MS Word and CPU ???

I don't know if my problem is software or hardware, but suspect software. I'm running XP SP2 home, with 556Mb ram, Intel Pentium 2.4 gh. My computer locks up when running certain programs. It has a hard time getting through scanning with Bitdefender and PC Spyware Dr. without freezing up. I'm also running 2 OSs. Windows SE 98 is on another partition, but I've been running it for a long time without trouble. I put Motherboard monitor on and watched the CPU usage and with Microsoft Word 97 just a few key strokes will through the usage to 100% and if I keep using it, it will freeze up. I've switched keyboards and connections from PS2 to USB without any help. Typing on notepad doesn't show but about 1% usage. I've reloaded Office 97 pro and that didn't help. I've run scandisk several times and defrag with no help. I downloaded SiSoft Sandra and it locked up checking file modules. My Documents are on another partition and my e-mail on another one, but it has been that way a long time, so I can't see that that is a problem. I'm own Starband satellite running mission control v5.2 and when I boot up it stops before loading giving a message something like "This program cannot be completed because the other program is busy. Choose 'Switch To' to activate the busy program and correct the program ". Switch to just takes me to the START menu, after about 15 seconds I can click "Retry" and it will go away and load mission control hooking up to starband. I have un-installed spyware, zonealarm, Bitdefender anti-virus and mission control. Then cleaned the registry and reinstalled only mission control and I still got the same message on startup. I tried MS Word while all was un-installed and it still locked up. I have checked windows task manager and nothing else was running except Word. Also unchecked all but essentials on msconfig start. It really has me baffled. Has anyone got any good suggestions.

Baldy
Don't have any hair to pull out.

 

If MS Word is locking up, suggest you uninstall it in Control Panel and run without it for a while. I found a bug like that in the routine in Word97 that widens both margins in a small section of a text file; it would run the CPU at nearly 100%, but only while the affected file was open. Found it because I got an overheat warning from the BIOS.

At least running without office will help narrow the sphere of possibilities.

 

MS Word and CPU

Thanks I'll try that and clean the registry after it. Word came in Office 97 pro, but I can probably run most of my stuff with MS Works 2000 for a while. I did have a extreme tempature rise in "Power / Aux Tempature" in Sandra when I was in Word. How would I fix the bug? I had already uninstalled Office and reinstalled it.

Baldy

 

Word and CPU

Well I un-installed MS Office, Deleted Directories, and ran registry cleaner. Still had the pop up before it would load mission control. The CPU didn't give me much trouble on any other programs. I lost my word processor in Works 2000. I didn't reload it, but did reload Office. I had to un-check "Fast Find" in startup menu or it would lock up the computer. Typing here doesn't run up the processor over about 4% at most. About 6 key strokes in MS Word will run it 100%.

 

Do you mean in a new document or after opening an existing document. If it's the latter, it could be anywhere in the document and would suggest you try various documents with different editing styles. If the former, can't imagine that office is the cause. Have you adequately eliminated all adware, spyware and trojans? What's your security setup?

Suggest you start with an online scan for trojans and viruses with a program from links below, under security.

 

MS Word and CPU>100%

Thanks Sparrow,
I had already run CWshreder, but I ran it again. Also, ran e-Trust on line virus scan and came up clean. Ran hijackthis and removed a couple of things I thought was right and "RDxIE601.cab" that showed to be recommended.
My system is still doing the same thing. I will run a 100% just loading Word and a few key strokes will run it back up. Although it had worked a month or so back I ran it in compatibility mode and it still does the same thing. When the CPU loads up the fans change pitch. I don't know if they are loading up or easing up.

Baldy

 

Wait a bit to see if anyone else has a suggestion. Meanwhile, you haven't answered my last question. And if you can get along, try going without it longer, say a week, to give it a chance to run fast without office on board, to see if it really is office or some part of windows that office calls up.

 

MS Word and CPU

I use office regularly, especially word and excel and MS Works DB. Don't have enough savy to figure out access. I'm beganing to believe it's something else. Virus scanner run it at almost full throdle and when they do for a period of time the maching will freeze. The only way I've been able to virus scan is by sections at a time. I've checked voltage to my drive connectors etc and they check out. Don't know how to check the 20 pin MB connecter, but Motherboard monator shows all voltage hold fairly steady.

Baldy
I'm going to have to grow some so I can pull it out.

 

My first guess here would be that you removed a needed component and the cpu usage represents word searching for it . But a complete uninstall/ reinstall would have cured that.
So my next guess would have been a corrupt normal.dot file, but again if you completely uninstalled and deleted the folder, and reinstalled then that would have replaced it.
If it happens not initially after a clean install when opening a new document, but begins after you have opened an older one ; I would suspect a macro virus. But you have not clarified this aspect.
Also, you may want to check your antivirus program. I have heard of cases with older versions of word and windows Xp and norton antivirus where the office plugin malfunctions and results in 100% cpu usage when you access/ edit a document. I would go into norton and disable the office plugin if you suspect this and see if it helps. (Note there was a patch, not sure if it was for norton or XP or a combination which should have fixed this.).

What is "mission control" ? Is it absolutely necessary for your internet connection? Do you have the .exe name so I can check it out?
It almost sounds like something else is launching it and then you are (or two competing things are launching it).

What exactly did your remove with hijackthis (you should be able to check the repair log/ backups) and have you disabled anything in msconfig and if so what?

 

MS Word and CPU

Hello Pete,
Sorry it's been so long. I did a bad thing trying to flash the BIOs and had to get another MB. I'm back up, and trying to get everything caught up and re-installed. I still have the same problem. AND, I'll get back on the problme as soon as I can get everything configured.

Thanks
Baldy

 

That should hopefully have fixed your problem, the hard way.

 

MS Word and CPU

Well the new MB wasn't only the hard way it was the expensive way also. Yet it didn't fix the problem. Now I have duel DDR memory and it hasn't crashed, but still runs at 100%. I'm having to reload a lot of my drivers, but I'm begaining to believe that it's a software conflict.

Baldy

 

If you have all important data backed up, Ghost imaging is a good method, then consider a clean installation of XP remaking the partition(s) before formatting. That's really all that's left since you've ruled out hardware. Haven't had any luck with a repair install in this situation

 

It's been awhile since I ran Office 97, but I seem to remember a couple of odd quirks, one of which was a limitation on the number of installed fonts at, I believe, 256. Any chance you have a large number of fonts installed? In addition, there was a problem with Access and the Hatten font. While your problems are with Word, it might be worthwhile to see if you have the font installed, and if so, rename to Hatten.old and see if that resolves anything for you.

Also, see the following MS article. There is a utility to uninstall Office 97 from XP as well as specific procedures.

Q254250

Do you have all the service packs for Office 97 installed?

You mention having Works 2000 installed. There can be some compatability problems with multiple versions of Office installed, although I can't put my hands on the article at the moment. In general though, the earliest version must be installed first. If Works 2000 came with your system, and you installed Office 97 afterwards, that might cause problems. You may want to consider uninstalling both Office 97 and Works, then reinstall Office 97 and see if the problem remains. If it goes away, you could then reinstall Works 2000.

Good luck.

Stephanie

 

MS Word and CPU

Alchemy, I think you are onto something. I tried Works Word Processor and it wouldn't work. Ran un-install and reinstalled it. Now when Works WP is used it runs the CPU at full throttle and won't back down. When I load Works data base it get the warning I have over 500 fonts and it might be unstable. I'll try eliminating the fonts first and then do the un-install and reinstall like you suggested.

Thanks
Baldy