cannot insert objects or equations

[kturkowski]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel After installing a new hard disk, I cannot insert an equation or other object (i.e. spreadsheet). The "Insert equation" menu item is grayed out, and no objects appear in the Insert Object's "Object Type" box. I have uninstalled Office, reinstalled it, and installed updates. What can I do to make it work again?

 

[John McGhie]

This can get very ugly, depending on how you installed the hard disk in the
first place.

The Apple "Migration Utility" seems to make an unholy mess of the folder
permissions. It is often best to nuke the thing from orbit and start again.

First, try running Disk Utility and choose "Repair Permissions". Sadly, you
may be too far down the track for this to work, but at least it's quick.

After repairing permissions, run the Office Remover tool.

Then re-install from the Office DVD.

Then re-apply the updates in sequence.

Finally, repair permissions again and reboot the machine.

If this doesn't work, you will need to do an Archive and Install from the
Apple OS X DVD. Then re-install from the Office CD and re-update.

The issue appears to be that the Migrate Utility brings the preferences
across. That can't work, because the permissions on the preferences relate
to the old disk, not the new one...

Hope this helps

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel
After installing a new hard disk, I cannot insert an equation or other object
(i.e. spreadsheet). The "Insert equation" menu item is grayed out, and no
objects appear in the Insert Object's "Object Type" box. I have uninstalled
Office, reinstalled it, and installed updates. What can I do to make it work
again?

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

 

[kturkowski]

The old disk was flaking out, and the Migration utility failed. I copied as much as I could by hand, and restored it by hand, including preferences.

I've pretty much done what you suggested, though I used fsck and DiskWarrior instead of Disk Utility.

I was suspicious that when I reinstalled after removing, the Installer knew my registration code -- so the Microsoft removal tool doesn't clean up everything!

But that gives me an idea: what would happen if I trashed my Microsoft preferences? Would that fix things up?

It seems that the worst that could happen is that I would have to call up the activation number and get them to reactivate this machine.

Which preferences should be trashed? I suspect that /Library as well as /User/me/Library. This is Office 2008. Are there any particular filenames that you suggest?

 

[John McGhie]

This is the "Scorched Earth" fix.

Whatever it is, if it's caused by Office, this should fix it.

First: Download and re-apply the latest Apple OS X Combo Update from here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=search&src=support_site.kbase&fac=Dow
nloads&q=Mac%20OS%20X%20Combo

Test now: that may fix it. If not: I am picking that one of the components
of your software has gotten out of synch with the others.

1) Quit all Microsoft applications.

Run the Remove Office utility. You must run Remove Office, or you'll make
the problem worse! And Office must be installed WHEN you run it, otherwise
Remove Office will do nothing because it can't find what it's looking for.

2) Run Remove Office TWICE to make sure it finds everything. Remove Office
is in a folder on your CD, and is also in a folder in your Office 2008
Application folder.

3) Track down all instances of pre-2008 Normal template on your computer,
and drag them to your desktop. The file is called simply "Normal" and has
no extension.

4) Find and drag the file Normal.dotm to your desktop. Unless you have
moved it, it should be in
/Users/ ~ /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/

5) If the following files exist, Remove or rename them:

~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Word Settings (10)

~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Word Settings (11)

6) User/Library/Preferences/com.Microsoft.Word.plist

7) User/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Office 2008 (the whole folder!)

8) Then Repair Permissions with Disk Utility.

9) Then re-install, and reapply the 12.1.0 and 12.1.5 updates, in that
order.

10) Repair permissions again, and it should work.

Be thorough with this, if you leave any of the old files behind Word 2008
will find them and won't replace them. Do it right and Word will construct
a new, clean, set of preferences and everything should now work.

The old disk was flaking out, and the Migration utility failed. I copied as
much as I could by hand, and restored it by hand, including preferences.

I've pretty much done what you suggested, though I used fsck and DiskWarrior
instead of Disk Utility.

I was suspicious that when I reinstalled after removing, the Installer knew my
registration code -- so the Microsoft removal tool doesn't clean up
everything!

But that gives me an idea: what would happen if I trashed my Microsoft
preferences? Would that fix things up?

It seems that the worst that could happen is that I would have to call up the
activation number and get them to reactivate this machine.

Which preferences should be trashed? I suspect that /Library as well as
/User/me/Library. This is Office 2008. Are there any particular filenames that
you suggest?

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!