Word takes 10 minutes to load some documents

[Scott]

I have a client PC that takes a minimum of 10 minutes to load some word docs.
Other clients can open them with no problem. Not all documents do this, but
after extensive experimentation I have not found a common thread. For
example, I take the header and footer out of the document, and all other
objects such as tables, and change all fonts to ariel 12, and it still won't
open like it should. I have reinstalled Office, disabled antivirus and
checked to see that no HP applications are installed. I'm out of ideas, and
not finding anything like this on the web. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Terry Farrell]

If it is just some Word documents, the usual reason would be that Word
cannot find the original template on which the document is based. Printer
driver and normal.dot corruptions can also lead to this problem but it would
normally affect all documents and not just some.

 

[Scott]

Terry,

Thanks for the quick response.

It is true that all of the files that the client is having trouble with,
that I know of, reference the same template. I have ensured that the client
has access to the correct template (it's on the server), and also made a copy
locally. Other clients have no problem with the template on the server. The
client can open the template itself with no problem. Once the original file
is opened it can be saved, but the saved copy also takes 10 minutes to open

 

[Terry Farrell]

Obviously it is some strangeness on that user's computer. First I would
check that under Tools, Options, File Locations tab that all paths are
correctly set using UNC paths (NOT mapped drives).

Then check in Windows Explorer that there are no bad/dead mapped drives set
up.

If they are all OK, then I possibly the user's profile is damaged. Delete
and reinstall the profile.

Terry

 

[Scott]

Terry,

All network drives are OK, and I did change the path to the workgroup
templates in Word to be UNC style instead of referencing the network drive.
None of that helped.

I take it that you mean the Windows profile needs to be rebuilt. That's a
pretty involved task. Are there any tools that might help retain the
configurations that are built into the existing profile?

Scott

 

[Scott]

I tried logging in as a different user on the machine, which generated a new
profile. When logged in under the new profile I was not able to open the
documents either. I expect that this indicates that rebuilding the Windows
profile won't fix the problem. Is there another path I can take? I'm about
to the point of rebuilding the OS on the system.

Thanks for your help!

Scott

 

[Terry Farrell]

I agree that it does point to an OS rather than a profile problem. Are you
100% sure that the network point is OK and that the machine is able to see
the printer correctly? If these are definitely OK, then I guess that it may
be just as quick to do a fresh install rather than diagnose the problem as
you seem to have pretty much covered everything.

tf

 

[Torsten Borg]

After install SP1 on Vista (Ultimate) Office 2003 applications could not open files.

Control Panel Repair of Office 2003 resulted in the same problem.

After complete removal and installation of Office 2003: same problem
Tried to run the applications in XP-compatibility AND As Administrator mode: the same problem
Returned to normal settings for the appplications.

Outlook
Launch immediate
After removing Word 2003 as default mail editor Outlook is up and running wo problems.

Access
Launch immediate
I had Access opening a file and let it churn on for some 15 minutes after which the file opened after presenting some warnings concerning code!
This behaviour is also valid when the macro security is set to low, but now it only takes 10 minutes to open a smalll file.

Word
Launch Word takes about 9 minutes.
When doing the same with Word, i see in the lower left corner: Running virus scan...

Who is running a virus scan, I have no antivirus programs running (see below uder CPU)?
After about 10 minutes my file opened without any message.
Reopening the same file takes another ten minutes, I really wonder what is happening...

Excel
Launch immediate
Now I am letting Excel churn on for I do not know how long time...ah! it took only 8 minnutes to open!
Try to open another file...9 minutes!
A third file (with macro security = low), about 10 minutes.

PowerPoint
Launch immediate
Created a small test-file, closed it and reopened it...
As with word, the lower left corner shows: Running virus scan...

The file opened after about 10 minutes of unresponsive application.
Set macro security to low and reopen the file: about 10 minutes.

Publisher
Launch immediate
Created a small test-file, closed it and reopened it...
About 9 minutes it took!
Set macro security to low and reopen the file: less than 15 minutes.

CPU
While the applications are unresponsive, their CPU-share is 0%, what is happening?
While the application/s is/are unresponive, studying CPU-usage (in WTM) only shows activity on:
System Idle Process
taskmgr.exe
dwm.exe

Notepad
By the way, Notepad works fine and opens files withot any delay!

What have I missed!?

 

[Terry Farrell]

All those apps have a commonality: they require a compatible printer driver
set as the default printer in order to open. However, this can be cause by
AV - particularly the Office plug-in belonging to Norton AV. Is NAV or has
NAV ever been installed?

 

[Beth Melton]

It sounds like you missed your virus scanner. ;-) Norton AV and AVG both
have DLLs that scan Office documents. The fact you see "running virus scan"
in the Office applications indicates your virus scanner is scanning the
documents. Take a look in your Program Files folder and see if you have
"Norton Antivirus" or "Grisoft". If so then locate officeav.dll (Norton) or
avgoff2k.dll (AVG) and go to Start/Run and run one of the following commands
(note you may need to modify the path so it matches the location in which
you found the DLL):

regsvr32 /u "c:\program files\norton antivirus\officeav.dll"

and/or

regsvr32 /u "C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG Free\avgoff2k.dll"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton
What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

Guides for the Office 2007 Interface:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/HA102295841033.aspx