Knowledge Base

PPT7: Error Opening Earlier Version Presentation

Article ID: 136974

Article Last Modified on 8/17/2005

APPLIES TO

Microsoft PowerPoint 95 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q136974

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to open a file that was created in an earlier version of PowerPoint, you receive one of the following error messages:

Sorry, "C:\...\POWERPNT\PP4X32.DLL" can't be loaded.

-or-

"C:\PATH\FILENAME.PPT" Sorry, this type of file cannot be opened in Microsoft PowerPoint.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when the registry entries for the Pp4x32.dll file are invalid or missing.

The Pp4x32.dll file handles the translation of all previous versions of Microsoft PowerPoint.

WORKAROUND

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.

Verify that the Pp4x32.dll file is on your computer.

If the Pp4x32.dll file is not on your computer, rerun PowerPoint setup in maintenance mode and click Reinstall.
Verify that the file is correctly registered in the Windows registry:
1. Exit PowerPoint.
2. On the Start menu, click Run.
3. In the Open box, type "Regedit" (without the quotation marks), and then click OK.
4. Expand the following registry key:
```
 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\PowerPoint\7.0\Translators\Import\PP4Trans
                                
```
  If the right pane of the Registry Editor does not contain any values or the value do not correspond with those listed in the following table, the registry entry for the Pp4x32.dll file is invalid or missing.
  
  The following table outlines the values that you will find in the registry key if the PP4x32.dll file is registered correctly:
```
         Value                    Data
         -----                    ----

         Extensions               "POT PPT"
         Path                     "C:\<Path>\PP4X32.DLL"
         Title                    "PowerPoint (2-4) Files"
         Translator Type          0x00000001 (1)
                                
```
  <Path> represents the folder where you installed PowerPoint.
5. Locate and select the following registry key:
```
      Hkey_Classes_Root\.ppt
                                
```
6. On the Registry menu, click Export Registry File.
7. In the Export Registry File dialog box, type a name in the File Name box, and then click Save.
8. Reselect the Hkey_Classes_Root\.ppt registry key if it is not currently selected, and then click Delete on the Edit menu.
9. Close Registry Editor.
10. Restart PowerPoint and open the PowerPoint 4.0 presentation.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft PowerPoint version 7.0b for Windows 95.

Additional query words: powerpoint powerpnt 95 w_powerpt file open Sorry C PP4X32.DLL can t be loaded

Keywords: kberrmsg kbbug kbfix kbconversion KB136974

Microsoft KB Archive/136974

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