Launching VB editor crashes Word & Excel

[Bernard Knight]

Hi

I am running Office X (with all patches applied) under OSX 10.3.5 on a
350Mhz G4 (512 RAM) with OSX, OS9 and Users on separate partitions.

Since moving from OSX 10.2.8 to 10.3.5 every time I try to launch the
VB editor from Word/Excel (I don't use the others, so can't say if
they do the same) the app crashes. If I trash
~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Carbon Registration Database & restart
the app, I can launch the Editor until I close the app & relaunch.
Then the problem reappears until I delete the Carbon Registration
Database again. Obviously it would be insane to want to go through the
process every time I wanted to amend a VB script.

I have;
- uninstalled & reinstalled Office more times than I care to remember
- frequently run the repair permissions
- done all the other things one would do in OSX when faced with
crashing apps (zapping PRAM, running DiskUitilty, etc, etc)

I'm not a newbie but am completely stumped as to why this file seems
to be corrupting Office.

The crashlog starts off as follows & then lists a whole lot of
frameworks & stuff;
Date/Time: 2004-09-28 20:24:57 +0100
OS Version: 10.3.5 (Build 7M34)
Report Version: 2

Command: Microsoft Word
Path: /Applications/Microsoft Office X/Microsoft Word
Version: ??? (???)
PID: 4388
Thread: 0

Exception: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE (0x0002) at 0x00000000

Can anybody help?

Bernard

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Hi

I am running Office X (with all patches applied) under OSX 10.3.5 on a
350Mhz G4 (512 RAM) with OSX, OS9 and Users on separate partitions.

I see... It's a known bug...
You are prbably also losing the plug-ins and access to some of the tools
like the equation editor.

The problem has been fixed in Office 2004 but there is a workaround for
you in Office X.

- create an admin account on the boot volume
- from this account, launch Office (all apps) and try to access all the
functions you can (equation editor, VBA...)
- copy the Carbon Registration Database created in this account (it's in
~/Library/Preferneces/Microsoft) to a shared location
- log back in your account and replace the Carbon Registration Database
from this account with the other one you just created. This should fix
the problem.

This file stores information about what's where and Office X corrupts it
every time when it tries to create it from a user folder not located
onthe boot volume. The one you created following the steps I mentioned
should not be corrupted and Office will then not attempt to fool around
with it )

Corentin

 

[Bernard Knight]

Corentin

Thanks for the prompt response. I'll give that a try over the week-end
& hopefully everything will be back to normal.

It's interesting that despite having a symbolic link from the boot
volume to my Users valume, office doesn't see it that way.

Regards & thanks

Bernard

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Corentin

Hi Bernanrd,

Thanks for the prompt response. I'll give that a try over the week-end
& hopefully everything will be back to normal.

Hopefully )

It's interesting that despite having a symbolic link from the boot
volume to my Users valume, office doesn't see it that way.

I've used both symbolic links and tweaking the NetInfo Dabase for
relocating user accounts and Office plays nicely with neither.
Interestingly, there is a very similar problem with the Registration
Database for Office 2001 under MacOS 9 for people usig NetBooting...


Corentin


PS: symlinks are nice, but I had some problems with a few apps. You
might want to consider also entering the proper location in the Net Info
Database (through the Net Info Manager) as well. Much better IMVHO. At
least it works like a chamr on our machines here.

 

[Bernard Knight]

Hi Coentin

Thanks for the advice.

PS: symlinks are nice, but I had some problems with a few apps. You
might want to consider also entering the proper location in the Net Info
Database (through the Net Info Manager) as well. Much better IMVHO. At
least it works like a chamr on our machines here.

I have done that too (I think)

For each user I entered /volumes/users/"shortusername"

Are there any others places in the NetInfo database I should make
changes (I'ma bit wary about messing about with it as i have twice
messed up everything playng with it

(apologies for taking up your time)

Bernard

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

I have done that too (I think)

For each user I entered /volumes/users/"shortusername"

That would be fine i the name of the volume hosting the user accounts is
users and if all the accounts are at the root of the volume.

Are there any others places in the NetInfo database I should make
changes (I'ma bit wary about messing about with it as i have twice
messed up everything playng with it

Nope. That's it.

Sorry I didn't answer sooner but I was away,


Corentin