Slide Layout is Blank

[GSMartin]

When the "slide layout" bar is displayed on the right-hand side in Powerpoint
2003, it usually dislays all the various layouts that can be chosen for a
given slide. Recently, many of the computers in our office (same version of
Powerpoint) have started displaying the slide layout bar as blank. It says
it's there at the top (i.e. "apply slide layout"), and you can click on
various slide layouts and it will apply them. But the choices are each
simply a blank box, which makes choosing a layout difficult without being
able to see what each one looks like. Has anyone heard anything about this
before? I don't know of any new software installations, especially on
multiple computers, except regular Microsoft updates (and some computers run
Win2000 and others WinXP).

 

[Echo S]

Is SP-1 installed for Office 2003? If not, that's the first thing to do.

Second is to change hardware acceleration.
How to set graphics hardware acceleration back
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00129.htm

 

[Echo S]

I've got the same issue on several computers. The problem w/ the blank
Slide Layout Side Panel is only a problem if Outlook 2003 is running.
I shut Outlook down, panel is populated. Open Outlook, panel is blank.
Arrggrg.. I've increased the paging file and downloaded all the
current updates to Office 2003. I've also reinstalled Office 2003
Pro. Any other ideas?

Wow, not a clue. Nice detective work, though.

Have you tried the hardware acceleration thing I suggested for the other
poster?

Do you have SP-1 installed for Office 2003?

 

[Echo S]

Wow, not a clue. Nice detective work, though.

Have you tried the hardware acceleration thing I suggested for the
other
poster?

Do you have SP-1 installed for Office 2003?

The hardware acceleration is already on Full and SP1 is installed.
This is a brand-spanking computer so it's a fresh Office 2003 Pro
install... no pesky upgrades or such. I'll keep digging, will post if
I find anything more...

You didn't follow and read the link to instrux about the hardware
acceleration change, then. Try cranking it all the way to the *left* instead
of leaving it at full (clear to the right).

Fresh Office 2003 install doesn't necessarily mean you have SP-1, either,
but I'll trust that you double-checked.

 

[Echo S]

The only other things I can think of:

- Try different display resolutions/color depths

- Check for updates to Outlook

Just tagging on here in an effort to keep the troubleshooting attempts in
one post. <g>

I'm wondering if something running in the background might be conflicting
and causing this bizarre behavior. So, in addition to different
resolutions/color depths/refresh rates, you might want to try
Start/Run/msconfig and deselect all startup items. Then see if you get the
taskpane in PPT even when Outlook is open.

Oh, and if you have any PPT add-ins (*.PPA files), I'd close PPT and rename
them to *.PPX or something, then restart PPT. If PPT works properly after
that, you can of course rename the PPX files back to PPA one at a time to
isolate the problem.

 

[Cryptic]

I have the same issue on a Sony Vaio laptop but with Microsoft Office XP.

The machine has Windows XP SP2 installed. All critical updates applied.
Microsoft Office XP, with all updates installed including SP3.

I have tried changing the hardware acceleration to no avail.
I have tried disabling all non Microsoft services and all startup-programs
to no avail.
There are no PPT add-ins (I've performed a full hard drive search for *.PPA
files).
I've tried different resolutions/colour depths/refresh rates.
The problem can almost always be replicated if Microsoft Outlook is opened
followed by Powerpoint. Additionally the issue intermittently occurs when
Outlook isn't even open.

Can anyone give any further advice on this issue??

 

[Echo S]

Wow. This almost sounds like a resources issue, then, if it usually happens
with PPT + Outlook.

Oh, have you tried updating your video drivers?

 

[Cryptic]

I have just updated the video drivers to no avail.
Any anything else we can try?

Wow. This almost sounds like a resources issue, then, if it usually happens
with PPT + Outlook.

Oh, have you tried updating your video drivers?

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com

I have the same issue on a Sony Vaio laptop but with Microsoft Office XP.

The machine has Windows XP SP2 installed. All critical updates applied.
Microsoft Office XP, with all updates installed including SP3.

I have tried changing the hardware acceleration to no avail.
I have tried disabling all non Microsoft services and all startup-programs
to no avail.
There are no PPT add-ins (I've performed a full hard drive search for *.PPA
files).
I've tried different resolutions/colour depths/refresh rates.
The problem can almost always be replicated if Microsoft Outlook is opened
followed by Powerpoint. Additionally the issue intermittently occurs when
Outlook isn't even open.

Can anyone give any further advice on this issue??

 

[Echo S]

I can't think of anything, really. My next guess would be an antivirus
program, but you mentioned you disabled all startup programs, and that
didn't resolve it. If you're using Norton, make sure you've disabled the
Office plug-in DLL as described at

Are you on a network? Are you administrator on the machine, or are you set
up as a power user or something?

Norton Anti-Virus and Office
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00387.htm

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com

I have just updated the video drivers to no avail.
Any anything else we can try?

Wow. This almost sounds like a resources issue, then, if it usually happens
with PPT + Outlook.

Oh, have you tried updating your video drivers?

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com

I have the same issue on a Sony Vaio laptop but with Microsoft Office XP.

The machine has Windows XP SP2 installed. All critical updates applied.
Microsoft Office XP, with all updates installed including SP3.

I have tried changing the hardware acceleration to no avail.
I have tried disabling all non Microsoft services and all startup-programs
to no avail.
There are no PPT add-ins (I've performed a full hard drive search for *.PPA
files).
I've tried different resolutions/colour depths/refresh rates.
The problem can almost always be replicated if Microsoft Outlook is opened
followed by Powerpoint. Additionally the issue intermittently occurs when
Outlook isn't even open.

Can anyone give any further advice on this issue??

 

[Cryptic]

Sorry the delayed response...
The antivirus software installed is McAfee VirusScan Enterprise 7.0.0
The user of the machine has administrator rights.
The laptop is connected to the university's wireless network.

I can't think of anything, really. My next guess would be an antivirus
program, but you mentioned you disabled all startup programs, and that
didn't resolve it. If you're using Norton, make sure you've disabled the
Office plug-in DLL as described at

Are you on a network? Are you administrator on the machine, or are you set
up as a power user or something?

Norton Anti-Virus and Office
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00387.htm

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com

I have just updated the video drivers to no avail.
Any anything else we can try?

Wow. This almost sounds like a resources issue, then, if it usually happens
with PPT + Outlook.

Oh, have you tried updating your video drivers?

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com


I have the same issue on a Sony Vaio laptop but with Microsoft Office XP.

The machine has Windows XP SP2 installed. All critical updates applied.
Microsoft Office XP, with all updates installed including SP3.

I have tried changing the hardware acceleration to no avail.
I have tried disabling all non Microsoft services and all startup-programs
to no avail.
There are no PPT add-ins (I've performed a full hard drive search for
*.PPA
files).
I've tried different resolutions/colour depths/refresh rates.
The problem can almost always be replicated if Microsoft Outlook is opened
followed by Powerpoint. Additionally the issue intermittently occurs when
Outlook isn't even open.

Can anyone give any further advice on this issue??