Word acting strange

  • Thread starter Thread starter John
  • Start date Start date
J

John

My Word program has become very slow to open, and when it
opens, if I click on "file", it shifts to a total white
screen for a few seconds, before finally opening and
presenting the file menu. If no one knows what this is,
it would help to learn how to reinstall on XP. I have the
Ofice CD--I tried to "X" word and then reinstall, but it
didn't change anything despite appearing to
uninstall/install. Is there a way to uninstall JUST Word,
and then reinstall?
 
Have you tried going through the Control Panel -- to Add/Remove Programs....
from there you should be able to CHANGE your installation -- at which point
I think you could uninstall Word WITHOUT uninstalling other Office
applications.

I use Office 2000 on WinXP --- and that's how it works (I'm pretty sure) --
if it's not how it works on Office XP -- I'm sure somebody will set us both
straight!

Kate in MN
 
Reinstalling Word/Office rarely achieves anything useful. Your problem is
almost certainly one of four things -
1. normal.dot is showing some sign of corruption - rename to oldnormal.dot
and allow Word to build a new one.
2. You have an errant add-in causing problems - remove any add-ins
temporarily from the Word and Office startup folders.
3. The registry data key is corrupt
4. You have a surfeit of orphaned temporary files.

See http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm
and
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/AppErrors/ProbsOpeningWord.htm


--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
 
Thanks for the info and YOUR WEB SITE! I always delete
internet temp files/cookies. I use XP, and I am unable to
locate that section you describe for showing hidden
files. I don't see a "folder options" option anywhere. Do
you know where that is in XP? I am wondering if I have
lots of those hidden files. The other symptom I now have
is that Word is always opening in Document 3!! What
happened to 1 and 2?
 
In Windows Explorer, choose Tools | Folder Options. The setting you need is
on the View tab. Even if you've still got orphaned temp files, you should be
able to get back to Document1 by restarting Windows, which releases the
owner files.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
The folder options is part of Windows *Explorer* not Office/Word then it's
tools > folder options > view. This is clearly explained in the link
http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm.
The Document 3 business is a dead giveaway for orphaned files. Because the
files have not been deleted, Word still thinks they may be open.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
 
Graham and Suzanne, I'm not sure why this is, I am using
Win XP, and IE 6 with the SP1 addition, and if I go to
TOOLS in IE, there is no option labeled FOLDER. In TOOLS,
I have: Mail, synchronize, Windows update, Messenger,
Show Related Links, Yahoo Mesenger, Internet Options. I
don't seem to have this FOLDER OPTIONS you refer to. ????
thanks.
 
Not Internet Explorer--*Windows* Explorer. Perhaps you think of it as My
Computer: Explore?

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
Graham and Suzanne, I'm not sure why this is, I am using
Win XP, and IE 6 with the SP1 addition, and if I go to
TOOLS in IE, there is no option labeled FOLDER. In TOOLS,
I have: Mail, synchronize, Windows update, Messenger,
Show Related Links, Yahoo Mesenger, Internet Options. I
don't seem to have this FOLDER OPTIONS you refer to. ????
thanks.
Click to expand...

Graham and Suzanne were speaking of *Windows* Explorer, not Internet
Explorer. The former replaced the "File Manager" in Windows 3.x (and
previous). Yes, I know it's confusing - and why MS couldn't have left
the name as "File Manager" rather than changing to "Windows Explorer"
(they did this when they launched Win 95) is beyond me!

Anyway, you can also access Tools->Folder Options->View by clicking
the "My Computer" icon on your desktop.

HTH

hro
 
This is WINDOWS Explorer NOT Internet Explorer!!!!
You'll find Windows Explorer hidden in the Windows start menu under
Accessories. Right click and drag it to the desktop and/or quick launch
toolbar as it is one of the most useful tools in Windows.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
 
THANKS, not sure why I confused those two explorers!
Could you clarify--can I delete EVERYTHING in my
Windows/temp directory? There are tons of folders and
files. Also, when I try and search for `$*.do? files, the
search program says "not including hidden files" although
I've checked to reveal hidden files, and they have been
revealed in windows/temp? How do I find them in other
places?
 
You can delete everything in your Windows temporary folder.
Word will also leave orphaned temporary files in the document and template
folders.
The web page explains how to find these.
Don't delete any other hidden files, or your PC may stop working!

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
 
My favorite way to open it is using Windows key+E. There are many very handy
Winkey shortcuts; if you're not familiar with them, see Windows Help under
"Natural Keyboard shortcuts" (at least that's the topic in Windows 2000; I
think it was not hidden quite so well in Win 95).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
Okay, I finally did it. I deleted the hidden files
(`$*.do?), and deleted my Windows temp file. Here is what
Word is now doing: it opens very slowly, and if I click
(file/open) before the hard drive finishes churning, it
crashes. If I am patient and wait, it works fine, but
remarkably slow opening and closing. No viruses, other
office programs are much faster. Any other thoughts on
what is going on? thanks.
 
John

In Windows XP, you will find the temp folder under Documents and
Settings>Username>Local Settings>Temp. The folder should be empty when all
other applications are closed. That's why it is called a Temp folder.


--
Terry Farrell - Word MVP
http://www.mvps.org/word/

THANKS, not sure why I confused those two explorers!
Could you clarify--can I delete EVERYTHING in my
Windows/temp directory? There are tons of folders and
files. Also, when I try and search for `$*.do? files, the
search program says "not including hidden files" although
I've checked to reveal hidden files, and they have been
revealed in windows/temp? How do I find them in other
places?
 
John

I suggest that you following the troubleshooting steps in
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/AppErrors/ProbsOpeningWord.htm

Terry

Okay, I finally did it. I deleted the hidden files
(`$*.do?), and deleted my Windows temp file. Here is what
Word is now doing: it opens very slowly, and if I click
(file/open) before the hard drive finishes churning, it
crashes. If I am patient and wait, it works fine, but
remarkably slow opening and closing. No viruses, other
office programs are much faster. Any other thoughts on
what is going on? thanks.
 
But there are some folders and files there that you might as well leave
alone because they will be recreated every time you start Windows (or Word
or whatever).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
True. XP does recreate some 'temp folder/files' in there everytime you start
up. But deleting them does no harm and it is easy to use Ctrl+A, Delete as
anything else!

Terry

But there are some folders and files there that you might as well leave
alone because they will be recreated every time you start Windows (or Word
or whatever).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
I have: deleted normal.dot, deleted my data Key in the
registry, upgraded Adobe to 6.0, all to no avail in
helping me open word the way it used to be!
I can't figure out how to: be sure my Word/Startup path
is clear. I went into it, clicked Modify, and nothing was
in the window. Does that mean I have nothing in that path?

I also can't figure out how to disable the Norton add-in.
I have NAV corporate edition, and there is no obvious
Options key to see where to disable it.

I think an addin must be the problem because
wiword.exe /a opens it fine!
 
To check for add-ins look in Tools | Templates and Add-ins to see what (if
any) add-ins are loaded. This list will not show COM add-ins; for those, see
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm

To deal with the corporate edition of NAV, try these instructions from
Office MVP Beth Melton:

If Norton AV was installed at one time then the DLL for the Office
Plug-in could still be registered.

Search for : officeav.dll

If you find it then go to Start/Run and run the following command:

regsvr32 /u "<path>\officeav.dll"

Here is a KB article that provides a few additional details. It does
not include information on Norton CE but it will contain additional
details on the unregister command if you need them:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329820

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
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