No normal.dot file exists

[darkspark88]

I had a problem where I would change items in the toolbar perhaps change the
default font, only to find it reverted back to the original toolbar layout
and the default font always went back to Times New Roman.

I found an article here,
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/906899

which explains the problem is down to a faulty adobe plug-in. I have
checked, and have no such plugin.

At another site, I found a work-around for the problem,

"Yep, there is a bug with the Acrobat COM plugin and Word, it make Word run
in "safe mode" so changes to the normal.dot template are not saved. You will
notice that your toolbar changes are not saved, e.g. adding/removing buttons.
There is a couple workarounds, you can force saving the normal.dot by holding
down shift, clicking on File, releasing shift, then hitting Save."

I used this shift trick which works, but I would like something more
permanent.
Does anyone have any ideas on a real fix?

I checked the office templates folder in "documents and settings" and there
is no normal.dot file in there anyway.

I have reinstalled microsoft office, and the problem still arises.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If the problem is not the Adobe add-in, it could be some other add-in that
has the same effect. See
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm

 

[darkspark88]

From what I can see, I have no plugins installed. This bug is utterly
confusing.

Unless I use the "shift trick", the normal.dot template does not even show
up as a file (I have enabled hidden files and folders).

Only using the shift trick is the normal.dot file updated.

What is going on?

If it helps, I have installed Encarta student recently, and there is a new
menu called "Student Tools" in Word 2003.

 

[Jay Freedman]

The fact that Encarta added a menu item to Word means that you have at least
one add-in. In turn, that means whatever procedure you used to determine
that you "have no plugins installed" was inadequate.

Here's another article with further information about finding add-ins:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011514521033.aspx. Don't skip
any steps, and don't make any assumptions.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[darkspark88]

Hello again,

I have tried your recommendations, and found that I have non standard
macros, called
C:\Program Files\Learning Essentials\1.0\AddinShim.dll"
C:\PROGA~1\COMMON~1\<MICROS~1\SMARTT~1\FPLACE.DLL"

An add-in I have it called Microsoft Word East European Fonts Tool, which I
think is related to the encarta learning essentials.
I have removed it from the COm add ins, but word still has seen no change.

Hope you can help me further.
Thanks.

 

[darkspark88]

Hello again,

I have tried your recommendations, and found that I have non standard
macros, called
C:\Program Files\Learning Essentials\1.0\AddinShim.dll"
C:\PROGA~1\COMMON~1\<MICROS~1\SMARTT~1\FPLACE.DLL"

An add-in I have it called Microsoft Word East European Fonts Tool, which I
think is related to the encarta learning essentials.
I have removed it from the COm add ins, but word still has seen no change.

Hope you can help me further.
Thanks.

 

[darkspark88]

Success. I have gotten sick of this bug. It now takes at least 7 seconds for
word 2003 to load up, so I decided to delete all of encarta student.
That included, encarta, ms math, learning essentials, the lot.

The "default font" bug is now fixed, and word loads up in its normal time of
1 second.

If i was to reinstall encarta student edition again, what should I do to
prevent this happening again?

 

[Jay Freedman]

I don't know whether there's anything you can do that would definitely
prevent the problem. I think it's probably a good sign that there are
no articles in the Microsoft KnowledgeBase that describe similar
problems, and Encarta is certainly intended to integrate with Office.
Possibly there was some error during the previous installation.

You might need to upgrade Student to a more recent version, depending
on what you have and whether it's supposed to work properly with
Office 2003. But I'd consider that a last option.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.