very slow performance for normal user / no problem by using as adm

[Jozsef]

I am using MS Word 2003

I have a relatively long file (34 pages) divided into two sections. I
experience extremely slow performance as a normal user with this file. What
is strikingly interesting is that by using the file as an admin on the same
PC it performs perfectly well.

In more details:
The file is in two sections.
In the first section I have general text and it is in portrait view.
Divided by a section break, at the end of the file, there are 5 tables and
the document is set to landscape view here.

I started to experience very slow performance with the tables even at the
time when I stored them in separate files.
The merged document is extremely slow to browse, especially when I reach to
the section with the tables. The section break mark seems to have an
influence here (see later).

I tried all tricks which are written here
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/CorruptDoc.htm to make the file
uncorrupted (including the elimination of section break marks etc.).

It did not help. The file is still extremely slow to use as a normal user.

I can log in as an admin too (I use a laptop). By using the file as an
administrator it performs perfectly well (smooth and fast).

Another peace of relevant information might be that Adobe professional has
recently been installed on my computer. To my best knowledge I have disabled
all macros, add ins in this respect.

It seems to me that the setting of the application (MS Word) must be
different for the two types of users. What else could cause this difference?

Does anyone have an idea what can be the reason for this phenomenon? Thanks
in advance, Jozsef, Hungary

 

[Brian]

As it only happens when you are logged in as a user, try clearing down your
Temp folder: Local Settings\Temp.

Hope this helps,

 

[Terry Farrell]

As Brian says, clear your temp folder first - there are probably thousands
of abandoned files in there that may cause the problem.

If the problem persists, rename normal.dot to normal.old in the problem
profile. It is usually located in Documents and Settings, Username,
Applications, Microsoft, Templates folder.

 

[Jozsef]

Dear Brian and Terry, many thanks for your feedback!

Well, the Temp folder is emptied and Normal.dot renamed. - Unfortunately,
the problem still persists.

Actually - and I did not yet informed you in this regard - I do not have
problems with any other MS Word files when using them as a user. It is only
this file.
At the same time, however, opening MS Word on its own (without loading any
file) in this user profile sometimes takes 5-8 seconds. At some other
instances, e.g. after the PC restarted, it starts up in a second!

All in all my suspicion is that there must be something wrong both with the
file and with the application in this user profile.

Do you think that I could upload the file to somewhere for your scrutiny?

Should I reinstall the whole MS Office, because it seems that something went
wrong with MS Word?

Many thanks
Jozsef

 

[Terry Farrell]

I'm suspicious that you may have a third party add-in installed, but only on
your profile. See the following FAQ for help diagnosing the problem.

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProbsOpeningWord.htm

 

[Jozsef]

Hey Terry, thank you very much for that!

HUREKA: the problem was the default printer setting. It has been a network
printer, which I have changed now to MS Document Image printer temporarily.

Now the file is smooth and fast to use again!

Thank you very much once more!
Jozsef
PS I can hardly believe that MS Word is so simple. What the heck does it
want to do with printing while I am editing the file?
Also I did not have problems with other files.

 

[Jozsef]

Just for further learning: maybe VPN, which I am also using, also plays a
role here. MS Word can connect to the driver, but very slowly, only trough
the VPN. In this case the applications could be a little bit smarter and
should not "force" communication with the printer via the VPN. Only if
necessary (which is hardly ever the case by using VPN).
Jozsef

 

[Terry Farrell]

The printer driver is VERY important for Word to operate. Word needs to
constantly interrogate the printer in order to layout the page. If you
normally connect to a remote printer that is either on a slow connection or
is only available when you plug into a network, install the printer onto
your PC as though it is a local printer. Word won't know that the printer
isn't local as long as it can see the printer driver correctly. Although you
can work satisfactorily using the Doc Image Writer, the document may look
different when you switch to the real printer because every printer has
slightly different parameters. An extra line may be added or missed from
pages or lines may wrap at slightly different points, etc.

Terry

 

[Jozsef]

Thanks, Terry, I will do so!
Jozsef