledkitty]

The flash drive should work, because the following doesn't apply - these devices do use Microsoft's filing system, pretending to be something similar to solid-state floppy discs. (It's more complicated than that, of course, but that's close enough for practical use.)

In contrast, as I understand it, a 'data CD' uses a different format to the Microsoft operating system - the format was laid down by an international committee who were more interested in music than in Windows computers - which means it's impossible to 'just copy the files' onto a CD. There is plenty of software that overcomes that problem, by using a non-standard, apparently Windows-style format for the CD, but then you need the same software to read it.

What you need is software that will create a standard 'data CD' from the files on your hard disc. That doesn't 'just copy the files', but also sets up the rest of the filing system (the directory structure, directory entries and more) in the way the CD standard lays down. Windows does understand that standard, so the files can be read.

Even once you've done that - or used the flash drive - the problems may still not be over. Microsoft has been pretty bad at making sure that successive versions of Word created compatible files, and in addition, precise layout - pagination and so on - depends on the versions of fonts installed on the different computers. As long as it's the content that matters, rather than the exact layout, using Rich Text Format (created by M$ to overcome the problems they'd created for themselves) is pretty reliable; rtf files are usually both forwards and backwards compatible for content.

Hope that helps,

Thank you! It does help me understand it better.

I think the flash drive is my easiest option at this point, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will work for him.