Word 2000 or Word 97 stops responding when you start the program (290771)

RESOLUTION

Rename the Global Template (Normal.dot)

NOTE: Renaming the Normal.dot template resets several options back to their default settings, including custom styles, custom toolbars, macros, and AutoText entries. For this reason, Microsoft strongly recommends that you rename the Normal.dot template instead of deleting it.

Certain installations may yield more than one legitimate Normal.dot file. These situations include multiple versions of Word running on the same computer, or several workstation installations on the same computer. In these situations, pay special attention, so that you rename the correct copy of Normal.dot.

The default location for the global template (Normal.dot) is in the following location.

Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me):Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition with profiles enabled:Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP: Follow these steps to rename the Normal.dot template.

In Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000:

1. Quit all Microsoft Office programs.
2. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
3. Search for the file Normal.dot.
4. Make sure that you search your computer's local hard disk.
5. For each occurrence of Normal.dot that appears in the Find dialog box, right-click the file. Click Rename. Type a new file name (for example, OldNormal.dot), and then press ENTER.
6. Quit Find and restart Word the way that you normally do (without using the /a switch).

In Windows XP:

1. Quit all Microsoft Office programs.
2. Click Start and then click Search.
3. Under What do you want to search for, click All files and folders.
4. In the All or part of the file name box, type Normal.dot.
5. In the Look in box, make sure that you search your computer's local hard disk.
6. Click Search.
7. For each occurrence of Normal.dot that appears in the Find dialog box, right-click the file. Click Rename. Type a new file name (for example, OldNormal.dot), and then press ENTER.
8. Quit Find and restart Word the way that you normally do (without using the /a switch).

Clear the Startup Folders

Word can automatically load templates, WLLs (Word libraries), and COM add-ins at startup. These files give Word added functionality. If one of these files is damaged, it can cause an invalid page fault (IPF) when you start Word. To correct this problem, follow these steps:

1. Quit all Microsoft Office programs.
2. Using Windows Explorer or My Computer, locate the Office Startup folder and the Word Startup folder.
   
   The default location for the Office Startup folder is:

   C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Startup

   The default location for the Word Startup folder is:
   
   In Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition:

   C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP

   In Windows 2000 or Windows XP:

   C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\Startup

3. Drag the contents of this folder to another location, such as your desktop.
4. Start Word as you normally do (without using the /a switch), and try to reproduce the problem.

If Word starts correctly, you must contact the manufacturer of the template that was removed from the Startup folder.

Delete the Word Data Key

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.


NOTE: Deleting the Data key resets several options back to their default settings, including the File menu MRU (most recently used) list, and many settings in the Options dialog boxes.

1. Quit all Microsoft Office programs.
2. Click Start and then click Run.
3. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
4. Locate the following registry key by expanding the appropriate folders: In Microsoft Word 97:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Word\Data

   In Microsoft Word 2000:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Data

5. With the Data folder on the left selected, press DELETE to delete the Data registry key.
6. When you are prompted with the following message, click Yes to confirm the deletion:

   "Are you sure you want to delete this key?"

7. On the Registry menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.
8. Start Word the way that you normally do.
   
   NOTE: When you start Word 2000, messages similar to the following appear:

   Preparing to install...

   Followed by:

   Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft Office 2000.

   -or-

   Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft Word 2000.