Cannot open Word Docs

[Terry S]

I cannot open any word document Office 2007) - either old, just saved or
blank whithout at least 3 attempts and many times more than 10 trys. It
always says Windows has stopped working - looking for a solution (never has
it found any).... then it says can't find the file, try typing the path
correctly - although I am only clicking on a file, not typing an address. I
have reinstalled several times and even set up a new profile with no change.
Does anyone have any suggestions, please - it is getting worse eevery week.

 

[Terry Farrell]

Please test in Safe Mode and let us know what happens.

From Start, Run, type in

winword /a

and press enter. Word now starts in its default install mode bypassing all
add-ins, macros, templates and customisations. Did it open quickly? Are you
able to open files using File, Open quickly without any 'network/path'
errors?

 

[Terry S]

Started in Safe Mode and followed your instructions. It opened immediately to
a blank Document 1. When I went to the Office Button, Open folder, nothing
happened at all. Tried several times. Tried closing the blank document and
then going to the Open folder - again - nothing.
Terry S

 

[Terry Farrell]

Please clarify 'nothing happens'. Do you mean that the File, Open dialog
doesn't open or do you mean that when you select a document and press Open,
nothing happens?

Can you open a document from the MRU list under the Office button?

At the moment, it sounds as though you have an incompatible third party
add-in that is killing Word. But you may also have a very bad network
printer. Do you have a locally connected printer with a locally installed
printer driver set as Windows Default?

Terry

 

[Terry S]

I guess I misunderstood - usually when I click on Opne, I get a search window
- but did not - YES I am able to open recent docs and a blank one when in the
Safe Mode.
I have a local printer and driver

 

[Terry Farrell]

So the File Open dialog is not opening for you to select documents. It
sounds like you have bad (old) drive mapping set up. Open Windows Explorer
and check for mapped drives: delete any that don't work any more. Open Word
and go to Word Options, Advanced, File Location and check that they are also
correct and valid locations.

Terry

 

[Terry S]

The Network drive is mapped exactly the same as the other 14 computers in the
office that all have Vista & Office 2007. It is not just word docs that are
on the network, but whever they are saved - even a clean blank document form
the Office template. My computer is the only one that does this.

File Locations are this:
Documents C:\UJsers\tjs\Documents
Clipart pictures
User templates C:\... \Roaming\Microsoft\Templates
Workgroup templates
AutoRecover files C:\... \Roaming\Microfoft\Word
Tools C:\... \Microsoft\Office\Office12
Startup C:\...Microsoft\Word\STARTUP

 

[Terry Farrell]

What happens if you log in as a different user (one of those that are
working fine) and test. The problem is so illogical I am thinking that this
is a corrupt user profile.

Terry

 

[Terry S]

Tried it and though it mifght be working until the 3rd doc I tried to open -
same result - "Windows has stopped working - Can't find the file."

 

[Terry Farrell]

I am baffled by this. Previous experience says this is usually a third party
add-in, but that was eliminated because it happens in Safe Mode.

My final suggestion is to wipe the PC and start a fresh install. I'm sorry
that I cannot help find the problem.

Terry

 

[James]

I am having the exact same problem. It is worse when opening Outlook attached
Word files. None of the suggestions in this thread helped.

 

[Terry Farrell]

Are you using Office 2007? Are you saving your attachments to the local HDD
before trying to open them?

Terry

 

[Terry S]

A fresh install is what we tried last month when we couldn't open any office
application files at all. Clearly, it is better now as they eventually do
open, but my fear is that it will get to that condition again. I believe
reverting to XP and Office 2003 will be the only solution. Thanks anyway.

 

[Terry Farrell]

If this happens after a fresh install, it would leave me to believe either
there isn't a locally installed, compatible printer driver set as Windows
default or the graphics driver is incompatible. Office 2007 works fine in
Vista or XPP, so if this didn't work after a fresh/clean install, there's
something else incompatible. Did you just install the OS, Office and the
printer driver or have you installed other apps or utilities?

Terry

 

[Terry S]

Actually, our IT guy did the install. The printer is a very old HP Laset Jet.
I use several other network printers - a large Cannon Copy center and a new
Richo color copier/printer/scanner - Those I just add through the add printer
in windows. I have installed other apps such as Adobe Standard 8 and Nero 8,
but this problem predates my purchase of those. I was having trouble with
Word before I found out that most of my apps would not work with Vista.

 

[Terry Farrell]

I still think it is a printer driver problem. There must be a COMPATIBLE
LOCALLY INSTALLED printer driver for Word to work.

Terry

 

[Terry S]

I have used this printer for 8 years with 4 different computers - this
problem only started with Office 2007 install. HP says they no longer support
this printer. How can I find a driver for it. Why did it never need this
before?

 

[Terry Farrell]

I'm not saying it is definitely the printer driver but at the moment
everything points to it. Please try a different printer driver as the
default and see if it resolves the problem.

Word interrogates the printer driver for the printer's parameters
continuously because it needs the information to ensure that it lays out the
screen display to match the printed copy as best possible: it also needs to
ensure that the printer supports the features that are being used. Hence, if
you remove all printer drivers and use just the basic Windows Generic Text
printer (on the Windows CD), you will only find a very basic set of Windows
fonts available in the Word Font list because it cannot see a 'real' printer
and therefore doesn't know which fonts are usable.

If Word cannot see a compatible printer driver, it won't work: in fact,
usually it won't even start. However, if you install the generic printer, it
will suffice to see if the printer driver is the problem.

Terry

 

[Terry S]

II switched to 3 other printers as the default printer and with each, it is
still the same. These are all network printers, so I deleted my local printer
from my list of available printers and tried all 3 again - same result. I
will have to wait for the next visit from out IT person (just had their 1st
child) and have him try that - it is a multi-license Vista OS and I have
never seen a CD, but I assume there is one.

 

[ldodero]

Ha! Funny, we're having the same issue with Word 2003 and while
searching the threads I found this one. And it happens to be today
about two hours ago Please keep us posted, we're trying to figure
the damn thing out.