Word 2007 and a Keyboard Problem

[Rebecca]

Greetings!

I am using VISTA and Office 2007. I installed an add-in to MS Word 2007 that
caused considerable problems, so I deleted the troublesome file (which had a
dot extension). I couldn't find a way to remove the add-in from within Word,
so I simply deleted the file, and apparently I am still stuck with some of
this troublesome add-in residue, so to speak.

Subsequently, I can't type anything in MS Word 2007 documents (by using the
keyboard). The Tab key works, but I can't enter any text using the keyboard.
I tried to uninstall and reinstall Office several times, but apparently
various information (such as registry entries that are scattered who knows
where) remain, so I end up with the same problem after every uninstall and
reinstall. I am very desparate because I have a research paper to turn in
soon, but other than reverted to WordPad, I can't think of a solution to this
bizarre problem.

Do any of the MS Word experts out there have any suggestions? I would deeply
appreciate any help.

 

[Graham Mayor]

If the anonymous add-in was a dot format template and you have removed that
template, the add-in is no longer present.
You can remove add-ins via Word Options > Add Ins, but dot add-ins will come
back if the template is not removed.
From your description either the normal template (normal.dotm) or, more
likely the data key in the registry, are corrupt - see
http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm then
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProblemsStartingWord.htm.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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[Rebecca]

Dear Graham (if I may),

I looked at and clicked on the two links you included at the bottom of your
post, but couldn't understand what I am supposed to do to solve this problem.

As you said, it looks like the registry is corrupted, but it is a daunting
task to go in there, not wanting to make things worse. If it is not too much
trouble, could you outline or explain in simple English how I can go about
uncorrupting the registry? By the way, I am using a Table PC, and using the
TIP, I can insert text. It's just that the keyboard has stopped working
(except for the Tab key).

 

[Graham Mayor]

http://www.gmayor.com/my_toolbars_are_missing.htm shows how to access the
registry (with illustrations from Windows XP).
Locate HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Data in the
left windows of the registry editor and delete it. Word will build a new one
with default settings.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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[Rebecca]

Hi, again, Graham!

I did exactly as you recommended -- I deleted those files in the registry,
but the problem persists. This has never happened before, and it is driving
me batty. Are there any other places in the registry that may be causing this
bizarre behavior? I can input numbers if I click on the num lock key, but
everything else is locked down: no input is possible from the keyboard (the
tab key works, though). This is only a problem in MS Word (otherwise I
couldn't be typing this). What in the world is causing this problem?

 

[Graham Mayor]

If you have attended to the isues raised by
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProblemsStartingWord.htm and you have no
orphan temporary files
http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm I am fast running out
of ideas. If you have Vista you may be able to roll back the computer to the
time before you installed the errant add-in -
http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/how-to-enable-previous-versions.aspx. More
drastic would be to create a new user profile, but after that I am clutching
at straws.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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[Rebecca]

Dear Graham,

Thanks for all your good, kind advice. The guilty party is, of course, the
poorly-made add-in. I finally found the culprit files (hidden away), deleted
it, and -- viola -- I could type again. I wasted almost five hours trying to
find a solution. By the way, one of the many flaws of VISTA is that unlike XP
there is no calendar from which you can select a restore date. It gave me
only two choices, neither one of which would do the job.

 

[Graham Mayor]

For me, Vista is currently an answer to a question I haven't asked.

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<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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