The Word 2002 policy "Disable features not supported in Word 97" does not work when you apply it to Word 97 (320951)

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256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

The Microsoft Word 2002 policy "Disable features not supported in Word 97" does not work when you apply it. To apply the policy, you use the Word10.adm template with the Word97Compat_120_1 vpref setting in the registry.

Note The vpref setting for the Word 2002 policy is stored in the following location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word\Options\vpref

WORKAROUND

To apply the Word97Compat_120_1 vpref setting correctly, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Change the Template

At the end of the Save category, you will find the following:

POLICY "Disable features not supported by Word 97"
	PART "Check to enforce setting on; uncheck to enforce setting off" CHECKBOX
	VALUENAME Word97Compat_120_1
	VALUEON NUMERIC 1
	VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0
	END PART
	END POLICY

Change the template to the following:

POLICY "Disable features not supported by Word 97"
	PART "Check to enforce setting on; uncheck to enforce setting off" CHECKBOX
	VALUENAME Word97Compat_120_2
	VALUEON NUMERIC 3
	VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0
	END PART
	END POLICY

Method 2: Add the Key to the Registry

Add the key manually to the registry. To do this, follow these steps. WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Click Start, and then click Run.
Type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word\Options\vpref
On the Edit menu, click New, and then click DWORD value.
In the keyname, type Word97Compat_120_2.
Double-click the new value, change the setting to 3, and then click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

The Microsoft Word 2002 policy "Disable features not supported in Word 97" is both a document-based setting and an application-based setting. Depending on the on how the setting is configured, the results may vary, as explained in the following list.

If the setting is turned ON manually, each new document that you create with Word has this setting enabled. If you send that document to anyone else, the setting will appear enabled for them only when they work in this document (unless they too have enabled the setting manually).
If the setting is OFF, and you open a document with the setting enabled, the setting appears to be ON, but only for that document. The setting does not affect any other documents that you open or create.
If the Policy key in the registry is turned ON (value of 3), the setting is always ON each time that you start Word. However, this does not prevent you from turning OFF this setting during your Word session. After you quit Word, and then start Word again, the setting is ON again.
If the Policy key is turned OFF (value of 0), the setting is always OFF each time that you start Word. However, this does not prevent you from turning ON this setting during your Word session. However, after you quit Word, and then start Word again, the setting is OFF again.
Regardless what the Policy key is set to, if a document has the setting ON, the setting always appears ON when you open the document.
If the Policy key is turned ON, and then you open a document with the setting turned OFF, and then you save the document, the setting is not ON for that document.