~$normal.dot file not closed

J

Jos Reulen

When I close Word I get a long list error message due to the fasct that the normal.dot file remains opened as a hidden system file (it is indicated as ~$normal.dot). Is there a way to get this file closed upon closing of word2000 running under XP.
 
B

Beth Melton

Hi Jos,

What is the exact error message you encounter?

Also, how are you starting Word? Desktop shortcut? Quick Launch bar in the Windows taskbar? Start menu?

The file you describe, ~$Normal.dot, is a temp file Word creates when a previously saved document/template is opened and is deleted when the document/template is closed.

It is used if you attempt to open the document a second time, such as in a network environment. If Word finds the Owner file then you encounter a message along the lines of "Document in use by <User Name>".

--
Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup. Email requests for assistance can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~
Beth Melton

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
 
A

andrea

Jos-
Sorry, I don't have any help for you, but I wanted to let
you know that I am experiencing the same thing. Do you
also have the problem of some commands being listed
multiple times in the pull-down menus? (When I click on
the "tools" menu, "mail merge" is listed ten times!). Do
you think this may be virus activity? I'm scared!!
-----Original Message-----
When I close Word I get a long list error message due to
Click to expand...
the fasct that the normal.dot file remains opened as a
hidden system file (it is indicated as ~$normal.dot). Is
there a way to get this file closed upon closing of
word2000 running under XP.
 
B

Beth Melton

Hi Andrea,

You haven't encountered a virus, but you have encountered an add-in that can take on 'virus-like' qualities.

Go to your Control Panel and in Add/Remove programs uninstall the "Microsoft Works Suite Add-in for Word". Note that this doesn't uninstall Works, it just removes some of the Works functionality in Word.

Once this is complete then locate Normal.dot and rename it to OldNormal.dot. Word will create a new one upon starting. I recommend this to make sure you remove all of the modifications made by the Works add-in as it is known to also cause file bloat in your Normal.dot.

Any customizations you may have in Normal.dot can be copied to the new Normal.dot via the Organizer (Tools/Templates and Add-Ins) Once this is complete OldNormal.dot can be discarded. If the problem still exists then you can delete the new Normal.dot and rename your OldNormal.dot to Normal.dot.

If you still encounter the message regarding ~$Normal.dot then post back and we’ll go from there. :)

--
Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup. Email requests for assistance can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~
Beth Melton

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
 
A

andrea

Beth,
Thank you so much for your suggestion! I think it will
work, but I haven't been able to uninstall the Microsoft
Works Suite Add-In. It's listed in my choices of programs
to add/remove, but when I click on it, to try to remove
it, I get a window that looks like it's trying to install
the program, and it asks for the disk (which I put in),
and then I get error message #1706.

Any ideas?
-----Original Message-----
Hi Andrea,

You haven't encountered a virus, but you have encountered
Click to expand...
an add-in that can take on 'virus-like' qualities.
Go to your Control Panel and in Add/Remove programs
Click to expand...
uninstall the "Microsoft Works Suite Add-in for Word".
Note that this doesn't uninstall Works, it just removes
some of the Works functionality in Word.
Once this is complete then locate Normal.dot and rename
Click to expand...
it to OldNormal.dot. Word will create a new one upon
starting. I recommend this to make sure you remove all of
the modifications made by the Works add-in as it is known
to also cause file bloat in your Normal.dot.
Any customizations you may have in Normal.dot can be
Click to expand...
copied to the new Normal.dot via the Organizer
(Tools/Templates and Add-Ins) Once this is complete
OldNormal.dot can be discarded. If the problem still
exists then you can delete the new Normal.dot and rename
your OldNormal.dot to Normal.dot.
If you still encounter the message regarding ~$Normal.dot
Click to expand...
then post back and weâ?Tll go from there. :)requests for assistance can not be acknowledged.
 
A

andrea

Beth,
Never mind, I figured it out! Thank you so much! I
removed the add-in, and now I'm not getting any error
messages about .dot, and "mail merge" is only listed once
in the pull-down menu. Thank you so much for your help.

Two quick follow-up questions:
1) when i start Word, it says this product is licensed
to: "user". HOw can I get it back to saying my name?
2) why doest the program keep adding the .doc extension
to every word file that I name. Can I get it to stop
showing the extensions?
Thank you so so much!
Andrea
 
B

Beth Melton

Hi Andrea,

That's good to hear. Thanks for the update. :)

To change the Company Name and User Name take a look at this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;290528

The *.doc extension is important. This is what associates your document with Word.

When you open a document outside the application, such as double-clicking it in an Exploring Window like the Desktop or open a document from an email, Windows looks at the file extension in order to determine which application to open the document with.

You can hide the view of file extensions by opening an Exploring Window, such as My Computer, go to Tools/Folder Options and on the View tab and turn on "Hide file extensions for known types".

--
Please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup. Email requests for assistance can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~
Beth Melton

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
 
A

andrea

Beth,

Thank you so much! You are wonderful! I still don't
fully understand what the heck a newsgroup is, but you
have saved my computing life!

Thank you,
Andrea
-----Original Message-----
Hi Andrea,

That's good to hear. Thanks for the update. :)

To change the Company Name and User Name take a look at this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN- US;290528

The *.doc extension is important. This is what associates your document with Word.

When you open a document outside the application, such as
Click to expand...
double-clicking it in an Exploring Window like the Desktop
or open a document from an email, Windows looks at the
file extension in order to determine which application to
open the document with.
You can hide the view of file extensions by opening an
Click to expand...
Exploring Window, such as My Computer, go to Tools/Folder
Options and on the View tab and turn on "Hide file
extensions for known types".requests for assistance can not be acknowledged.
 
B

Beth Melton

<g>

There are a lot of angels around here and some great 'new' angels
too. :)

~Beth Melton
 
J

Jos Reulen

we found that the cause is the program Endnote which has a coupling with word. The endnote.dot file was not closed before Word's normal.dot was closed. We disabled the coupling of endnote with word and now it works correct.
 
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