If you are sure the converters are not available, try installing
OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org) ... it can read Word 6 and might
be able to open even older versions of it.  

Or get an old copy of Wordperfect (version 9 or 10)

Tsu Dho Nimh

Word2003 has the ability to open MS Word v6
files built in as does Windows Wordpad.

If they're in DOS Word format then MS has pulled
those converters as part of their security review.
If you have the DOSWORD32.CNV file on another machine you
can copy them to the new machine in the folder with
other MS .CNV files (usually under f
\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\TextConv\
and set  [x] Confirm Conversions on Open in Tools=>Options=>General
to have them be registered by Word 2003 when you
next start Word.
Hi,

  I have recently upgraded to Office 2003. I need to
read some old files from my archives which are in Word 5
or Word 6 format (PC). I downloaded the file converters
for Word 2003, but they do not read files that old. Word
XP file converter set does.

 So the only way I can think of reading and converting
those archived files is to install Office XP (Word) on
another machine, install the XP converters, convert, and
finally copy files to machine with Office 2003.

 Is there an easier way?

Help ... >>