normal.dot

[Stellad]

After moving some files and folders around in My Documents
and deleting and renaming some I started having problems
with normal.dot. I also was "clicking around" in Word
around the same time. I assume one of those things
started my problems. I read some articles and message
boards and sort of understand what normal.dot is and
perhaps what happened. What I don't understand is how to
fix the problem I've created and put things back the way
they were. Obviously I'm hoping for a siimple solution
(Hah!). If anyone has suggesstions or instructions I
would definitely appreciate it. Since this is real new
territory for me, simple step-by-step instruction would
also be app.

Here's the order of what happens:
-Open My Documents Folder
-Try to close MS Doc folder
-Pop up box says "File in use by another app or user
(C;\Windows...\Templates\Normal.dot) I clicked OK
-Save As box appears (Save in: Templates and File Name
Normal.dot)

I've chosen Cancel since I didn't really know what it meant

-I try to close blank MSW doc that's left
-Pop up box says" Changes have been made that affect global
template, normal.dot. Do you want to save?

I've chosen No again since I didn't know what it meant or
what would happen.

-Back to my Documents folder

Things I've "experimented" with (eek!)

1) When Save as box appeared there was a Legal Pleadings
folder, Business Doc folder, Normal.dot MSW file and
"shadowy-like" normal.dot file. I deleted the "shadowy"
one. Don't know if I should have but nothing happened
one way or the other I hope.
2) When I did a Search for Normal.dot 3 files showed, 2
with shortcut arrows. If I double-clicked any, a blank
MS doc would show. Couldn't close it unless I used
Control/Alt/Delete. It would show as Doc 1,2,3, etc.
Tried it up to 9.

I apologize for the length of this. I figured more
details were better than not enough. Thanks a bunch for
any help

Stella

 

[Shauna Kelly]

Hi Stella

Try this.

1. Close Word.

2. Use Windows Explorer (or, on the desktop, double-click My Computer). Find
all the normal.dots on your machine.

3. If they've got shortcut arrows, delete them. If they don't have shortcut
arrows, re-name them to oldnormal.dot.

4. Turn off your computer, and then turn it on again (strictly speaking,
this shouldn't be necessary, but we may as well just be sure!)

5. Start Word. It will create a new, clean normal.dot for you.

Word should now start properly. If you had customizations saved in
normal.dot (eg toolbars, or macros), you can copy them to your new
normal.dot using Tools > Templates and Add-ins > Organizer.

If you continue having trouble opening Word, see

Problems opening Word
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/AppErrors/ProbsOpeningWord.htm

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word

 

[Stella]

Hi Shauna!

Thanks for the reply. I just want to clarify where I'm
going and how I'm getting there for the search. When I use
Windows Explorer to get to the search function I started
with Start/Programs/Accessories/Windows Explorer/clicked
My Computer/then did a "Search"(?) from the search icon in
the toolbar above. Is this one of the ways? Also when I
double click the "My Computer" icon on the desktop as you
suggested, also do a search from the toolbar icon there?
Are these 2 ways any different than performing the search
function from Start/Search? Real simple questions, I know
but I do appreciate the answers a bunch! Thanks!

Stella

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The only difference between Start | Search and searching from Windows
Explorer is that the former automatically starts at the root level (C:\, for
example), while the latter will by default search the folder you happen to
be in (and any subfolders).

 

[Stella]

Thanks for the explanation Suzanne.

Stella

-----Original Message-----
The only difference between Start | Search and searching from Windows
Explorer is that the former automatically starts at the root level (C:\, for
example), while the latter will by default search the folder you happen to
be in (and any subfolders).





.

 

[Stella]

One more question.. I just went into the normal.dot
file/folder to delete the ones with shortcut arrows as
suggested. I just noticed that the two files without the
arrows are slightly different. One is normal.dot and the
other is normal.dot doc. Any difference between the two
and should the normal.dot doc be deleted?

Thanks again
Stella

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Normal.dot.doc probably represents someone's attempt to rename Normal.dot
without file extensions displayed (or a clumsy attempt with extensions
displayed). With the .doc extension it's not doing any harm, but it's not
doing any good, either, so you might as well delete it unless it contains
customizations you want to retrieve.

 

[Graham Mayor]

The file with the additional extension should not affect the issue, but it
is a curiosity why you should have named the document thus.
You can delete or rename any file called normal.dot and Word will build a
new one when it is next started. The new one will lack any customisations of
the old one. You should end up with just one file called normal.dot.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Guest]

Thanks Suzanne and Graham! It definitely is curious as to
why that file should be there then because I haven't
renamed anything. I've only deleted stuff. The only other
thing that I tried before posting to this newsgroup was to
open normal.dot when I did a Search from Start/Search by
double-clicking the files that showed up.There was no
particular reason that I did that. I was trying anything
at that point. I couldn't close the blank documents that
would open unless I did a CAD. In the C/A/D box that
showed running programs, it said something like Word
Document 1, and then I would End Task. I did this 7-9
times I think, so the last one in the CAD box said Word
Document 9. Would that have caused a normal.dot doc to
show up? I'll delete that file tomorrow and rename the
other and post back with my thanks and results.

Goodnight
Stella