Can we download older WordPad versions?

I've always used WordPad for some things like adding pictures and different texts etc because I had confidence they would always be viewable in computers that run Windows. Later I sure learned that was wrong and now I have WordPad documents I made with Windows 95 that I can't open with more recent versions. I've tried using Word Viewer and it works sort of sometimes but even when it does I don't like the way it looks. Does anyone know if it's possible to download older versions of WordPad to use to open older documents? I don't want it to become the default WordPad because I can open documents I make now with the version that's on the computer, but I'd like an older version available for opening older docs if that's possible.

Thank you for any help!
David

 

read through these two threads:

http://forums.cnet.com/7723-6138_102-56100/help-i-can-t-open-my-wordpad-documents/

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/view-old-wordpad-documents-t4067967.html

==

 

"The following errors occurred with your submission:
1. To be able to post links or images your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 2 posts.

Please remove links from your message, then you will be able to submit your post."

LOL...the first one didn't help, and the second one is a thread I began myself in some news groups. When it didn't help I started looking for other forums to ask around in. Thanks for your input anyway though.

 

Here are some options:

Download Word Viewer from Microsoft — it’s supposed to open the older formats, plus old WordPerfect and Microsoft Works documents, among others. You can open, print, and copy these docs without having Word installed, but you need to have Word on your computer to edit or save them.
Try opening the document in WordPad (all Windows machines — at least up to Windows XP — have got WordPad installed on them (Start > Programs > Accessories > WordPad). You’ll probably lose some/all formatting, but you should be able to save the text.
Last resort: Try opening it with Notepad – you’ll get a whole heap of strange characters scattered through the document (especially at the beginning and end of it), but in there will be all the unformatted text.
==============
what happened when you tried the solutions in the first link??

any error msgs??

==
http://wintechie.blogspot.com/2008/03/restore-microsoft-wordpad-on-windows-xp.html

use info above to reinstall wordpad.