Word 2000 tries to dial internet on opening

[JM Attero]

Hello:
I am having a problem with Word 2000. I am running Win ME on a Dell Inspiron
8100 laptop. Beginning a few months ago, whenever I open a Word Document, or
simply open Word 2000, my computer tries to dial the internet. I have to
click "cancel" two times, and then the document or a blank document will
open. This has become a major annoyance to me. Is there a way to turn this
"feature" OFF. Thanks in advance.

 

[Dian D. Chapman, MVP]

You may just have spyware on your system that is trying to dial out!
I'd strongly suggest you run scans to check and also make sure you
have a good firewall and make sure your settings are set so your PC
cannot autodial until you figure out what's happening!

See these TechTrax articles to get you some further info...

Hey, Who’s Peeping Through My Windows?
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=475

Microsoft’s Spyware in Its Infancy
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=499

Good luck!

Dian D. Chapman, Technical Consultant
Microsoft MVP, MOS Certified
Editor/TechTrax Ezine

Free MS Tutorials: http://www.mousetrax.com/techtrax
Free Word eBook: http://www.mousetrax.com/books.html
Optimize your business docs: http://www.mousetrax.com/consulting
Learn VBA the easy way: http://www.mousetrax.com/techcourses.html

 

[JM Attero]

Dian:
Thanks for the reply. I have, as you suggested, run Adaware, after I updated
it. It found 61 cookies, but nothing else. I quarantined those files, but
nothing has changed, since Word still tries to dial the internet when I am
not connected. I have no firewall, since I inly connect via dial up modem.
Any other ideas? Is it possible that this is some setting or option in Word
that tells it to look to the internet for something? Thanks.

 

[Dian D. Chapman, MVP]

Well...after searching the web for others with this possible
problem...some have mentioned that they have somehow caused their Word
docs to also become associated with Internet Explorer. Because of this
misassociation, whenever they open a doc...their computers try to dial
up and connect to the Internet.

So see if you might have the same issue. Right click a document and
choose Open With. Click Choose and make sure that Word is the only
program associated with a doc file and make sure the checkbox to
always open with this app is selected. I BELIEVE this is the same in
Win2K?

See if that helps???

Good luck...

Dian D. Chapman, Technical Consultant
Microsoft MVP, MOS Certified
Editor/TechTrax Ezine

Free MS Tutorials: http://www.mousetrax.com/techtrax
Free Word eBook: http://www.mousetrax.com/books.html
Optimize your business docs: http://www.mousetrax.com/consulting
Learn VBA the easy way: http://www.mousetrax.com/techcourses.html

 

[JM Attero]

Dian:
Is there a way to do that "globally", rather than with each individual Word
Document? I have tried it with one document, and it worked, but I would love
to find a way to do it with all of the Word documents at one time. Thanks for
all of your help.

 

[Dian D. Chapman, MVP]

It WILL do it globally, as it takes the doc type and set it to
Word...as long as you checked that checkbox to always open with that
app. So it SHOULD work on all .doc types.

However, yes, you can do this through Windows Explorer at a more
advanced level, as well as review your settings. Open Windows Explorer
(you can right click Start and click Explore...or if you have a
Windows Key on your keyboard (most all except IBMs have it...as IBM
boycots that key cos' it hates Microsoft<g>), you can just hit
WindowsKey + E to open Explorer. Then click Tools > Folder Options >
File Types and you can go further with Advanced to set various
associations as well as view file types.

Hope this helps...

Dian D. Chapman, Technical Consultant
Microsoft MVP, MOS Certified
Editor/TechTrax Ezine

Free MS Tutorials: http://www.mousetrax.com/techtrax
Free Word eBook: http://www.mousetrax.com/books.html
Optimize your business docs: http://www.mousetrax.com/consulting
Learn VBA the easy way: http://www.mousetrax.com/techcourses.html