Can't open MSWord - rundll32???

Hi, I discovered recently that I can't open Word anymore, either through the program list, or by opening an already existing document. The "MSWord version..." window appears, and the computer freezes. If I try to use ctrl-alt-del to close it, I get the message "Warning, the system is dangerously low on resources..." after which I have to reboot.

I have removed and reinstalled Word (2000).

I downloaded and ran Norton Utlilties, and Norton Antivirus.

I notice that when I use the close program (ctrl-alt-del) key, There are two entries that rundll32 is running, and when I try to close either one, it simply reappears.

Any advice at all would be welcome.

TIA Jolly

 

Hi jolly
Welcome to the boards!
Could you give us some system specs please? When it says you are running dangerously low on resources, right click on My computer..choose properties....then performance. What does it say you're at? What about after a fresh reboot?

Daizy

 

jolly
Welcome to the boards!
Could you give us some system specs please? When it says you are running dangerously low on resources, right click on My computer..choose properties....then performance. What does it say you're at? What about after a fresh reboot?

Daizy

Hi Daizy, and thanks for the welcome.

I am running a Dell Pentium 1Gigaherz machine, with 255M RAM, and 25 or so remaining gigabytes on my hard drive. Windows 98 (I'm unsure if it is first or second release.)

Unfortunately, when I try to open Word, (no other application that I have tried does this) the computer freezes. It's when I try to 'cancel' loading with ctrl-alt-del that I get the dialog box informing me that resources are low. At that point, the only action I can take is to choose the 'close winword' option, at which point any action I take generates the same low on resources box, advising me to terminate explorer. So there's no way for me to check on resource usages at that point.

I have eliminated everything from my startup programs, except windows, and that doesn't seem to make any difference. So the resource usage seems to be solely a result of trying to open Word.

Any ideas?

Jolly

 

Try doing a Find Files for a file called Normal.dot.

When found, rename it (to any other name).

Try Word again. The file will be recreated.

 

WhitPhil,

Thanks, thanks, thanks! Deleting 'normal.dot' seems to have returned everything to 'normal.' I assume that means the file was corrupted. Can you tell me what it does, and if there is a common way that it becomes corrupted?

Thank you again.

Jolly