current preferences (?) error messages (Word 2007)

[dachef]

Every time I try to open word I get the dreaded 'microsoft has encountered a
problem...' box, followed by a box that says: '<a> has detected a problem
with some of the current preferences. Would you like to restore these
preferences to their default values?', and then a y/n box. Whether I say y or
n it makes no difference - Word will not open.

After much consternation and web searching I am no closer to righting this.
I have deleted all temporary files. Someone suggested deleting the data key,
but it did not exist.

I managed to open Word eventually by using a command: winword.exe /a and
changed the template name, but still no luck.

I am completely lost without a working copy of Word. Why it has suddenly
stopped working is a mystery. It was fine all day, I left the computer for 2
hours and when I came back it was like this. The microsoft website is no help
whatsoever, as the only solution it has for this problem is for word
2000-2003, and the pathways it describes do not apply for Word 2007.

If anyone out there can help I would very much appreciate it, as I am at the
end of my tether!

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

See http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProblemsStartingWord.htm. Try
everything suggested even if you don't think it is relevant.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[dachef]

I've been through everything on this page with no results.

This is what it says:

If that fixes it, either your Normal template or one of the files in Word's
Startup path are probably corrupt, so the next steps to try are:

1. Try renaming your Normal template (with Word and Outlook closed – and
if you have opened a Word document within Internet Explorer, close IE too).
Note that the normal template for Word 2007 is normal.dotx or normal.dotm
2. For instance, try renaming Normal.dot to Normal.old – and make sure
you only have one Normal.dot file. If you cannot see the file extensions (as
in Normal.dot) see the reference to switching their display on in ii) below.

How do I rename the normal template with Word closed? This does not make
sense to me. I'm afraid I'm not wonderfully computer savvy, so if theres
anyone that can explain in step-by-step how to do any of what it says on this
linked page I would be very grateful. It says to rename and move files, but I
get completely lost then.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You locate Normal.dotm using Windows Explorer (My Computer or Computer) and
rename it. See
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/BlankDocNotBlank.htm for instructions on
locating Normal.dotm if you have difficulty.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[dachef]

Thanks for your help, but I am still no nearer finding a solution. I have
done everything on this page numerous times with no results.

i have renamed the nornmal template, but now when I try to open it I get a
message sayiong 'error:could not open the document'.

Does anyone have any other solutions? If not, at least it would help to know
what has caused this...

 

[dachef]

Somehow, I have managed to get it working again!!

I went through all the instructions once again and found that there was a
data key I had not deleted. As soon as I deleted it it seems to have solved
the problem.

Thankyou so much for all of your help!!

Is there any way of knowing what caused this? As I stated earlier, one
minute it was working fine, the next, nada. There were no downloads or
changes made. Just so I know for next time.

thanks again for your help.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

In that case, you could have used the "Fix it" button in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940791

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org