You receive a "This file contains macros with an expired or revoked signature" error message when you start Word 2002 (301638)

WORKAROUND

To determine the name and location of the add-in file that contains the expired certificate, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu in Word, point to Macros, and then click Security.
2. Select the Medium security setting, and then click OK.
3. Quit Word. Quit Outlook if you are using Word as the e-mail editor.
4. Restart Word.
5. When the Macro Security dialog box appears, the first three lines will display the location, file name, and software vendor for the file that contains the expired certificate. For additional information about the expired certificate, click Details.
6. Click Disable Macros.

To restore the High macro security setting, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, point to Macros, and then click Security.
2. Select the High security setting, and then click OK.

After you determine the source of the expired certificate, you may decide to trust this software vendor. If that is the case, use one of the two following methods to continue using the add-in file and to prevent the "expired or revoked signature" message from appearing when you start Word.

NOTE: Macros may contain viruses. If you do not recognize the software vendor on the certificate, delete the add-in file to prevent the "expired or revoked signature" message from appearing. For help with deleting the file, click Help on the Start menu in Microsoft Windows, and search for the "deleting files" topic.

Method 1: Change the Startup Path in Word to the Folder That Contains the Add-in

Use the following steps to change the startup path in Word to the folder that contains the add-in file:

1. On the Tools menu in Word, click Options.
2. Select the File Locations tab.
3. In the File types list, select Startup, and then click Modify.
4. In the Modify Location dialog box, select the folder that contains the add-in file with the expired certificate, and then click OK.
5. In the Options dialog box, click OK.
6. On the Tools menu, point to Macros, and then click Security.
7. Select the Trusted Sources tab, and verify that the Trust all installed add-ins and templates check box is selected.
8. Click OK and then restart Word to verify that the "expired or revoked signature" message does not appear.

Method 2: Move the Add-in File into the Word Startup Path

The following are the default locations for the Word startup path: If you want to be sure of the Word startup path before you move the add-in file, verify the path by following these steps:

1. On the Tools menu in Word, click Options.
2. Select the File Locations tab.
3. In the File types list, select Startup, and then click Modify.
4. In the Modify Location dialog box, click the DOWN arrow in the Look in box to see the complete location of the folder.
5. Click Cancel in the Modify Location dialog box.
6. Click Close in the Options dialog box.

After you know the file name and location of the add-in file, as well as the Word startup path, move the add-in file from its current location to the folder specified in the Word startup path.

For help with moving the file, click Help on the Start menu in Windows, and search for the "moving files" topic.

NOTE: If you reinstall the software that includes the Word add-in, the add-in file will be placed back in its original location, and the "revoked or expired signature" message will appear again. To prevent this, contact the vendor for an updated version of their software.

For information about how to contact third-party vendors, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.