File designation problem with MS Word

Using XP Media and MS word 2003

When I open My Documents, normally each file has to the left of the file name a sheet of paper with a Blue W.

I was trying to clean out some junk software which came with my Dell computer. Removed: Sonic Encoders, Viewpoint Media Player, WebcyberCoach, Wild Tangent Wed Driver, and Word Perfect.

Now when I open My Documents, to the left of each file name, I do not have the sheet with the Blue W, I have a note pad, with red A.

Opened several of the files and they look the same, but this change in designation from W, which presumably stands for Word, to A, bothers me.

Did I do something wrong to cause this change? How do I get my Blue W back?

Have you tried to use folder options to change it back to the blue W? Go to Control Panel>Appearance and Themes>Folder Options>File Types, and you can change the icon by highlighting the extention doc in the list, then click change at the bottom of this window. See the jpg.

Went to Folder Options--->File Types.

Since all of my files are now in Notepad, I looked for Notepad to change it using the Advance button to word document. Could not find wordpad.

Alternatively, I right-clicked on a notepad file---->Open With---->ms word.

I then get an error message that says:
Command cannot be performed because dialogue box is open. I close everything and still get a message that says a dialogue box is open.

Still cannot figure out what to do.

In file types, did you not see an entry for Microsoft Word Document beside the Doc file? If not, that's strange to say the least. Are you sure you didn't uninstall MS Word while you were uninstalling things?

No. Just checked, and MS word is still there.

What I really want to find is Note pad so that I can change note pad to word document.

Just compared the computer with the problem with an identical computer without the problem. The problem computer does not have the the MS word extension. It is possible that I removed something that I should not have removed, when I was cleaning out software.

All my ms word documents were converted to Notepad. Cannot figure out how to reverse that conversion. With Photolady's help, checked file types and found that ms word document extension is no longer there.

If I reload in MS Word 2003, will I lose all my files in My Documents?

It's entirely possible that you accidently uninstalled Word while your cleaning house, er computer. And I'm going to merge your other post with this one because it is related.

And you will not lose your documents if you reinstall Word. This isn't like reformatting your computer's harddrive. The documents will still be there when you do the reinstall.

All is well that ends well.

I reinstalled Word and the Blue W is back. All of my documents are now MS Word documents, rather than note pad. Thanks for your help.

When you found you couldn't change the file back to Word's icon because the option was missing in File Types, I figured you'd uninstalled Word without realizing it. Glad you got it reinstalled and all is well now.

And you're welcome for the help.