MS Word failure on startup

[JCBear]

Word is freezing on the splash screen, or sometimes freezing after that, at a
point when "scanning for viruses" is showing in a status bar across the
bottom. This occurrs whether I've got NAV realtime protection enabled or not.
File access is exceptionally slow if Word opens at all. These symptoms also
occur if Word is opened in Safe Mode. Excel, on the other hand, runs fine.

I am running Office 2003 on WinXP, and use Norton Internet Security for
botih virus protection and firewall functions. The Windows firewall feature
is disabled.

I have Macromedia's most recent software installed, and I gather there are
some Macromedia add-ins attempting to run in Word, too. Sometimes I am given
the opportunity to prevent them from running, and at least once, that enabled
Word to run normally, or so it seemed. This has happened only once, though.
Other than that one time, Word has not opened to the point where I can work
on a file.

My Office CD is licensed for 3 installs, and another install on a computer
set up similar to mine is working just fine.

Any ideas?

 

[garfield-n-odie]

Don't disable NAV realtime protection. Instead, disable the NAV
Office Plugin as described in
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329820 "How to use Office
programs with the Norton AntiVirus Office plug-in".

If the previous suggestion doesn't help, then work through the
troubleshooting steps in
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProbsOpeningWord.htm .

 

[DrkMgcn2007]

You don't even need to disable the NAV OP. I've found on all of my comps
that just using Registry Mechanic from download.com or pctools.com
(unfortunately, you have to buy the sucker at $30, but it helps the rest of
your system function quickly, more efficiently, and definitely with less
errors, so it's well worth the money) will solve the problem. It's not the
NAV OP program that malfunctions, to be honest. Microsoft sent out one of
their "brilliant" security updates which causes a registry error (although
they won't admit to it). RegMech sees it, fixes it, and brings it all back
to the way it should be. Granted, this has only proved true on Office XP
w/Win XP and Office 2003S/T w/ Win XP, but I'm sure it's a way to fix this
issue for all combinations. Hope this helps!

 

[Graham Mayor]

Whatever the merits or otherwise of Registry Mechanic, the Office Plug-in
from NAV has been causing problems with Word for well over a year. It does
nothing useful that isn't handled elsewehere with NAV and only serves to
slow down Word so can usefully be switched off. The Virus Scan message is
directly attributable to the AV plug-in. Word has no in-built virus
checking.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Beth Melton]

We can't really say it does nothing useful. The Office Plug-in
does offer a *little* more protection than the AutoProtect layer,
primarily when it comes to opening encrypted/password protected
documents. The plug-in will scan the document, and decrypt if
necessary, prior to actually opening the document which is why there
is delay when opening documents. The AutoProtect layer works as the
document is opening.

BUT, due to the additional problems it causes and the fact it slows
opening documents, it's advised it be turned off.

In my personal experience I have the Office Plug-in turned off and
have had the AutoProtect layer notify me of an email attachment
containing a virus as I was saving it to my local drive. BUT should I
ever encounter a questionable password protected document I'll exit
Word, turn the Office Plug-in option on, restart Word and then open
the document - I'm not that trusting of the AutoProtect layer.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/