Publisher 200 DISASTER

[analog]

Publisher 2000 suddenly refuses to recognize my Publisher files. This happened
just after installing seven (7) updates from Office Update, and installing IE7
(I have no idea if there is a connection). Out of dozens of files, it will open
one; the rest pop up a little box that says it cannot open the file because it
is not Publisher file. All end in ".pub", so I have not done something dumb
like inadvertently going to the html files.

This is a disaster of epic proportions since I am not blocked from updating 300
pages of content. I have multiple backups, and they are behaving the same.
Have there been any reports of this problem? Can one of you kind MVPs call your
contacts and ask what might be going on?

Desperate in Kentucky,
Syd H. Levine
(e-mail address removed)

 

[DavidF]

Syd,

I am not a MVP, but I would do a system restore back to before the updates,
before it is too late.

DavidF

 

[DavidF]

Syd,

Also post this to the general newsgroup, and it will get the attention of
most of the MVPs.

DavidF

 

[analog]

WTF is the general newsgroup?

Syd,

Also post this to the general newsgroup, and it will get the attention of
most of the MVPs.

DavidF

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Syd,

Shoot one or two over to me. I have Pub 2000 on my system and all of the
current patches. Let's see if I can open them. Please bear in mind that I go
to bed early and am on the road by 6 am. I've been getting home about 6 pm
so it could take me a little while to respond.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[analog]

I ran detect and repair in Publisher to no avail. I do not think the files are
corrupt, and one bit of behavior on one file suggests this may be some kind of
security crap gone awry. But most of the files are simply not being recognized
as Publisher files.

I have never used system restore, and would not have a clue how to proceed.
Besides, I am working in the dark, and do not even know what caused the problem.

It is the periodic nightmares like this that makes me truly hate M$.

Who the **** can I get hold of at M$ who would know something? Past experience
with poking in the dark has often made matters worse, not better.

 

[DavidF]

Sorry... microsoft.public.publisher

DavidF

WTF is the general newsgroup?

 

[analog]

I had a laptop around here that has not been updated. It is on the WiFi network
here, so I was able to check the files on one of the screwed up machines (the
network server, actually). It still has IE6, and has not had any Office or
Windows updates in a year or so. The Publisher files work fine. They open just
as they should.

This pretty much solidifies my theory that recent updates caused this problem.
But I have no way to know which update or if it might even be IE7.

Does M$ accept no responsibility for the pain and suffering they cause with
mistakes like this? Is there no one at M$ to contact for a solution to the
problem?

I am disgusted with M$ more than usual right now...

 

[analog]

Posted to microsoft.public.publisher:

Publisher 2000 suddenly refuses to recognize my Publisher files. This happened
just after installing seven (7) updates from Office Update, a slew of Windows
updates, and installing IE7). Out of dozens of files, it will open exactly one;
the rest pop up a little box that says it cannot open the file because it is not
a Publisher file. All end in ".pub", so I have not done something dumb like
inadvertently going to the html files (these Publisher files are the source
files for a large commercial website).

We happened to have an old laptop around here still running IE6 and which has
not had those most recent seven Office 2000 or Windows updates, and it opens all
the files just fine. Something in these recent updates or in IE7 must be
causing the problem. This is happening in four different machines exactly the
same way.

This is a disaster of epic proportions since I am now blocked from updating 300
pages of web content. I have multiple backups, and they are all behaving the
same. Have there been any reports of this problem? Can one of you kind MVPs
call your contacts and ask what might be going on?

Past experience has taught me not to go poking around willy nilly in cases like
this; it often makes matters worse. System Restore was turned off on this
particular machine (not sure about the others). But I have no idea which update
caused the problem anyway, so fixing it is problematic. This seems pretty
clearly to be a problem of Microsoft's making...HELP, please!

This is incredibly frustrating, and more disgusting than usual.

Desperate in Kentucky,
Syd H. Levine
(e-mail address removed)
www.logwell.com

 

[analog]

Additional problems. I tried to use system restore, and it was turned off on
one machine, but was active on another. Even so, it refused to restore back to
any of the bolded dates. I suspect that the rather intense updating I was doing
during the period is causing that particular problem.

So I am out of tricks and options.

 

[Don Schmidt]

I suspect IE7 is causing the problem. I had disappointing results after
installing IE7; scanner failed to work, and a couple of programs crashed
when running them. So, I tried formatting the C drive, installed Windows
followed by upgrading to IE7 and reinstalled all the programs and still the
scanner failed. A call to HP resulted in their confirmation that the HP
Scanjet 8200 wouldn't work with IE 7. So, uninstalled IE7 which brought up
a notice that all programs would probably fail to run because they were
installed after IE7. So, reformat the drive installed windows and all the
programs and have classified IE7 as the Ebola of software.

If you also wish to NOT use IE7 and you have Windows Update set to auto
install, you may want to get the system out of "auto" install or IE7 will be
installed for it is one of the upgrades that are on the list.

Now, there will be some who say IE7 is great and are not having any problems
with it; I envy you for 7 is nice.... on it's own.

 

[analog]

JoAnn:

I tried to send you a few, but your email bounced. Thanks for the kind offer.

In the meantime, I found out the files are just fine with a non-updated laptop
that was stuck in a corner. It can connect to the local WiFi network, and I
determined it could open the Publisher files on all the affected computers.

Syd

 

[DavidF]

I would tend to agree with Don. I would uninstall IE7, and see if that fixes
the problem. From what I have read about IE7, I won't be upgrading anytime
soon. I have also read that your machine will revert to IE6, though it does
leave some crap behind.

DavidF

 

[DavidF]

Further to your issue, I have also read where KB894540 does/can break Pub
2000. And since you apparently can't uninstall the patches, an uninstall and
reinstall of Publisher might be required.

DavidF

 

[Don Schmidt]

David,

If you have 894540 installed, take a look at the Add/Remove Programs with
the "Show upgrades" box checked and see if it is listed to be uninstalled.
I don't have 894540 on my list; can't verify if it can be uninstalled.

don
Vancouver, USA

 

[DavidF]

I don't have it installed either. I tend to shy away from most patches until
I absolutely need them, because of the issues that Syd has encountered. Too
often they may fix one thing, only to break another.

DavidF

 

[analog]

It cannot be uninstalled.

I don't have it installed either. I tend to shy away from most patches until
I absolutely need them, because of the issues that Syd has encountered. Too
often they may fix one thing, only to break another.

DavidF

 

[analog]

IE7 turns out to have nothing to do with the problem. See a more detailed post
in this thread about the outcome.

 

[analog]

Norton had nothing to do with the problem despite MVP Mary's suggestion. The
tech guys at M$ insisted it was Norton also. M$ does not own Norton, so it must
be the cause of all problems with M$ programs according to M$. Of course it
does cause way too many problems, but not in this case.

The problem is a M$ update, probably KB894540. Reinstalling Office 2000 fixed
the problem, but I am still hours away from getting all the machines back to
normal and patched.

M$ tried to charge me for talking to an escalation guy in the Publisher group,
but dropped that idea after presumably sensing my homicidal state of mind.
Incidentally, the case guy and the escalation guy were clueless about the
problem. At one point the escalation guy tried to give me a free copy of
Publisher 2003, totally worthless to me since I use Publisher for a large
website.

This is an inexcusable episode brought on by the release of a half-baked
security patch. To say I am a little pissed off would be the understatement of
the century.

 

[DavidF]

Glad you got it straightened out...

DavidF

Norton had nothing to do with the problem despite MVP Mary's suggestion.
The
tech guys at M$ insisted it was Norton also. M$ does not own Norton, so
it must
be the cause of all problems with M$ programs according to M$. Of course
it
does cause way too many problems, but not in this case.

The problem is a M$ update, probably KB894540. Reinstalling Office 2000
fixed
the problem, but I am still hours away from getting all the machines back
to
normal and patched.

M$ tried to charge me for talking to an escalation guy in the Publisher
group,
but dropped that idea after presumably sensing my homicidal state of mind.
Incidentally, the case guy and the escalation guy were clueless about the
problem. At one point the escalation guy tried to give me a free copy of
Publisher 2003, totally worthless to me since I use Publisher for a large
website.

This is an inexcusable episode brought on by the release of a half-baked
security patch. To say I am a little pissed off would be the
understatement of
the century.