[Red Sox Fan]

I have been using mail merge for letters in my tax business. Last month I
tried to access one of them and I was notified that my program had
encountered a serious error and would have to shut down. I was asked if I
wanted to notify Microsoft and I did. The message that I eventally received
was the Microsoft was no longer giving full support to Word 2002 and I should
consider upgrading to 2002. I tried my other mail merge letters and got the
same result. Does any one know of a solution without upgrading?
--
JRF

[Peter Jamieson]

Although it is true that MS "support" for Word 2002 has gone to another
level (I STR they call it "maintenance mode" or some such) you should still
be able to use Mail Merge without having to upgrade to Word 2007 and
preferably without encountering that particular piece of marketing.

However, since I do not know what the specific problem is, maybe you could
try a couple of experiments. I'd probably start by trying to create a new
mail merge main document and attach it to an existing data source. Does that
work? What if you then close and re-open that mail merge main document? and
so on. If the merges don't work with your existing data sources, try
creating a new data source and connect to that. And so on...

--
Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

"Red Sox Fan" wrote in message
...
I have been using mail merge for letters in my tax business. Last month I
tried to access one of them and I was notified that my program had
encountered a serious error and would have to shut down. I was asked if I
wanted to notify Microsoft and I did. The message that I eventally
received
was the Microsoft was no longer giving full support to Word 2002 and I
should
consider upgrading to 2002. I tried my other mail merge letters and got
the
same result. Does any one know of a solution without upgrading?
--
JRF

[Red Sox Fan]

Thanks, Peter, I will try your suggestions and let you know the results.
--
JRF


"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

Although it is true that MS "support" for Word 2002 has gone to another
level (I STR they call it "maintenance mode" or some such) you should still
be able to use Mail Merge without having to upgrade to Word 2007 and
preferably without encountering that particular piece of marketing.

However, since I do not know what the specific problem is, maybe you could
try a couple of experiments. I'd probably start by trying to create a new
mail merge main document and attach it to an existing data source. Does that
work? What if you then close and re-open that mail merge main document? and
so on. If the merges don't work with your existing data sources, try
creating a new data source and connect to that. And so on...

--
Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

"Red Sox Fan" wrote in message
...
I have been using mail merge for letters in my tax business. Last month I
tried to access one of them and I was notified that my program had
encountered a serious error and would have to shut down. I was asked if I
wanted to notify Microsoft and I did. The message that I eventally
received
was the Microsoft was no longer giving full support to Word 2002 and I
should
consider upgrading to 2002. I tried my other mail merge letters and got
the
same result. Does any one know of a solution without upgrading?
--
JRF

[Red Sox Fan]

Here is what I have tried so far. I had all of my files backed up on a flash
drive so I accessed one of those letters and it seemed to work fine. So I
copied that letter back on to my "C" drive and encountered the same problem.
Next I erased all of my letters from that file and restored them from my
flashdrive. I stll got the same "serious error" message.
Next I reloaded my installation disc for Microsof Office and noticed that
you could repair your Office Software or uninstall it. I elected to go the
repair route and when I tried my letter again, I got the same error.
I am now considering, uninstalling Office and reinstalling it. However is
that advisable as I will then not have any updates for the programs?
--
JRF


"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

Although it is true that MS "support" for Word 2002 has gone to another
level (I STR they call it "maintenance mode" or some such) you should still
be able to use Mail Merge without having to upgrade to Word 2007 and
preferably without encountering that particular piece of marketing.

However, since I do not know what the specific problem is, maybe you could
try a couple of experiments. I'd probably start by trying to create a new
mail merge main document and attach it to an existing data source. Does that
work? What if you then close and re-open that mail merge main document? and
so on. If the merges don't work with your existing data sources, try
creating a new data source and connect to that. And so on...

--
Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

"Red Sox Fan" wrote in message
...
I have been using mail merge for letters in my tax business. Last month I
tried to access one of them and I was notified that my program had
encountered a serious error and would have to shut down. I was asked if I
wanted to notify Microsoft and I did. The message that I eventally
received
was the Microsoft was no longer giving full support to Word 2002 and I
should
consider upgrading to 2002. I tried my other mail merge letters and got
the
same result. Does any one know of a solution without upgrading?
--
JRF

[Red Sox Fan]

Peter,

I found an old mail merge letter I tried to open it and it worked. So I
changed the letter to the current text and everything seems to be working. I
just went in and deleted all the letters that were giving me trouble.
Phew!!! Thanks for the response. I was on the verge of upgrading but you
gave me reason to keep trying. I know that I will have to do the upgrade at
some point but I want to wait and do Vista first.
--
JRF


"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

Although it is true that MS "support" for Word 2002 has gone to another
level (I STR they call it "maintenance mode" or some such) you should still
be able to use Mail Merge without having to upgrade to Word 2007 and
preferably without encountering that particular piece of marketing.

However, since I do not know what the specific problem is, maybe you could
try a couple of experiments. I'd probably start by trying to create a new
mail merge main document and attach it to an existing data source. Does that
work? What if you then close and re-open that mail merge main document? and
so on. If the merges don't work with your existing data sources, try
creating a new data source and connect to that. And so on...

--
Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

"Red Sox Fan" wrote in message
...
I have been using mail merge for letters in my tax business. Last month I
tried to access one of them and I was notified that my program had
encountered a serious error and would have to shut down. I was asked if I
wanted to notify Microsoft and I did. The message that I eventally
received
was the Microsoft was no longer giving full support to Word 2002 and I
should
consider upgrading to 2002. I tried my other mail merge letters and got
the
same result. Does any one know of a solution without upgrading?
--
JRF

[Peter Jamieson]

Hi Red Sox Fan,

Sounds like you have it sorted, but...

Judging from your other post, one problem you may have had was having either
your mail merge main documents or your data sources on read-only media.

I know that I will have to do the upgrade at
some point but I want to wait and do Vista first.

I try to work through these transitions using "virtual machine" software (I
use the pay-for VMWare but MS has its own free VM product) but it can be
difficult to set that up so I may not be doing you any favours by mentioning
it.

--
Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

"Red Sox Fan" wrote in message
...
Peter,

I found an old mail merge letter I tried to open it and it worked. So I
changed the letter to the current text and everything seems to be working.
I
just went in and deleted all the letters that were giving me trouble.
Phew!!! Thanks for the response. I was on the verge of upgrading but you
gave me reason to keep trying. I know that I will have to do the upgrade
at
some point but I want to wait and do Vista first.
--
JRF


"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

Although it is true that MS "support" for Word 2002 has gone to another
level (I STR they call it "maintenance mode" or some such) you should
still
be able to use Mail Merge without having to upgrade to Word 2007 and
preferably without encountering that particular piece of marketing.

However, since I do not know what the specific problem is, maybe you
could
try a couple of experiments. I'd probably start by trying to create a new
mail merge main document and attach it to an existing data source. Does
that
work? What if you then close and re-open that mail merge main document?
and
so on. If the merges don't work with your existing data sources, try
creating a new data source and connect to that. And so on...

--
Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

"Red Sox Fan" wrote in message
...
I have been using mail merge for letters in my tax business. Last month
I
tried to access one of them and I was notified that my program had
encountered a serious error and would have to shut down. I was asked
if I
wanted to notify Microsoft and I did. The message that I eventally
received
was the Microsoft was no longer giving full support to Word 2002 and I
should
consider upgrading to 2002. I tried my other mail merge letters and
got
the
same result. Does any one know of a solution without upgrading?
--
JRF