Office trips on firewall every time app opens

[sandysantra]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I run Word, Excel, and Powerpoint (Word 2004 for Mac) on a MacBook Pro with all the latest updates. Every time I *first* open Word, Excel, or Powerpoint in a new session on my MBP (after booting in the morning), I get the following message:

Do you want the application "Microsoft [program name--i.e., Word]" to accept incoming network connections? Clicking Deny may limit the application's behavior. This setting can be changed in the Firewall pane of Security Preferences.

I *have* the three programs set up in firewall to be recognized. I have a completely licensed copy of Office. I've had this problem since the install a year ago.

Today I carefully followed instructions for completely uninstalling and reinstalling. It took me three hours, and I haven't yet restored old files like normal.dot.

I still have the same problem.

Does anyone know the answer to this problem? I've searched all over google. I tried the most methodical fix today that I could find--but no luck.

Really appreciate any help. Thanks.

 

[Keith Kastorff]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I run Word, Excel, and Powerpoint (Word 2004 for Mac) on a MacBook Pro
with all the latest updates. Every time I *first* open Word, Excel, or
Powerpoint in a new session on my MBP (after booting in the morning), I
get the following message:

Do you want the application "Microsoft [program name--i.e., Word]" to
accept incoming network connections? Clicking Deny may limit the
application's behavior. This setting can be changed in the Firewall
pane of Security Preferences.

I *have* the three programs set up in firewall to be recognized. I have
a completely licensed copy of Office. I've had this problem since the
install a year ago.

Today I carefully followed instructions for completely uninstalling and
reinstalling. It took me three hours, and I haven't yet restored old
files like normal.dot.

I still have the same problem.

Does anyone know the answer to this problem? I've searched all over
google. I tried the most methodical fix today that I could find--but no
luck.

Really appreciate any help. Thanks.

I've seen this too.

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Sandy -

I think the problem you're running into is that when you select that third
option & specify applications/processes/services you are implicitly denying
access to any not included. The .app files in Office are not the only ones
involved in the running of those programs. By not listing everything
required they're being excluded which is forcing the OS to display the
request. This is from OS X Help on Firewall settings:

===============================================
When the system detects a connection attempt to a program that is not
enabled in Security preferences or not signed, a dialog will ask you if you
want to allow or deny access to the program. If you do not respond, the
program is added to the list in the Firewall pane of Security preferences,
and the access is set to ³Allow only essential services.²
===============================================

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[sandysantra]

I added Microsoft Autoupdate to the Firewall settings, and now Word opens without the error message.

Since I usually open Word first every day, that seems to fix the problem for when I open Excel or Powerpoint later on.

 

[CyberTaz]

Glad you got it sorted - and thanks for posting the solution It stands
to reason since AutoUpdate is a separate app & is typically activated by the
other Office apps on launch - at least if it's set to automatically update.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac