my Office 2003 doesn't show a typing cursor - help

[gc1936]

Not only in word but also Excel and Powerpoint - I just don't have a typing
cursor and I'm getting bored with selecting an insertion point etc. and not
knowing that it's hit the right spot. So please help me find my cursor.

 

[Terry Farrell]

Have you got a compatible printer driver installed that is set as the
Windows Default printer?

 

[gc1936]

Default printer is set up as Brother MFC210C. I assume it's compatible as it
prints (has printed Word etc. for the past 3 years) without hesitation.
I realise I'm off at a tangent but why do both the links in the notification
email go to blank pages? I got here by reducing the url to its first term and
searching from there.

 

[Terry Farrell]

I don't know how you are connecting in order to receive notifications. I use
NNTP with Windows Mail news readers.

If you start Word in Safe Mode, does the cursor return? From Start, Run,
type in

winword /a

and press enter. Do you see the cursor? If not, does it work in WordPad?

Terry

 

[gc1936]

Fascinating - yes I have a cursor in Word as well as in Wordpad if I start in
Safe Mode - but I have a cursor in WordPad in Normal Mode too. The cursor
free behaviour, incidentally, started up when I upgraded from a previous
version of Office - not sure now which.

 

[Terry Farrell]

This says that there is nothing wrong with Word itself or the cursor but
some outside influence. In Safe Mode, Word is running in its default install
mode bypassing all customisations, macros, templates, printer drivers and
add-ins of any kind.

I initially suspected the printer driver because it is one thing in common
that all three apps you report having this problem: they all need a
compatible printer driver.

I am in two minds as to the problem though, so let's start by eliminating
the printer driver by going to the Printer applet and selecting Add a New
Printer. Choose the Generic Text driver from the Windows standard printers,
install it setting as the Windows default. See if the cursor is back.

If that fails, then my next suspect is a corrupted Word DataKey in the
registry, but I am not sure why Excel & PPt would be affected though they do
all share some common settings.

From Start, Run, type in

regedit

and press enter. Navigate tot he Data key and delete it. Word will
automatically recreate it when it is next started.

Word DataKey

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\version number\Word\Data

Terry

 

[gc1936]

Well don't ask me for an explanation but I now have a typing cursor with no
action on my part other than to enter Safe Mode and use winword /a as
recommended.
Thanks Terry - you must have the magic.

 

[Terry Farrell]

Oh well, it works!

Terry

Well don't ask me for an explanation but I now have a typing cursor with
no
action on my part other than to enter Safe Mode and use winword /a as
recommended.
Thanks Terry - you must have the magic.