No normal.dot* doc... how do I make one?

[Kerrick]

Ever since I installed MS 2007/Excel 2007, neither of them will work - they
won't open existing files, and they won't open on their own (even with the
winword /a command). I think I've narrowed the problem down to the fact that
there's no normal.dotx doc (or ANY file named "normal", for that matter). Is
there a way to create one?

 

[Terry Farrell]

Don't worry abut normal: that's just a red herring with this problem. Word
doesn't create a normal template with a new installation until it is needed.

You have another problem. Have you installed a printers driver and set it as
the Windows default?

 

[Kerrick]

I've installed a driver, but I don't know how to set it to be the default.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If you've installed only one printer, it will be the default by default!

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

 

[Terry Farrell]

Go to the Printers dialog through the Control Panel: the printer icon will
have a green tick mark against it if it set as the default. If not set,
right-click on it and choose Set as Windows Default.

Terry

 

[Kerrick]

well, I don't actually have a printer "installed"; I've got a printer, but
it's not hooked up to the system - I just installed the driver so I could get
Office working again. From what I can tell, it's already set as default - the
icon has a check mark on it (I've also got MS XPS Document writer as a
printer).

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

"Installing" a printer means installing the driver. Whether you actually
have one physically connected is immaterial to Word. That said, there are
some printers that can't actually be installed until Windows has full
communication with the printer. This was the case with my old HP inkjet: I
was attempting to install all the device drivers in the computer before
setting it up in its permanent location (to replace an older system) and
found I couldn't install that printer until it was connected. That's why a
generic laser printer driver is usually suggested when no printer is
attached.

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

 

[Kerrick]

Ah. Well, in any case, it's still not working - Word/Excel won't open on
their own, and I can't open docs with them. Any ideas?

 

[Terry Farrell]

What happens when you try to open Word?

Terry

 

[Kerrick]

I get the hourglass beside my mouse pointer for a couple seconds, then
nothing. The same thing happens when I try to open a document by
double-clicking on it (or "open with Word", for that matter).

 

[Terry Farrell]

I presume the same when you start in Safe Mode too?

In which case, run Task Manager and make sure that Word is definitely not in
the list of processes running. If it is not, note the computer time that you
try to launch Word, then go to the System Event Viewer and see what events
are reported around that time. There has to be an error message somewhere.

Terry

AMsl, go

 

[Kerrick]

I can't remember how to boot in safe mode. =( I've checked the task manager,
and windword.exe doesn't show up on the process list. Where's the System
Event Viewer?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You start in Office Safe Mode by pressing Ctrl while Windows loads.

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

 

[Terry Farrell]

But I am talking about starting WORD in Safe Mode.

From Start, Run, type in

winword /a

and press enter. Does Word now start or produce an error message.

The System Event Viewer (presuming you are running Vista) is in the Control
Panel>Administrative Tools>Event Viewer; then expand the Windows Logs and
double-click on System.

Terry

 

[Kerrick]

Oh, THAT safe mode. Yes, I've tried that too - I get the hourglass for a long
couple seconds, then nothing. Winword.exe shows up on the task manager, then
disappears.

I'm using XP, not Vista, so I don't have a System Event Viewer.

 

[Terry Farrell]

There is an Event Viewer in XP too, but I cannot remember where but it is
there.

From your description, it still sounds like a missing or incompatible
printer driver though. What printer driver have you installed as the Windows
default?

Terry

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The Event Viewer in XP is at Start | Programs | Administrative Tools.

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

 

[Kerrick]

I've got a Lexmark driver installed. It worked just fine before, on my old
system, but I can't test it on this one because a) I can't find the printer
cable and b) I have no ink. =P

As for the event viewer, I found it, but it's not showing anything related
to Word - I tried a couple times to be sure, but there's nothing with the
proper timestamp.

 

[Terry Farrell]

Well without any clue whatsoever, even Sherlock would be stumped. I still
think it is the printer driver. Please install (from the Windows XP standard
drivers) the generis text printer and set it as the Windows Default. Just go
to Add Printers and select under Generic. Then test Word again.

Terry

 

[Kerrick]

I set the MS XPS Document Writer (that's the generic one, right?) to the
default; I assume the drivers are already installed - if they aren't, I don't
know where to find them (I can't find my Win XP CD). Word still doesn't work.