If you use Sonia's method (which is great) by "up arrow" she means the "move
up one level" icon. Maybe I'm stupid but I spent a while pressing the
keyboard up arrow!
Templates are usually stored in Documents and Settings/your name/Application
Data/Microsoft/Templates
Hi, Mark. We still haven't resolved this "slide layout thumbnails missing in
the slide layout pane" thing, but Steve and I are working on an FAQ. It's
disorganized, ugly, and not finished, but you're welcome to walk through
some of the troubleshooting steps. http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00779.htm
I don't think the blank PPT template isn't going to help you with this --
it's a different issue.