Why isn't my new word document a blank document?

A

Arrowmaker

Whenever I open up microsoft Word (a new blank document), there is a
paragraph already showing on the page. The paragraph is a mothers day poem
that my wife printed on card-stock for a gift for her mom. Now whenever we
open a Blank Document or New document, this paragraph is already included on
the page. The cursor is on the right side each time as well.
Does anyone know why. We have no clue how to get rid of it. We can always
just delete it each time we open a "new document", but its a pain doing that
every time. Any help would be much appreciated.
 
O

Opinicus

Arrowmaker said:
Whenever I open up microsoft Word (a new blank document), there is a
paragraph already showing on the page. The paragraph is a mothers day poem
that my wife printed on card-stock for a gift for her mom. Now whenever we
open a Blank Document or New document, this paragraph is already included
on
the page. The cursor is on the right side each time as well.
Does anyone know why. We have no clue how to get rid of it. We can always
just delete it each time we open a "new document", but its a pain doing
that
every time. Any help would be much appreciated.

Sounds like someone inadvertently saved a document as a template. Exit Word
and look for a file called "normal.dot". It should be in a folder like:

C:\Documents and Settings\{somebody's name}\Application
Data\Microsoft\Templates\

Rename it "oldnormal.dot". The next time you start up Word, the program will
create a blank normal.dot template.

Note: This will get rid of the unwanted paragraph but it will also result in
the loss of any macros etc that were stored in the file renamed
"oldnormal.dot".
 
M

Mecalith

In Word 2007 you want to erase the text from Normal.dotm.

Find Normal.dotm file
1. Click Start button
2. Enter Normal.dotm in [Start Search ]
3. Click Search Everywhere

In the Windows Explorer
4. Click Advanced Search
5. Check [ ] Include non-indexed, hidden, and system files ( might be slow)
6. Watch green bar while waiting.

Open Normal.dotm file
7. Right click Normal.dotm
* either file or short cut: doesn’t matter
* file name may be just Normal
8. Select Open in the popup menu
* The file should open in Word.
* Check for Normal.dotm in the Window Title.

Clear the text from the Normal.dotm template.
9. Select the all the text. ( [Ctrl] + [A] )
10. Delete the selection. ( [Delete] ).

Save Normal.dotm template.
11. Click the Microsoft Office Button.
12. Click Save.

Verify by opening an new document.
*** Good Luck ***
 
M

Mecalith

I forgot to mention that I am running:
Word 2007 on Windows Vista Home Premium

Mecalith said:
In Word 2007 you want to erase the text from Normal.dotm.

Find Normal.dotm file
1. Click Start button
2. Enter Normal.dotm in [Start Search ]
3. Click Search Everywhere

In the Windows Explorer
4. Click Advanced Search
5. Check [ ] Include non-indexed, hidden, and system files ( might be slow)
6. Watch green bar while waiting.

Open Normal.dotm file
7. Right click Normal.dotm
* either file or short cut: doesn’t matter
* file name may be just Normal
8. Select Open in the popup menu
* The file should open in Word.
* Check for Normal.dotm in the Window Title.

Clear the text from the Normal.dotm template.
9. Select the all the text. ( [Ctrl] + [A] )
10. Delete the selection. ( [Delete] ).

Save Normal.dotm template.
11. Click the Microsoft Office Button.
12. Click Save.

Verify by opening an new document.
*** Good Luck ***


Arrowmaker said:
Whenever I open up microsoft Word (a new blank document), there is a
paragraph already showing on the page. The paragraph is a mothers day poem
that my wife printed on card-stock for a gift for her mom. Now whenever we
open a Blank Document or New document, this paragraph is already included on
the page. The cursor is on the right side each time as well.
Does anyone know why. We have no clue how to get rid of it. We can always
just delete it each time we open a "new document", but its a pain doing that
every time. Any help would be much appreciated.
 

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