OFF97: Office Template Icons Are Displayed as Question Marks (153821)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Office for Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q153821
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

Microsoft Office template icons are displayed as question marks inside balloons instead of normal icons.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you use the System Policy Editor to hide the Network Neighborhood icon on the Windows Desktop, and you set the User Templates location to the Office administrative directory on the network drive. Although the icons are displayed incorrectly, you can still use the templates.

RESOLUTION

You can edit the registry by using System Policy Editor (Poledit.exe) or Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Consult your network administrator before you make any changes to the registry.

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.


To change the Network and Shell policies, follow these steps to edit the registry with System Policy Editor:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type poledit in the Open box, and then click OK to start System Policy Editor.
  2. On the File menu, click Open Registry.
  3. Double-click Local User.
  4. Double-click Shell.
  5. Select No Entire Network and No Workgroup Contents.
  6. Double-click Network.
  7. Clear the Hide Network Neighborhood check box. Select the Disable File Sharing and Disable Printer Sharing check boxes.
  8. Click OK.
  9. Save the changes to the registry, quit System Policy Editor, and then restart Windows.
When you make this change, the Network Neighborhood icon appears on the desktop, but the workstation user cannot browse any network resource. The user can map to a drive if the user knows the exact server and path and can disconnect a drive; however, all drives are hidden in the Network Neighborhood window.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/11/2002
Keywords:kbbug kbenv kbnetwork KB153821
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.