Word 2007 Stops Working

[Jon Cat]

The other day I tried opening up a Word attachment and Word just hung in a
suspended mode. It then stated that there was a problem with Word, that it
would check for a possible solution (which it did) and then the system
restarted Word only to have Word open but I still can't work with documents.

I can open a document directly (but not from Outlook) but I cannot click
within the document at all. After several crashes the Office OS offered to
look for solutions but didn't find anything.

Any ideas? I've checked for viruses and can't find anything, run a defrag,
checked and repaired any registry issues. Help!!!

 

[Cindy M.]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?Sm9uIENhdA==?=,

The other day I tried opening up a Word attachment and Word just hung in a
suspended mode. It then stated that there was a problem with Word, that it
would check for a possible solution (which it did) and then the system
restarted Word only to have Word open but I still can't work with documents.

I can open a document directly (but not from Outlook) but I cannot click
within the document at all. After several crashes the Office OS offered to
look for solutions but didn't find anything.

Any ideas? I've checked for viruses and can't find anything, run a defrag,
checked and repaired any registry issues. Help!!!

How about if you hold down CTRL when starting Word (uses Safe Mode), does that
make any difference?

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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[Jon Cat]

It did make a difference and allowed me to get into the document using Word.
But how do I permanently solve this so that I don't have to start Word 2007
in safe mode?

 

[Cindy M.]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?Sm9uIENhdA==?=,

It did make a difference and allowed me to get into the document using Word.
But how do I permanently solve this so that I don't have to start Word 2007
in safe mode?

OK, this tells us that it's something that's happened to Word since its
installation. Now it's important to track down what that might be.

First thing I try in a situation like this is to locate Normal.dot and rename it
(Normal.dot.old is what I usually use). When Word can't find this default template
it creates a new, clean copy. Try that and see if Word starts normally. If it does,
then your Normal.dot is probably damaged (and unusable).

Note: depending on your version of Windows Normal.dot could be in a hidden folder.
Make sure you search hidden folders! Typically it will be in the user profile's
application data branch.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply in
the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Jon Cat]

Cindy,

Thank you for your suggestions on this but I still can't get Word to work.
I can open it in Safe Mode (and sometimes in regular mode) but when I go to
close Word it gives me the dialogue box that states that it has stopped
working. And, I still cannot open Word attachments from Outlook without
getting the same message.

I searched my computer for the normal.dot file (even the hidden folders) and
there is no such file. Any other suggestions?

Jon

 

[Cindy M.]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?Sm9uIENhdA==?=,

Thank you for your suggestions on this but I still can't get Word to work.
I can open it in Safe Mode (and sometimes in regular mode) but when I go to
close Word it gives me the dialogue box that states that it has stopped
working.

You get this message in Safe Mode, as well?

searched my computer for the normal.dot file (even the hidden folders) and
there is no such file. Any other suggestions?

The file has to be there. The only reason it wouldn't be there is a network
environment where the file isn't being allowed to save.

There are a number of trouble-shooting articles at word.mvps.org. The
following talks more about finding and renaming Normal.dot and also checking
other add-ins that may be loading.

Http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProblemsStartingWord.htm

This one explains about recreating the DATA key in the Registry. That's also
something that's locked out when you start in Safe Mode, so it would be worth
a try renaming that. The article only lists up to Word 2002, but just add "1"
for each version, so Word 2007 is "12".

Http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/MissingMenusEtc.htm

Something else that would probably make sense would be to run the Office
diagnostics. You'll find that in the Tools category of the Office folder in
the Windows programs list.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail