01-17-2009, 09:08 PM

Hello,
I have Windows XP running on my Mac through Paralells. I have Microsoft Office XP (which I believe is the same as Office 2003) installed in Windows XP as well. All of the components of Microsoft Office appear to working fine other than what I found the other day...
I tried opening some files from an online class I'm taking the other day. The formats that I am unable to open are either .docx or .pptx (I think). I have downloaded and installed all of the Microsoft updates and the Compatibility pack from Microsoft.com. I also have a desktop computer which is a PC, my PC has Windows XP and the exact same Microsoft Office software that my Mac is running through parallels. My PC can open these files, but my Mac (through paralells) cannot. What's the deal? When I try and open the .pptx files it appears like its getting ready to work and then just doesn't open (no error message, nothing). When I try and open the .docx files (which I believe is also a slideshow type file) it says it can't find the application which created it and when I click on "search the web for an application to open the file" it sends me to a website telling me I need Microsoft PowerPoint, which I already have through Microsoft Office...Any help guys??? Thanks a bunch in advance.
Michael

01-17-2009, 09:40 PM

Office XP is actually Office 2002 not 2003. As for the incompatible file formats, it's because file extensions denoted by "x" are native to Office 2007 only and can not be read by Office XP without an add on from Microsoft. The newer file formats are known as Open Office XML documents.

If you can open those files on your PC you must be running Office 2007 or you or someone else installed the MS Office compatibility pack.

If you wish to read those documents in your Parallels Windows XP VM, then you must either use Office 2007 or install the above compatibility pack. Go to the link I gave and download the pack.

BTW, docx files are Word 2007 documents, they have nothing to do with a slide show.

Regards.

01-17-2009, 11:33 PM

Thanks for your reply. A couple of things...First, I was wrong by stating .docx, those will open just fine (even in textedit on my mac). The two files I'm having trouble with are the .ppt AND the .pptx files. The former not opening at all, the later not opening and displaying the error message stated in my first post. Also, I have already downloaded the compatibility pack you mentioned...any other suggestions? Thanks,

01-18-2009, 12:18 AM

That's strange. If you have the compatibility pack loaded in your Windows VM running in Parallels, then the PowerPoint files should open. The *.ppt files are of course the older PP format used by Office 98 - 2003, the *.pptx files are the equivalent but are the newer XML format.

Unless the files are corrupt somehow, there's no reason they should not open.

Have you tried other *.ppt and *.pptx files to see if maybe the ones you tried may be corrupt?

Regards.

01-18-2009, 01:46 AM

I can't say that I've tried other .ppt or .pptx files on my mac (while running Windows through parallels), but I tried opening the same files on my PC (which has Windows and Microsoft Office just like my mac) and they opened just fine. So I know the files aren't corrupt. Hmmm, it shouldn't have anything to do with the configurations of Paralells should it? Everything is set to default (the amount of RAM used, etc.) Thanks again,

01-18-2009, 05:44 PM

The only other suggestion I have is to make sure the Parallels guest tools have been installed. Strange things happen in Parallels and Fusion when the guest tools are not installed or not running for some reason.

Regards.

01-18-2009, 09:16 PM

What are the guest tools and how do I make sure they are installed/install them if they aren't? Thanks,

01-18-2009, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by Mdr1985@aol.com

What are the guest tools and how do I make sure they are installed/install them if they aren't? Thanks,

Here's the documentation for Parallels Tools:

http://download.parallels.com/deskto...lels_Tools.pdf