Issue opening a password-protected Word document

Solved
Lucie53 Posted messages 27 Status Member -  
 fakadam -
Hello,

A person sent me a Word file with a password that they provided me over the phone. When I receive the email with the document and try to open it, the message is as follows: Unable to open this document because it is password-protected with an encryption method that is not available in this country. Word cannot open this document.

When this person goes into their Word, in Tools-Language, the selected language is French Canada and it is the same for me. However, their toolbars are in English. Could the problem come from that?

What can I do?

Thank you in advance for your attention to my request.

Lucie
Configuration: Windows XP Internet Explorer 6.0

5 answers

fakadam
 
It's simply the version of Word that is not compatible.

This message appears when a password-protected document is opened in Word 2000 and has been previously saved with a password in a more recent version of Word (> 2000)

Solution:
Open this document in a more recent version of Word, or use OOo Writer (OpenOffice.org)

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fak@dam
1
eriiic Posted messages 24581 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   7 281
 
Hello,

The message talks about "encryption method," not about language or keyboard difficulties in entering the password.
Maybe the legislation of certain countries (including France) prohibits the use of certain methods that are too difficult to "crack."
This is just a guess; I'll let you look it up...
In the 'tools / options...' menu, under the 'security' tab, you have the advanced encryption options; check the list available to you and tell him to use one of those methods.
Otherwise, you can ask him to send you an unencrypted version via Word and compressed with zip or rar with a password.
Eric
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Lucie53 Posted messages 27 Status Member
 
Hello Éric,

Thank you for getting back to me so quickly.

I have Word 2000, as does the person sending me the file, and we have the same Security Options. That’s where she put her password.

I ran a test by compressing my file with Winzip and added a password at that stage. I checked and it seems to work. Is it really safe to send a password-protected Winzip file? I'm working on reports that need to remain confidential.

Thanks again!

Lucie
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eriiic Posted messages 24581 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   7 281
 
You even checked the advanced options?? Where there's a dropdown list to choose the encryption method?
If you have the one used for encryption, it's strange that Word is refusing the decryption...

The zip password is quite easy to find unless it's excessively long.
I recommend compressing with RAR instead, it's much more solid and really lasts longer. Of course, the longer the password, the better. Also, use at least 1 uppercase letter, 1 number, and 1 special character like (%$_-* etc. to better resist 'brute force' attacks. And of course, a random password is better than words from the dictionary.

I haven't looked it up, but I'm convinced there are encryption software options, and maybe even some free ones, take a look at telecharger.com

eric
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fakadam
 
or install the SP3 of Office 2000:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/276367
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