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Resolved Winword Request

Discussion in 'Other PC Software' started by Cynic, 2015/05/04.

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  1. 2015/05/04
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    My partner is running Office 2000 on a laptop machine with Windows 7, and has all applicable updates. She is a keen believer is the 'shout at it' school of computer problem solving. Recently she has been unable to open any of her doc files, receiving the following error messages.

    Opening the word application rather than clicking an existing file produces the same sequence of messages. I have discovered that running 'winword.exe /a' does open the word application and allows successful use - but if this repairs anything then the repair only lasts for the duration.

    We have used several methods of running 'detect & repair' from within word, and have tried a reinstall of Office, but to no avail. All other applications of Office work OK. We've also looked for the mythical 'officelivesignin.ex' but it does not seem to be present.

    Any advice will be gratefully accepted (and passed off as my own natural ability). Thank you for your patience.
     

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    Cynic,
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  2. 2015/05/04
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    1. Go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office XX\winword.exe or
    C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office XX\winword.exe

    2. Right click on winword.exe > select Properties > Compatibility tab. Set Compatability > Change settings for all users button at bottom.

    3. Uncheck Run as Administrator if checked.

    4. If no joy clear Compatability settings (don't set any). At this point can also run Compatability troubleshooter.
     
    TonyT,
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  4. 2015/05/04
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks Tony - will try this tomorrow
     
    Cynic,
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  5. 2015/05/05
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    The 'Run as Administrator' was not ticked. In fact none of the options were selected. Playing the variations of choice made no difference - the application just will not run as expected. The only w3ay to run Word is via the '/a ' addition, and then only as a one-off instance.

    Head in hands.
     
    Cynic,
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  6. 2015/05/05
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    Seek and destroy the file called Normal.dot that is the "normal template." It's known to get corrupt... It'll get recreated next time.
     
    Steve R Jones,
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  7. 2015/05/06
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I'm sure that I tried that Steve, but will try again - perhaps I didn't find every copy?. Appreciate your reply.
     
    Cynic,
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  8. 2015/05/06
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    Did you look in the Tools menu-> click Templates and Add-Ins

    To see if there are add-ins that might need to be removed?
     
    Steve R Jones,
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  9. 2015/05/08
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Well Steve - a search for normal.dot found six copies - all deleted - and that did the trick.

    I have regained my domestic guru status; although I did mention that I did have a little help ...
     
    Cynic,
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  10. 2015/05/08
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    Cool.. We love stories with happy endings;)
     
    Steve R Jones,
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  11. 2015/05/13
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Deep sigh. After an extensive program of testing and many glasses of red this is the context for my Winword problem. I'm running Office 2000 on Windows XP SP3. Clicking on an existing .doc file, or opening Winword produces error messages saying that a problem has been found and the program will not open. The same results are found when Windows is booted in safe mode.

    I can successfully open a specific file by running 'winword.exe /a' - which is surprising when it does not happen in safe mode. Following earlier advice, after deleting all copies of 'normal.dot', files can be opened or winword can be opened. Thereafter, everything appears to have been resolved - until the machine is rebooted, when the problem occurs again.

    Why would the newly created normal.dot survive only as long as the computer is not rebooted? I've tried taking a copy of normal.dot and renaming it before rebooting, and then replacing normal.dot immediately on reboot - but the problem remains.

    A 3-pipe problem, Watson.
     
    Last edited: 2015/05/13
    Cynic,
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  12. 2015/05/13
    lj50 Lifetime Subscription

    lj50 SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    Go to thread tools and scroll down to where you clicked to mark the thread resolved and click on that bottom item on the list to remove resolved. I hope this what you are referring to.
     
    lj50,
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  13. 2015/05/14
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    TonyT,
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  14. 2015/05/14
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I have tried all of the repair and reinstall options with MS Office, but to no avail. I'm now wondering whether another software program has possibly linked into winword and is effecting this problem ....

    If only there was a way of identifying other software that has hooks into winword?
     
    Cynic,
    #13
  15. 2015/05/14
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    Did you do the above?
     
    Steve R Jones,
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  16. 2015/05/15
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Yes your advice was followed - the only template is normal.dot and there are no other templates or addins.
     
    Cynic,
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  17. 2015/05/15
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Really, the only way that happens is via addins or plugins. Or other 3rd party products that you installed, such as printer, scanner and ocr software, which in all likelihood won't affect Offiice functionality.

    Try this:

    1. Delete the Word Data registry key.

    Open regedit and locate the following registry subkey, as appropriate for the version of Word that you are running:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\<version number>\Word\Data

    Click Data, and then click Export on the File menu. Name the file Wddata.reg, and then save the file to the desktop.

    Click Delete on the Edit menu, and then click Yes. Exit Registry Editor.

    If Word starts and works correctly, great! If not, restore the original backed-up Word Data registry key Wddata.reg, by double-clicking on it.
     
    TonyT,
    #16
  18. 2015/05/16
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hi TonyT

    Followed your instructions and the Data folder was deleted, but when opening a doc file the same error messages were subsequently received. The file wddata.reg was therefore run to replace the data.
     
    Cynic,
    #17
  19. 2015/05/17
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    You could try uninstalling Office completely, then reinstalling.
     
    TonyT,
    #18
  20. 2015/05/17
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Sadly Tony, as stated in the initial posting, this has been tried - and several times.

    I'm now living with a short batch file which opens 'winword.exe /a', and all my word activities take place within that initiation. Head in hands.
     
    Cynic,
    #19
  21. 2015/05/19
    Cynic

    Cynic Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I have now been contacted by two other people who are experiencing the very same problem as I am. This is some slight relief - it is not likely to have been caused by my inadequacy.

    The only common feature seems to be that we are running Office 2000. The operating systems are all different: Windows XP (32-bit), Windows 7 and Windows 7 pro (both 64-bit). All of us began to experience the problem at the same time, as far as we can judge, roughly 6 weeks ago.

    We have all uninstalled Office 2000 (I used Revo to ensure total removal), and reinstalled, but without success. On of us (not me) has applied a very old system restore file, but without success. We have now all tried the many suggestions from kind folk on this BBS.

    Why is there only three of us if the problem is systematic?
     
    Cynic,
    #20
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