Word 2007: Convert Doc to Docx problem with network locations

[StefanKZVB]

Word 2007 RTM German, all patches, Win XP SP2:
A) How it behaves with converting on C:\ (ok)
1. Open C:\doc\Test.doc
2. Click the Office Button/Convert...
3. Click the Save Button
4. Result: C:\doc\Test.docx is created, C:\doc\Test.doc is deleted

B) How it behaves on a network drive (NOT ok)
1. Open F:\doc\Test.doc
2. Click the Office Button/Convert...
3. Click the Save Button
4. The Save As Dialog opens (!), click ok to save F:\doc\Test.docx
5. Result: F:\doc\Test.docx is created, F:\doc\Test.doc is NOT deleted :-(

Can anybody reproduce this behaviour? It happens here even with files on
network shares on remote Win XP SP2 machines.

 

[pizzi]

I can reproduce the problem. Have you a solution or is this a bug?

Regards
Sandro

 

[StefanKZVB]

It's a bug - however there's currently no fix available. I guess this is
because of low demand. So everybody having problems with this bug should call
Microsoft so they 'll see there's a common need to fix it!

Stefan

 

[Jeff Mathewson]

I'm happy to see that this is a bug. We been working on a big project with
major problems with Word 2007 and it's stupid that word would delete the
files since most of the time we need to go back to the DOC and try again.
Sorry to say, Excel does work on network drives in deleting the original
worksheet.

The problem here is now the user must make a backup before converting. The
only way I can see this working is if Word/Excel would prompt the user to
ASK if they want the original file deleted.

I haven't tested this with Word 2007 on a local drive to see if it does
automatically delete the files, I was just assuming that Microsoft disabled
this feature (since it says it's going to delete the file) because of the
many problems it has in converting the old document formats.

Jeff.

 

[StefanKZVB]

Jeff, I agree with you - an optional question if the original file should be
deleted would be best for all. For reverting back to the .doc if necessary we
would use shadow copies which are available only for a limited time.

Did you make calls to Microsoft about the problems you have when converting
DOC to DOCX? IMHO if there are any conversion issues from the previous file
formats to Office Open XML they should be solved by MS for the benefit of
everybody. I'd also be interested to read about those issues.

Do you have plans on how to delete the old .doc files from network drives
when they are not needed anymore? Do you want the users to do this some day
in the future?

Stefan