Windows word program stops everytime I use the "save as" command

[Vaughan]

Every time I try to save a document using the "save as" command, the program
simply shuts down and stops. I have to end the program using the task
manager and then restart the program. Does anyone know how to debug this
kind of difficulty? Thanks

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Have you downloaded Windows updates this week?

 

[Jay Freedman]

The quick but unsafe way is to uninstall the security patch that's
causing the problem. In Add/Remove Programs, check the box at the top
marked "Show updates". Select "Security Update for Windows XP
(KB908531)" and click the Remove button.

For a better workaround, until a new security patch is ready, read
Steven Hui's post at
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...&q=verclsid+hui&rnum=5&hl=en#a9fb82836c014916.
Use the registry change in Method 1. Also read the replies that follow
that post, which give some useful advice.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[Vaughan]

I did what Steve identified in his post, but found the post a bit unclear.
He proposed the value of opening the registry editor
Then going to DWORD Value
Then Rename the resulting value "{A4DF5659-0801-4A60-9607-1C48695EFDA9}
{000214E6-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} 0x401", without the quotes
Then Right click the value, select Modify, and type "1" into the Value Data
field
Then Close Registry Editor
I did this and the problem with word remains--an inability to save files.
What was unclear for me was if the new thing I renamed was the full line
that he proposed..
OR was it part of that line. I never saw an initial value to understand
what was happening.
Steve warned against uninstalling the fix since it addresses a critical
security issue.
So I'm in the proverbial damned if I do, damned if I don't situation.
The computer's safe or I can save word documents.
Doesn't Windows have a better option beyond this?
Thanks!


suggested changing

 

[Jay Freedman]

I'll start by saying that I don't have the problem, possibly because I
don't own any HP accessories, so I haven't tried Steve's suggestion
and I couldn't verify that it works if I did. I'm going by posts from
others saying that it works.

Things to check are:

- Were you logged into an administrator account when you made the
registry change? (I'm not sure you can edit that area at all if you
don't have administrator privileges.)

- Did you locate the correct key?
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Shell Extensions\Cached
(On my XP system, the Cached key doesn't exist. I assume it's
created by the update.)

- Did you remove the carriage return that Steve's posting software
inserted between the first closing bracket and the second opening
bracket in the key name? This was noted by "George" in a reply about
five posts down the thread from Steve's.

- In the event this still doesn't work for you, I think the
probability of being zapped by the vulnerability is fairly low if you
don't go to web pages of questionable parentage. According to the
description at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms06-015.mspx, to
trigger the vulnerability you'd have to visit a malicious web page
that redirects you to a server that downloads an attack program to
your PC.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[Vaughan]

Yes, I have had my computer set to automatically upload updates. I have a
whole bunch of updates that have come in this week.
Losing a document for the 40th time, I finally just deleted the one update
in hopes that I can use the Word program and get some work done rather than
restarting the program every two minutes.

 

[Vaughan]

Thank you, for the ideas.
I had not put in a carriage return. I re-entered the thing and got no
change.
I just deleted the update and am about to restart the computer. I've had to
restart word
and outlook about 40 times since last night. I'm fine if I stick to the
internet.
But nothing with MS Office products is working right.

 

[Jay Freedman]

A Microsoft employee posted this advice a few minutes ago:

"There is now a KB article (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918165)
addressing the issues that customers are reporting with MS06-015. It
provides information on the cause and what the customer can do to
eliminate the problems they're seeing without removing the security
update."

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[Vaughan]

The article simply gave the same information that I had already tried without
any success.
At the end, it indicated that I could pay for support to resolve the
problem.
That is unacceptable. Why does microsoft produces products that stop
computers from working?
Why did it retread a solution that had failed?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Have you tried uninstalling the patch?

 

[Charles Kenyon]

See
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...inetexplorer.ie6.browser/msg/094143b42d0c3ca2.
The message gives clearer
instructions for doing what Microsoft is recommending.

--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide




--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[Charles Kenyon]

That is unacceptable. Why does microsoft produces products that stop
computers from working?
Why did it retread a solution that had failed?

I don't like the situation any better than you do. However, Microsoft cannot
cross-test everything they release against all other software. It turns out
that the problem is the intersection of their security patch and some HP
software. It was not the Microsoft product that stops the computer from
working. If you disable the HP product, your computer will work. The fix
they posted helps some people. The security hole that they are trying to fix
is significant, a very real threat. I have lots of issues with Microsoft,
but here they seem to be doing all that is humanly possible.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide




--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[Jay Freedman]

I don't like the situation any better than you do. However, Microsoft cannot
cross-test everything they release against all other software. It turns out
that the problem is the intersection of their security patch and some HP
software. It was not the Microsoft product that stops the computer from
working. If you disable the HP product, your computer will work. The fix
they posted helps some people. The security hole that they are trying to fix
is significant, a very real threat. I have lots of issues with Microsoft,
but here they seem to be doing all that is humanly possible.

Vaughan,

Easter seems an appropriate time to paraphrase John 8:7 -- If you have
never given someone advice or aid that you thought would work, only to
be caught out by an unforeseen circumstance, then you have the right
to condemn Microsoft for this mistake.

Or perhaps you'd rather they left every Windows user at risk while
they tested their patch against every piece of third-party software in
the known universe. That would only take a few years...

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.