wrong normal.dot via context menu

[ndean]

On my new Windows XP computer:

A new Word 97 document opened via the start menu works fine;

A new Word 97 document opened via Windows Explorer works fine;

But a new Word 97 document opened by right clicking and selecting --
"New" -- Word document has two problems:

* The font size is wrong; and

* Word wants to save the file as a .txt document

I have a relatively simple work-around, basically correcting the font
size, completing the document, and then declining to save the file as a
..txt document (in which case I am offered the opportunity to save it as
a Word document).

Nevertheless, is there a ultility or other way to replace the "wrong"
Word offering on the context menu with the "correct" Word (preferably
without digging into the registry)?

 

[CyberTaz]

First thought - Make sure you have installed *all* available updates &
Service Packs for Word/Office 97 - there are a total of six, if other info
I've seen is correct. I've cribbed the following from a recent post by MVP
John McGhie inresponse to whether XP has done something to cause 97 to no
longer be compatible:

"The answer is "No", however, Word 97 needs to have all of the latest
service
packs applied.

When you re-installed, did you re-apply all of the service packs? (I think
there are six...) If not, it's broken, and it won't get fixed by Microsoft
Update You may still be able to get the service packs by looking
manually at the Microsoft Download site. If you intend to keep using Office
97, store those service packs somewhere, because if you ever do not have
them, and you need to re-install, Windows XP will prevent Word 97 from
running.

Word 97 was always a troublesome beastie. Time to update, methinks

I would also suggest that Word 97 isn't your problem: it's likely that the
Normal.dot template it is using is corrupted, and that will not be replaced
by a reinstall. You need to find it manually and re-name (or delete) it.
There may be more than one: get rid of them all. Word 97 will create a new
one when it restarts.

Cheers

Has XP Professional just been updated in a way that stops it working with
Word 97?
My pc has now developed a fault where, approx 20 seconds after the Word
window has opened, it crashes with the "report this fault to MS" window
visible. The only effect of reporting the problem is for an automated
reply
"MS no longer supports Office 97". Reinstalling Office 97 doesn't solve
the
problem, and Excel 97 seems to be fine.

Thankyou.

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Business Analyst, Consultant
Technical Writer.
Sydney, Australia +61 (0) 4 1209 1410