I screwed up - can I undo the damage?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MikeB
  • Start date Start date
M

MikeB

OK, so first off, this might be slightly unbelievable - I myself might
not believe it if I read it in a newsgroup.
Computer
I'm at uni. and in my BCIS degree classes, there is a course on
Computer Security. For this course we look at security issues and
learn about all types of network attacks. We have a dedicated
computer Lab with an isolated network to work on.

One of the things we looked at was the code for the Melissa virus.
Then we were given instructions to write something similar as an
exercise. I figured I could see the parts where the virus were sending
out the emails, and that if I simply didn't write that part, I could
create/write the rest of the virus on my home computer and it'd be OK.

Unfortunately, some of the code in the virus disables the macro menu
options and a few other things, so now that I've run it once, I've
effectively disabled my Word. I cannot get back into the macro editor
to change the code or to stop the code from running when I open Word.
My original install disks are back home.

Are there ways to edit the registry to undo the changes or am I SOL?

Thanks.

I can post the code that I ran here, but thought it would be unwise to
do so.

As an aside, I'd like to kick the original author's ass (after kicking
my own, of course). :)
 
Nice one. ;-)

Assuming the macro that starts the code when Word loads is in an AutoExec
macro, you should be able to prevent it from running by holding down the
Shift key while starting Word. That will let you go into the VBA editor and
disable the code.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
Nice one. ;-)

Assuming the macro that starts the code when Word loads is in an AutoExec
macro, you should be able to prevent it from running by holding down the
Shift key while starting Word. That will let you go into the VBA editor and
disable the code.
Click to expand...

I tried that, but it seems it has set some permanent options
somewhere, and it disabled the Options menu item on the toolbar. :(
 
Jay Freedman said:
Nice one. ;-)

Assuming the macro that starts the code when Word loads is in an AutoExec
macro, you should be able to prevent it from running by holding down the
Shift key while starting Word. That will let you go into the VBA editor
and disable the code.
Click to expand...

Should be the Ctrl key?

Klaus
 
Should be the Ctrl key?

Klaus
Click to expand...

No, holding the Ctrl key while starting puts you into Safe Mode, which
suppresses not only macros but all customizations in Normal.dot as well as all
add-ins and registry customizations. Holding the Shift key simply disables any
Auto macros that might be present, the same as executing the VBA command
WordBasic.DisableAutoMacros 1.
 
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