word x will not start - crashes on startup

M

Matthew

Hi Beth,
This is a really helpful place and from what I've searched, it looks like you all
have been able to help many people. Hopefully, you can help me too.
Here is the problem: When I try to open word x, it flashes the little startup
logo, with my serial number, and then "unexpectedly quits."
When this first happened, I followed your instructions for uninstalling and
reinstalling on my powerbook G4. But now, with or without the updates,
word WILL NOT start.
The main thing I should say is that I did move some fonts around recently,
enough so that my computer crashed and I had to reinstall Panther. But
now, after archiving and reinstalling Panther, all my other applications work
fine, from Photoshop to Dreamweaver, but Word will still not start.
I am at a complete loss and as a professional writer, I am also in dire need
of this program. Please let me know what you think I should do.
Thanks so much for your time.
Matt
 
C

Christina Brunkhorst

I experienced the same problem after installing Office 2004 yesterday.
The only Office program that fully opens and allows me to work with it is
Entourage. When I tried to open Word post-install, the start-up logo opened
(with serial number), and began its opening process. When it came to the
fonts part (optimizing fonts or whatever that tiny sentence says in the
logo), it proceeded to tell me that "X" font was corrupted and should be
removed/deleted. I'd click the available "ok" button, and it would go on for
the next font. By the time it got to the "Geneva" font, and I clicked okay,
it stuck on the Geneva font warning; kept flashing it over and over each
time I clicked okay.

Finally, when I realized that the program *wasn't* joking, I force quit it,
disabled the fonts it complained about via Apple's Font Book program, then
restarted the computer, and tried to open Word again. It stopped responding
while showing the start-up logo. I force quit again, and then reinstalled
Office 2004. Tried to start it again, to no avail. Nor would PowerPoint or
Excel work either. Only Entourage (and I've noticed buggy behavior with *it*
that I'll have to post in the Entourage newsgroup).

So here I am. Please help! I'm a writer too! This is agony!

Krysia
 
M

Matt

I neglected to mention that I'm using OS 10.3.4. I've tried following
the MS faq on font conflicts but I'm not getting anywhere...
Thanks,
Matt
 
B

Beth Rosengard

Hi Matt,

From your description, it's almost certainly a font problem (duplicate
and/or corrupt font). You'll need to follow the procedures at the following
URL to get to the bottom of it: <http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=313535>

When you get to the part about testing fonts one at a time, try this
instead: Remove half the fonts and test, then the other half. When you
identify the half that contains the problem, split that in half again, etc.
It's a lot faster.

Good luck!

--
Beth Rosengard
Mac MVP

Mac Word FAQ: <http://word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/index.htm>
Entourage Help Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org>
 
C

Christina Brunkhorst

Hi Beth, thank you for getting back so quickly. :)
Um... No. LOL. It hasn't helped yet. I'm not sure how to go about testing
fonts; I've deleted several of the ones it mentions are corrupt (before it
crashes).

Does "testing the fonts" equate removing all but the basic 4 (or whatever)
and *then* trying to start Word? :-( Because that's what I'm about to try
now...

I gotta add, what a pain in the tuchas. Office X didn't go through this
mini-cow when it installed. I never had a problem with it. :-\

Thanks again for your help. :)

Krysia
 
C

Christina Brunkhorst

Reading the directions from the link you gave Matt.

Does this (see below) mean any fonts with the same name in *each* folder
(listed) are duplicates? Or just check to make sure there are no fonts with
the same name in the *same* folder?:

"Method 1: Determine Whether There Are Duplicate Font Files


1. In the Finder, open the following fonts folders:

* Macintosh OS 9.x:

Hard disk: System folder: Fonts

* Macintosh OS v. X:

Hard disk: Library: Fonts

Hard disk: Users: User_name: Library: Fonts

2. Remove any duplicate font files that you find."

Thank you! :)
Krysia
 
C

Christina Brunkhorst

Okay, I removed all but the basic 15 fonts that were in the X system folder,
then duplicated just those 15 into the user and 9 system folders.
That fixed the problem; Word works.

So now, I have to try adding a font 1 by 1 until I get to a corrupted one?
 
E

Elliott Roper

Christina Brunkhorst said:
Okay, I removed all but the basic 15 fonts that were in the X system folder,
then duplicated just those 15 into the user and 9 system folders.
That fixed the problem; Word works.

So now, I have to try adding a font 1 by 1 until I get to a corrupted one?

No, there is a faster way. It is called a binary chop.

Enable half the suspect fonts
Does word crash? yes OK the bad font is in that half.
Disable half of those.
Does Word crash? no. Enable half of the half you disabled
etc...
If you have 2^n fonts. You should find the bad font in n tries.
e.g If you have somewhere between 512 and 1023 fonts, you will find the
evil one in 10 attempts. (2^10 = 1024)
That's why it got its name.

If you have Panther, it is quicker to disable and enable fonts in Font
Book than it is to fling your fonts about in Finder. It also tells you
about all your duplicate fonts with little black dots, regardless of
which of the five blessed font directories they are in.
 
C

Christina Brunkhorst

Okay, I'm adding them in bunches. So far, I've only had to re-remove (then
delete) one (that Word said was corrupted, but it completed its startup
anyway).

Yay! It works... So, by proxy, the other Office programs that didn't, now
should. ;-)

Thanks again!
 
C

Christina Brunkhorst

Thank you, Elliott. :)
Question: You mention that in Panther (which I have), it notifies of
duplicate fonts via a black dot. I thought that black dot just meant that
that particular font is being used in an additional collection, but not
necessarily was a duplicate. Does this mean that if there's a dot next to
it, I should disable or remove it?

Krysia
 
C

Christina Brunkhorst

Oh geez!
LOL!

Just tried your tip re: the black dots in the Font Book.

For heaven's sake. <RME> Consider my brain fried. (Duuuuuuh, LOL)
Thank you for the shortcut!
:)
Krysia
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top