Share via

No programme will display old *.wri files correctly

Anonymous
2013-11-11T11:14:58+00:00

I have inherited a load of *.wri files from my father including his life story. I can open them in Wordpad (and Notepad etc) however they all deteriorate into undecipherable characters at the end. This is not file corruption as they all exhibit the same behaviour.

Is there ANY method of reading these files so that the contents display as they did originally? Thanks.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Apps

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

6 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2014-09-08T20:27:43+00:00

    If you have a computer with Windows XP installed, it can open these files for free!

    Windows XP SP2 disabled the converters, but the fix is here; a simple registry edit!  :)

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883090

    I suspect your free trial is up.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2013-11-12T12:30:13+00:00

    You are welcome.

    Cheers.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2013-11-11T20:59:45+00:00

    Did you try the Programs that are listed in the "fileinfo.com" link I gave you?

    Microsoft Word 2013 info
    Microsoft Works info
    Microsoft WordPad info
    Corel WordPerfect Office X6 info
    Microsoft Write

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2013-11-11T17:29:41+00:00

    Hello Bill,

    I know they were created with Write--there doesn't seem to be a programme now (and I have tried Wordpad) that can read them properly.

    Regards

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2013-11-11T11:51:08+00:00

    Hi,

    See if this assists you:

    http://www.fileinfo.com/extension/wri

    "Text document created with Windows Write, a basic word processor that came with early versions of Windows through Windows 3.1; may contain styled text and page formatting information.

    Windows Write is similar to the newer Microsoft WordPad program, which is currently bundled with the Windows operating system. Some older versions of Microsoft Works can open WRI files."

    And read this about what early version of Write they were written in.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Write

    "Early versions of Write only worked with Write (.wri) files, but with the modernization of Microsoft Word for Windows in 1989, and the introduction of Windows 3.0 the following year, Write became capable of reading and composing early Word (.doc) documents. With Windows 3.1, Write became OLE capable."

    Cheers.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments