Have 2 normal.dot files

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Dan

I posted previously about a nagging delay in opening and closing Word 2003.
I just discovered I have two normal files.
One is called normal. The other is ~$normal. I found them in
C:\Documents and Settings\my name\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
Both appear when Word is closed.
Is this the problem. If so what should be done?

~ Dan
 
I posted previously about a nagging delay in opening and closing Word 2003.
I just discovered I have two normal files.
One is called normal. The other is ~$normal. I found them in
C:\Documents and Settings\my name\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
Both appear when Word is closed.
Is this the problem. If so what should be done?

~ Dan
Click to expand...

The one that starts with ~$ is not a template. It's an "owner file" (see
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=211632) meant to prevent two people from
using and possibly changing the same file at the same time. Word creates it
every time it loads normal.dot -- that is, every time Word runs.

However, it should be automatically deleted whenever Word is closed. It might be
there if you're using Word as the editor for Outlook and if Outlook is still
open.

If the owner file is still there after a fresh reboot, without either Word or
Outlook running, you can delete it and see whether that improves the startup
time. If it's still there after the next shutdown, though, something is
preventing Word from deleting it. You might have an incorrect set of access
rights to the folder where the files are stored.
 
With Word and Outlook closed I found both versions of the normal file in the
C:\Documents and Settings\my name\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates folder.
As you suggested I deleted the ~$normal one and rebooted. With Outlook and
Word closed I went to the same folder and the ~$normal file was gone.
I then opened Word and the same nagging delay happened.
While Word was open I checked to see if both normal and ~$normal were open.
They were. After closing Word the ~$normal file was gone.
Suggestions?
 
Followed these instructions:
Click Data, and then click Export on the File menu.
Name the file Wddata.reg, and then save the file to the desktop.
Click Delete on the Edit menu, and then click Yes.
Deleted this entry from the registry-
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft Office\11.0\Word\Data
Then exited Registry Editor.
After closing registry editor I started Word and the problem remains
unchanged.
I then opened registry and discovered the file I chose to delete was back in
the registry. I deleted it again. Closed registry. Opened it again and the
entry was once again there.
??
 
That's exactly as expected (except perhaps for the part about the problem being
unchanged). Whenever Word starts, it looks for that key in the registry and, if
it isn't there, builds a new one. If the problem had been caused by damage to
that key, then this step would have given you a brand-new, undamaged key.

Now, keep reading in the Microsoft article. The next paragraph says:
'If the problem is not resolved, restore the original Word Options registry key.
Then, see the "Rename the Normal.dot or Normal.dotm global template file"
topic.'

Further, if renaming the template doesn't solve the problem, there are more
instructions to follow. Please try each step until the problem is fixed or you
run out of steps.
 
Jay,
I ended up called Microsoft support. Got a Word tech on the phone within 5
minutes. He remotely resolved the issue in the registry. Problem solved.
Session was n/c. All is "normal" once again. Thanks for your help.
~ Dan
 
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