encoding error, help plz

[birdofparadise]

Hi


there is this problem with some of my ms office files that when i click to open them it asks for a type of encoding to make the file readable. But no matter what type of coding i select the text in the document comes as symbols and boxes and unreadable stuff. This happens even if I reinstall Office or reinstall windows in my system. I have tried it even on other systems with the same result. Please answer my question as these documents contain my very important projects.

I am using ms office xp 2007 with windows vista