I got that "warning" yesterday on my wife's PC. Since the suggested secunia fix was to apply Microsoft Update... which didn't find anything... I have (temporarily??) told secunia to ignore powerpoint.
I'm trying to fix the PowerPoint Viewer issues for both my XP and Vista PC. However, I can't and just add it on the ignore tab under the Secunia.
Furthermore, I have some question regarding your fix.
1) You have scanned the C:drive, and found two versions of the PowerPoint Viewer. How do you do that? What do you scan it with?:emotion-9:
2) To be safe, I renamed the older one...and then, copied the newer one from...\ PowerPoint Viewer in the ...\Office 11 subdirectory (Where is this located at?) How do you do all this????:emotion-9:
3) It's there a simplier way to fix this problem?:emotion-6:
By the way the Keyscrambler worked well with my XP PC, but I did not re-installed on my Vista PC.:emotion-2:
this actually is a very "simple" way to fix the problem... assumming you also have the newer copy as well as the older copy on your PC. Unfortunately, it's not easy to describe concisely. I'm going to give you detailed, step-by-step, instructions... hopefully, you'll be able to follow.
1) to scan a drive for files (I'm giving directions on XP):
click on START, then SEARCH. A "Search Results" window should pop open.
in the left hand column, "What do you want to search for?", click on All files and folders. you will then be given a space to "Search by any or all of the criteria below".
in the box next to "All or part of a file name", type-in PPTVIEW.EXE
then skip down to the box next to "Look in", and be sure to select Local Hard Drives (C:)
(note: if for any reason, your files on are a different drive, like D: , select that one instead)
next, click on the "double-down arrows" next to "More advanced options", and be sure check the boxes for
Search System Folders
Search Hidden Files and Folders
Seach Subfolders
(The Search Subfolders is critical; i don't know if you really need the other two, but they cant hurt)
finally, click the SEARCH button.
It will take a short while, but eventually display any files the search finds.
-------
2) if your search only found one file, in the folder C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 11 , you won't be able to use the "fix" i've suggested above.
(My wife has Office 2003 [student edition] installed on her PCs, and that may explain why she had the multiple copies of PowerPoint's Viewer)
but if the search found (at least) the two copies... the second column will tell you which folder each copy was found in.... with one copy in
first, let's be sure the file in the second (Power Point Viewer) subdirectory is newer than the one in the first (Office 11) subdirectory.
move your cursor over to the filename, PPTVIEW.EXE, and hold it there. a box should pop up, with detailed information, including the File Version number. in my case, the version number of the PPTVIEW.EXE file in the Office 11 subdirectory included the "build" number, .8164.
while the version number of the PPTVIEW.EXE in the PowerPoint Viewer subdirctory included the "build" number .8305.
the higher number, .8305. indicates a newer version. I believe the .8305. is current, so if you have that one, together with any smaller build in the other subdirectory, we can continue.
RIGHT-click on the PPTVIEW.EXE that's in the Office 11 directory, and select OPEN FOLDER CONTAINING. that folder will pop open, and the file should be highlighted. RIGHT-click on the highlighted file, select RENAME, and (for example) replace the period with an underscore (i.e., change the name from PPTVIEW.EXE to PPTVIEW_EXE ). You may get a warning message that changing the file's extension (or file type) can make it unusable... but it's okay, go ahead and do so. Leave this window open/available, as we will come back to it shortly.
Now, go back to the SEARCH RESULTS window, and this time, RIGHT-click on the PPTVIEW.EXE that's in the PowerPoint Viewer subdirectory. again, select OPEN FOLDER CONTAINING. Right-click on the highlighted PPTVIEW.EXE file, and select COPY. then, go back to the Office 11 window that you left available, RIGHT-click on any "white" space in it, and select PASTE. that should move a copy of the newer file (from PowerPoint Viewer) into the other (Office 11) subdirectory.
Assuming you were able to follow/do all this, re-run the secunia scanner, to see if it made any difference.
I found no version .8305 of pptview.exe, but after downloading/installing PPT Viewer 2007 found v. 12.0.6502.5000, which is probably the latest (created March 28, 2009).
I took your advice and renamed the 2003 pptview.exe, and moved the 12.0.6502.5000 version into my Office11 subdirectory. All is now well with PSI. Thanks for the advice.
Whether my PowerPoint program still works is another question, but fortunately I make few PPT presentations!
Wow, thank you very much for the your help and the wonderful steps.:emotion-2: I will try to fix this PowerPoint Viewer, because I used this stuff. I'm thinking of buying the Microsoft Office 2007, but it is too expensive. Finally, what will happen in October. Microsoft will not longer support the PowerPoint Viewer 2003. Does this mean that I have to buy the Office 2007. :emotion-40: Did you guys accept the updates of Office Genuine Advantage Notifications (KB949810) on 08/25/09?:emotion-8:
I'm looking into changing from P.P.V. 2003 to P.P.V. 2007. It looks like that may be the way to go. I don't seem to find P.P.V. 2003 in my add/remove programs. Should I remove this one first before installing P.P.V. 2007? Where could I find 2003 to remove? Thanks.
"what will happen in October. Microsoft will not longer support the PowerPoint Viewer 2003? Does this mean that I have to buy the Office 2007. "
Let me begin by noting that I haven't come across [or at least, don't recall seeing] mention of the deadline... which may just be ignorance [or forgetfulness] on my part... but I will take your word for it.
The key word here is SUPPORT... "no longer supporting" simply means that Microsoft will no longer offer any new updates --- no new security fixes, no new "bug" fixes --- for that program. However, your program will continue to run and be usable, "as is" --- no one will "force" you to buy a newer version. In fact, as noted above, I'm still using PowerPoint Viewer 1997 on this machine!... and intend to keep it.
What's the downside to keeping an older version around?
1) it may not be secure... there may be known ways to hack and take advantage of it. On the other hand, hackers "tend to be" more interested in hacking into the newest versions, that more people are currently using. In other words, while PP Viewer '97 may not be secure any more, I don't know that many hackers are looking for it either.
2) Office 2007 introduced eXtended versions of Microsoft's software formats. for example, Word 2003 stores documents as .doc files, while Word 2007 (can still read the older .doc files, but) can store files in the newer/eXtended .docx format. Word 2003 being older, does not "understand" (i.e., can't open/read) .docx files --- until you "teach" it about .docx files, by downloading the 2007 compatibility pack: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displayLang=en
---------------
As an alternative to buying another Office version, have you looked into OPEN OFFICE, which is a legally-free OFFICE "clone"? OpenOffice WRITER is a clone of WORD; OpenOffice CALC is a clone of EXCEL. (OpenOffice IMPRESS is supposed to be like PowerPoint, but I don't find it to be acceptable.) You can learn more about OpenOffice, and download it from http://www.openoffice.org/
Be advised, however, that it's a HUGE download, well over 100 MEGabytes.
----------------
As for Genuine Advantage, I've personally had no trouble with accepting it whenever offered. I believe I've installed the newest on at least one of my systems so far. However, I will gladly defer to Joe on this point, as I know he feels very differently about it.
"As for Genuine Advantage, I've personally had no trouble with accepting it whenever offered. I believe I've installed the newest on at least one of my systems so far. However, I will gladly defer to Joe on this point, as I know he feels very differently about it."
My understanding is that "Windows Genuine Advantage" is required for using the MS Update site, and I have never objected to that (always preferring to use the manual update site over the Automatic Updates option). My objection was always to the "Windows Genuine Advantage Notification" (WGAN) patch, which never was required. But that's a different story.
It now seems that MS has extended its "Genuine Advantage" check to its Office software as well. To be honest, I haven't seen it yet at MS Updates, as MS is pushing it slowly over time to different countries. No doubt I will see it soon.
If they pattern "Office Genuine Advantage", after "Windows Genuine Advantage", then it will likely be required to use the MSU site.
However, the "Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications" patch never was required, and I still don't have it, with no problems. If and when Office offers a "Notification" patch, I will likewise resist it.
ky331, I did find it in windows Explorer> programs>Microsoft office>P.P.viewer 2003. Could I delete it there than install P.P.V. 2007 using your link above.?
ky331
3 Apprentice
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15.6K Posts
0
August 26th, 2009 17:00
Joe,
I got that "warning" yesterday on my wife's PC. Since the suggested secunia fix was to apply Microsoft Update... which didn't find anything... I have (temporarily??) told secunia to ignore powerpoint.
joe53
2 Intern
•
5.8K Posts
0
August 26th, 2009 18:00
Thanks ky.
Secunia rates this as a "Highly critical" vulnerability.
http://secunia.com/advisories/32428/
At the same time, I note this advisory was released May 12. After all this time, Secunia suddenly decides my Power Point is toxic?
Methinks PSI is a bit buggy!
ky331
3 Apprentice
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15.6K Posts
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August 26th, 2009 18:00
Joe,
is this a recurrance of the (F/P) instance you reported here 3 months ago: http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/19274800/19486168.aspx#19486168
joe53
2 Intern
•
5.8K Posts
0
August 26th, 2009 20:00
Possibly. As I recall, that detection specifically mentioned an MS KB fix. This detection does not.
I ignored the detection 3 months back, and it eventually disappeared. Guess I'll have to do so again.
ky331
3 Apprentice
•
15.6K Posts
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August 27th, 2009 07:00
Joe,
I went back, and read through the older thread... which led to another thread containing some suggested fixes. A simple one worked for me:
I scanned my wife's C: drive, and found two versions of the PowerPoint Viewer.
An older one, build 8164, in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 11
and a newer one, build 8305, in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\PowerPoint Viewer.
To be safe, I renamed the older one... and then, copied the newer one
from ...\PowerPoint Viewer into the ...\Office11 subdirectory.
Reran secunia, and everything's hunky-dory now.
control_tps
94 Posts
0
August 27th, 2009 15:00
Hello ky331,
I'm trying to fix the PowerPoint Viewer issues for both my XP and Vista PC. However, I can't and just add it on the ignore tab under the Secunia.
Furthermore, I have some question regarding your fix.
1) You have scanned the C:drive, and found two versions of the PowerPoint Viewer. How do you do that? What do you scan it with?:emotion-9:
2) To be safe, I renamed the older one...and then, copied the newer one from...\ PowerPoint Viewer in the ...\Office 11 subdirectory (Where is this located at?) How do you do all this????:emotion-9:
3) It's there a simplier way to fix this problem?:emotion-6:
By the way the Keyscrambler worked well with my XP PC, but I did not re-installed on my Vista PC.:emotion-2:
ky331
3 Apprentice
•
15.6K Posts
0
August 27th, 2009 16:00
control_tips,
this actually is a very "simple" way to fix the problem... assumming you also have the newer copy as well as the older copy on your PC. Unfortunately, it's not easy to describe concisely. I'm going to give you detailed, step-by-step, instructions... hopefully, you'll be able to follow.
1) to scan a drive for files (I'm giving directions on XP):
click on START, then SEARCH. A "Search Results" window should pop open.
in the left hand column, "What do you want to search for?", click on All files and folders. you will then be given a space to "Search by any or all of the criteria below".
in the box next to "All or part of a file name", type-in PPTVIEW.EXE
then skip down to the box next to "Look in", and be sure to select Local Hard Drives (C:)
(note: if for any reason, your files on are a different drive, like D: , select that one instead)
next, click on the "double-down arrows" next to "More advanced options", and be sure check the boxes for
Search System Folders
Search Hidden Files and Folders
Seach Subfolders
(The Search Subfolders is critical; i don't know if you really need the other two, but they cant hurt)
finally, click the SEARCH button.
It will take a short while, but eventually display any files the search finds.
-------
2) if your search only found one file, in the folder C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 11 , you won't be able to use the "fix" i've suggested above.
(My wife has Office 2003 [student edition] installed on her PCs, and that may explain why she had the multiple copies of PowerPoint's Viewer)
but if the search found (at least) the two copies... the second column will tell you which folder each copy was found in.... with one copy in
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 11
and another copy in
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\PowerPoint Viewer.
then we can continue as follows:
first, let's be sure the file in the second (Power Point Viewer) subdirectory is newer than the one in the first (Office 11) subdirectory.
move your cursor over to the filename, PPTVIEW.EXE, and hold it there. a box should pop up, with detailed information, including the File Version number. in my case, the version number of the PPTVIEW.EXE file in the Office 11 subdirectory included the "build" number, .8164.
while the version number of the PPTVIEW.EXE in the PowerPoint Viewer subdirctory included the "build" number .8305.
the higher number, .8305. indicates a newer version. I believe the .8305. is current, so if you have that one, together with any smaller build in the other subdirectory, we can continue.
RIGHT-click on the PPTVIEW.EXE that's in the Office 11 directory, and select OPEN FOLDER CONTAINING. that folder will pop open, and the file should be highlighted. RIGHT-click on the highlighted file, select RENAME, and (for example) replace the period with an underscore (i.e., change the name from PPTVIEW.EXE to PPTVIEW_EXE ). You may get a warning message that changing the file's extension (or file type) can make it unusable... but it's okay, go ahead and do so. Leave this window open/available, as we will come back to it shortly.
Now, go back to the SEARCH RESULTS window, and this time, RIGHT-click on the PPTVIEW.EXE that's in the PowerPoint Viewer subdirectory. again, select OPEN FOLDER CONTAINING. Right-click on the highlighted PPTVIEW.EXE file, and select COPY. then, go back to the Office 11 window that you left available, RIGHT-click on any "white" space in it, and select PASTE. that should move a copy of the newer file (from PowerPoint Viewer) into the other (Office 11) subdirectory.
Assuming you were able to follow/do all this, re-run the secunia scanner, to see if it made any difference.
joe53
2 Intern
•
5.8K Posts
0
August 27th, 2009 20:00
Ky331:
The latest PPT viewer available for download from MS apparently is PowerPoint Viewer 2007 here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=048DC840-14E1-467D-8DCA-19D2A8FD7485&displaylang=en
I found no version .8305 of pptview.exe, but after downloading/installing PPT Viewer 2007 found v. 12.0.6502.5000, which is probably the latest (created March 28, 2009).
I took your advice and renamed the 2003 pptview.exe, and moved the 12.0.6502.5000 version into my Office11 subdirectory. All is now well with PSI. Thanks for the advice.
Whether my PowerPoint program still works is another question, but fortunately I make few PPT presentations!
ky331
3 Apprentice
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15.6K Posts
0
August 28th, 2009 06:00
Joe,
in clarification, when I indicated that "build" .8305 was the newest, I was referring to PowerPoint 2003, which was the original subject of this thread. (And it's still available for download for anyone who wants it http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=428d5727-43ab-4f24-90b7-a94784af71a4 )
Yes, there is the even newer Office/PowerPoint 2007, as you've just noted.
"...fortunately I make few PPT presentations" --- I use it so rarely that I still have PP '97 installed on this PC :emotion-5:
control_tps
94 Posts
0
August 29th, 2009 00:00
ky331,
Wow, thank you very much for the your help and the wonderful steps.:emotion-2: I will try to fix this PowerPoint Viewer, because I used this stuff. I'm thinking of buying the Microsoft Office 2007, but it is too expensive. Finally, what will happen in October. Microsoft will not longer support the PowerPoint Viewer 2003. Does this mean that I have to buy the Office 2007. :emotion-40: Did you guys accept the updates of Office Genuine Advantage Notifications (KB949810) on 08/25/09?:emotion-8:
Evermore
2 Intern
•
338 Posts
0
August 29th, 2009 06:00
I'm looking into changing from P.P.V. 2003 to P.P.V. 2007. It looks like that may be the way to go. I don't seem to find P.P.V. 2003 in my add/remove programs. Should I remove this one first before installing P.P.V. 2007? Where could I find 2003 to remove? Thanks.
ky331
3 Apprentice
•
15.6K Posts
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August 29th, 2009 06:00
"what will happen in October. Microsoft will not longer support the PowerPoint Viewer 2003? Does this mean that I have to buy the Office 2007. "
Let me begin by noting that I haven't come across [or at least, don't recall seeing] mention of the deadline... which may just be ignorance [or forgetfulness] on my part... but I will take your word for it.
The key word here is SUPPORT... "no longer supporting" simply means that Microsoft will no longer offer any new updates --- no new security fixes, no new "bug" fixes --- for that program. However, your program will continue to run and be usable, "as is" --- no one will "force" you to buy a newer version. In fact, as noted above, I'm still using PowerPoint Viewer 1997 on this machine!... and intend to keep it.
What's the downside to keeping an older version around?
1) it may not be secure... there may be known ways to hack and take advantage of it. On the other hand, hackers "tend to be" more interested in hacking into the newest versions, that more people are currently using. In other words, while PP Viewer '97 may not be secure any more, I don't know that many hackers are looking for it either.
EDIT: Having just made this bold and unorthodox assertion, I think it appropriate that I also link you to a post recently made by BugBatter here: http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19291934.aspx
2) Office 2007 introduced eXtended versions of Microsoft's software formats. for example, Word 2003 stores documents as .doc files, while Word 2007 (can still read the older .doc files, but) can store files in the newer/eXtended .docx format. Word 2003 being older, does not "understand" (i.e., can't open/read) .docx files --- until you "teach" it about .docx files, by downloading the 2007 compatibility pack: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displayLang=en
---------------
As an alternative to buying another Office version, have you looked into OPEN OFFICE, which is a legally-free OFFICE "clone"? OpenOffice WRITER is a clone of WORD; OpenOffice CALC is a clone of EXCEL. (OpenOffice IMPRESS is supposed to be like PowerPoint, but I don't find it to be acceptable.) You can learn more about OpenOffice, and download it from http://www.openoffice.org/
Be advised, however, that it's a HUGE download, well over 100 MEGabytes.
----------------
As for Genuine Advantage, I've personally had no trouble with accepting it whenever offered. I believe I've installed the newest on at least one of my systems so far. However, I will gladly defer to Joe on this point, as I know he feels very differently about it.
joe53
2 Intern
•
5.8K Posts
0
August 29th, 2009 07:00
"As for Genuine Advantage, I've personally had no trouble with accepting it whenever offered. I believe I've installed the newest on at least one of my systems so far. However, I will gladly defer to Joe on this point, as I know he feels very differently about it."
My understanding is that "Windows Genuine Advantage" is required for using the MS Update site, and I have never objected to that (always preferring to use the manual update site over the Automatic Updates option). My objection was always to the "Windows Genuine Advantage Notification" (WGAN) patch, which never was required. But that's a different story.
It now seems that MS has extended its "Genuine Advantage" check to its Office software as well. To be honest, I haven't seen it yet at MS Updates, as MS is pushing it slowly over time to different countries. No doubt I will see it soon.
If they pattern "Office Genuine Advantage", after "Windows Genuine Advantage", then it will likely be required to use the MSU site.
However, the "Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications" patch never was required, and I still don't have it, with no problems. If and when Office offers a "Notification" patch, I will likewise resist it.
ky331
3 Apprentice
•
15.6K Posts
0
August 29th, 2009 07:00
Evermore,
In add/remove, have you looked under M, for Microsoft PPV (as well as under P, for PPV)?
Evermore
2 Intern
•
338 Posts
0
August 29th, 2009 08:00
ky331, I did find it in windows Explorer> programs>Microsoft office>P.P.viewer 2003. Could I delete it there than install P.P.V. 2007 using your link above.?