File Menu Items Unavailable in Word 2003

[Paddy Ryan]

Hi I have just upgraded our network to Word 2003 and some users are unable
to choose File / Open File / New or any File menu option even though they
appear on the list. They are dark colored as if they are available but they
do not work when clicking on them. This behaviour only occurs once Word has
opened and any document that is opened is then closed.

I have tried update and repair but this did not fix it. It runs fine and
this problem does not happen if I run it in safe mode. I have also looked
for existing macros but none are listed.

I would like to do a clean install but I need to know how to ensure the
existing install is completely removed so none of the settings are
'remembered'. Is there an article on completely removing Office 2003
settings so a clean install is really a 'clean' install?

thanks
Paddy

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi I have just upgraded our network to Word 2003 and some users are
unable to choose File / Open File / New or any File menu option even
though they appear on the list. They are dark colored as if they are
available but they do not work when clicking on them. This behaviour
only occurs once Word has opened and any document that is opened is
then closed.

I have tried update and repair but this did not fix it. It runs fine
and this problem does not happen if I run it in safe mode. I have
also looked for existing macros but none are listed.

I would like to do a clean install but I need to know how to ensure
the existing install is completely removed so none of the settings are
'remembered'. Is there an article on completely removing Office 2003
settings so a clean install is really a 'clean' install?

thanks
Paddy

Hi Paddy,

If the program works properly in safe mode, then the problem is a damaged or
misbehaving template or add-in (or just possibly a registry entry). Follow
the procedure at http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProbsOpeningWord.htm,
and also check for COM add-ins as described at
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm.

For Office 97 and 2000, there were separate tools to clean out things left
behind by an uninstall
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q239938). Microsoft
claims that the uninstallers for Office XP and 2003 are sufficient, because
they're built on Windows Installer technology. I haven't tested that
assertion. Even so, uninstalling and reinstalling shouldn't be necessary
in this case -- I believe you'll find a single file that needs to be renamed
or removed.

 

[TF]

Almost certainly related to the previous problem you mentioned above. Some
legacy utility that integrates with Word and is incompatible with Word 2003.
Isolate and remove it.



: Paddy Ryan wrote:
: > Hi I have just upgraded our network to Word 2003 and some users are
: > unable to choose File / Open File / New or any File menu option even
: > though they appear on the list. They are dark colored as if they are
: > available but they do not work when clicking on them. This behaviour
: > only occurs once Word has opened and any document that is opened is
: > then closed.
: >
: > I have tried update and repair but this did not fix it. It runs fine
: > and this problem does not happen if I run it in safe mode. I have
: > also looked for existing macros but none are listed.
: >
: > I would like to do a clean install but I need to know how to ensure
: > the existing install is completely removed so none of the settings are
: > 'remembered'. Is there an article on completely removing Office 2003
: > settings so a clean install is really a 'clean' install?
: >
: > thanks
: > Paddy
:
: Hi Paddy,
:
: If the program works properly in safe mode, then the problem is a damaged
or
: misbehaving template or add-in (or just possibly a registry entry). Follow
: the procedure at http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProbsOpeningWord.htm,
: and also check for COM add-ins as described at
: http://word.mvps.org/faqs/customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm.
:
: For Office 97 and 2000, there were separate tools to clean out things left
: behind by an uninstall
: (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q239938).
Microsoft
: claims that the uninstallers for Office XP and 2003 are sufficient,
because
: they're built on Windows Installer technology. I haven't tested that
: assertion. Even so, uninstalling and reinstalling shouldn't be
necessary
: in this case -- I believe you'll find a single file that needs to be
renamed
: or removed.
:
: --
: Regards,
: Jay Freedman
: Microsoft Word MVP
:
:

 

[Paddy Ryan]

Thanks TF and Jay.

TF, how to isolate and remove something I can't identify?

please advise,
thanks
Paddy