Why can't I find the normal.dot?

[raerae4257]

I've tried to change my font as the default andit always says that it will
change the normal.dot, and I click OK to save. Yet when I open Word the next
time, the font is back to Times New Roman. I tried help, and it told me to go
to go to C:\Doucuments and settings\my user name\Application
Data\Microsoft\Templates. I had to show hidden files in order to see the
folders, but the templates folder was empty. I also looked in the 1033
folder, where all the other templates are, and it's not there, either. In
fact, I've done a search, and can't find it anywhere on my computer. I
recently had to get a new hard drive from Dell, and it worked fine before my
old hard drive died. But I had upgraded from windows XP Home to XP Pro, and
this time, I left XP Home on because I didn't see much difference in the
performance. Do you think that may be the problem? I tried reinstalling
Office Pro 2003, but it didn't help.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Did you tell Windows Explorer to display hidden and system files? Sometimes,
that's the problem.

Also, for the precise location of normal.dot, it's shown in Tools -
Options - File Locations - User Templates.

Another way to locate Normal.dot:

1. Open a blank document window, and choose File - Save As.

2. Set Save as Type to Document Template.

3. Click Cancel.

4. Choose File - Open.

5. Set Files of Type to Document Template.

Normal.dot should be listed.

But, if, at the end of the day, your default font setting is being ignored,
the problem usually is:

a) an evil system adminstrator has decided that users aren't allowed to
change normal.dot, and has set normal.dot as read-only; such system
administrators have NO understanding of Word, and should not be allowed
anywhere near computers.

b) registry corruption

c) normal.dot corruption

In the case of a), you're on your own. You have my sympathy, but there's
little else I can offer.

In the case of b) or c), try here:

http://www.officearticles.com/word/steps_to_troubleshooting_microsoft_word.htm

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

In addition to the possibilities Herb mentioned, if you are running Acrobat
7, see the last section of
http://www.gmayor.com/lose_that_adobe_acrobat_toolbar.htm