Word 97 problem with stamps.dot and global template

I know I have seen this here before but I can't find it. Sorry if this is a repeat!

If I have one document open and try to open another Word brings up this box, "Word cannot open this document template (C:\Program Files\...\_Stamps.Dot)"
So I hit OK
Then another box comes up
"Word cannot open the existing" " (with some funky character I can't replicate)
So then I X out of that box and it asks me
"Do you want to replace the existing Normal "
I hit No and it goes to this box
"Save as--Save in--Templates---File name normal "
It then goes to the document again and I X out of that and the next box says
"Changes have been made that affect the global template, Normal. Do you want to save those changes? "
I just hit no and I finally get out of this mess!

Do I have 2 problems here? I have other Word programs on other computers and never came across this problem so I am not sure if it is typical for this version or not. I am not the one who set this up, I came in after the fact!
Does someone have the answer to my prayers...I can get around it but it is sooo annoying, I'd love for it to stop!
Thanks so much!!!
C*

 

Hello,
Thanks for the advice. I deleted stamps.dot, so far so good. I'm still getting an odd error but it is a quick one to just X out of. (it says "Word cannot open the existing "with a funky backwards L character up by the quotations...??) Hopefully there will be no bad reprecussions from this delete. We'll see.
As for the normal, it just says normal, not normal.dot. But I can try renaming and seeing what that does.
Thanks again!
C*

 

Well, I still have the "normal" problem. I am ready to give up. Why does it say I am putting changes to the global template? Do you think it is because the person before me used the template and I am changing things without even realizing it? I am so confused! Like I said, my other computer does not do this and I am the only user so I have been just going along doing my stuff and it never told me I am trying to change a template or whatever!
C*

 

If I recall you have office 97 right? That is no longer supported as far as I can tell by microsoft (no more updates). I had this problem (I run 97 as well) at work, and the only fix to it was to go to microsoft's page and install all the available updates.

Here is the link:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-au/officeupdate/CD010224961033.aspx

I don't recall which update it was, but problem SR1 or SR2.