Can open docs but can't select or modify anything in Word

[SueKrauer]

I can open all my Word docs, but suddenly I can't select or modify anything.
When I close Word, it gives me a message "Word has stopped working properly"
and then restarts the program. But nothing changes. So I deleted Office and
re-installed on my hard drive. Didn't fix. Then a window came up suggesting
that I install updates. I ran the Windows updater, which suggested 18
important updates were needed. Started downloading and now a window comes up
saying all the updates failed, with the following errors:
Code 80070020 "Windows Update encountered an unknown error"
Code 646 "Windows Update encountered an unknown error"
Code 80070652 "Windows Update encountered an unknown error"
None of the suggested "solutions" make any sense or seem relevant. Has
anyone encounted this? Can anyone help please?!! I'm going CRAZY!

 

[SueKrauer]

Oh, I forgot -- here are a couple more notes: I'm running Word 2007 on
Windows Vista. I can go forward and backward with the cursor to delete or add
text, but it can't access all fields. "Saving As" to another doc doesn't
help... Any ideas?

 

[Graham Mayor]

Re-installing rarely achieves anything useful as it is the user settings
that invariably cause the problems - see
http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm then
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProblemsStartingWord.htm or
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921541
As for the error messages, a quick google search seems to suggest the
problem may be related to virus checkers (Bit Defender is mentioned a lot)
or a hard disc problem - run chdsk /f.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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