Word2k insists on re-saving normal.dot

J

Judith L. Osborn

I have a Win2000/SP4 system that just recently started showing this
problem; I'm not sure if it started with the installation of SR-3
(installed over an initial SR-1) to Word 2000.

For *all* users, even the administrator, when closing Word, it prompts
every time to save the default template (normal.dot) & says there are
changes to the global template also. The only time it doesn't do this
is if there is no normal.dot pre-existing when it was opened.

I have tried:

- Making sure the "prompt to save changes to NORMAL.DOT" checkbox is
UNchecked.
- Deleting every single NORMAL.DOT on the system
- Virus-checking with the latest NAV defs and making sure I'm checking
..DOT files (all files, actually) since I know this is a typical sign of
macro virus infection trying to write a new macro to the default
template. Comes up clean.
- Checking the "RUN" keys in the registry to be sure nothing is loading
that shouldn't be.
- Making sure that the users have correct rights to the place that
NORMAL.DOT is stored (although it has no problem creating a new one if
there isn't one there, but after it's created it comes back to the same
prompt on closing Word.)
- Checking to see if there are ANY macros in NORMAL.DOT. None show. (I
thought the "auto-" ones were supposed to show, but those don't show
either. ???)
- Running a "repair" of the Word 2000 install which wants the original
(SR-1) CD.
- Running a "repair" with the re-install option instead of just repair,
using same CD. [After both types of repair, it still reports SR-3
installed, however.]
- Looking for autorecover files and removing those.

I'm out of ideas. Has anyone seen this and knows how to get the prompt
to stop coming up?

Thanks for ANY hints; I've already searched the web and all I can find
is the obvious that this comes up when one has a macro virus.

Much obliged.
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

This is usually caused by add-ins making changes to Word's toolbars; see
"WD2000: Prompt to Save Normal Template When You Quit Word" at
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=241763. And I would strongly advise you
to leave the prompt to save Normal.dot enabled. Even if it is an annoyance,
you want to know when Normal.dot is being changed and be able to say no when
asked to save it. If you don't have the prompt enabled, Word tacitly saves
it without asking you.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
J

Judith L. Osborn

Ah. Thanks, though I don't know how that didn't come up when I searched.
It is likely either the Works add-in or stamps.com (I seem to recall
something installed or updated that included the latter.) I had checked
for plug-ins from within Word, but there was nothing installed ... also
had checked the startup folder, nothing there ... but it appears these
things aren't necessarily going to show that way.

Appreciate it. Thanks again.


This is usually caused by add-ins making changes to Word's toolbars; see
"WD2000: Prompt to Save Normal Template When You Quit Word" at
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=241763. And I would strongly advise you
to leave the prompt to save Normal.dot enabled. Even if it is an annoyance,
you want to know when Normal.dot is being changed and be able to say no when
asked to save it. If you don't have the prompt enabled, Word tacitly saves
it without asking you.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

I have a Win2000/SP4 system that just recently started showing this
problem; I'm not sure if it started with the installation of SR-3
(installed over an initial SR-1) to Word 2000.

For *all* users, even the administrator, when closing Word, it prompts
every time to save the default template (normal.dot) & says there are
changes to the global template also. The only time it doesn't do this
is if there is no normal.dot pre-existing when it was opened.

I have tried:

- Making sure the "prompt to save changes to NORMAL.DOT" checkbox is
UNchecked.
- Deleting every single NORMAL.DOT on the system
- Virus-checking with the latest NAV defs and making sure I'm checking
.DOT files (all files, actually) since I know this is a typical sign of
macro virus infection trying to write a new macro to the default
template. Comes up clean.
- Checking the "RUN" keys in the registry to be sure nothing is loading
that shouldn't be.
- Making sure that the users have correct rights to the place that
NORMAL.DOT is stored (although it has no problem creating a new one if
there isn't one there, but after it's created it comes back to the same
prompt on closing Word.)
- Checking to see if there are ANY macros in NORMAL.DOT. None show. (I
thought the "auto-" ones were supposed to show, but those don't show
either. ???)
- Running a "repair" of the Word 2000 install which wants the original
(SR-1) CD.
- Running a "repair" with the re-install option instead of just repair,
using same CD. [After both types of repair, it still reports SR-3
installed, however.]
- Looking for autorecover files and removing those.

I'm out of ideas. Has anyone seen this and knows how to get the prompt
to stop coming up?

Thanks for ANY hints; I've already searched the web and all I can find
is the obvious that this comes up when one has a macro virus.

Much obliged.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

Yes, COM add-ins aren't listed in Tools | Templates and Add-ins (and don't
appear in Word's Startup folder). To check on those, see
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm

The Microsoft Works Suite Add-in for Word is the most frequent and notorious
cause of such problems. In addition, it will clear the Clipboard when you
start Word, under- or overpopulate menus (it adds Mail Merge items to the
Tools menu and Clip Collection items to the Insert menu), etc.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

Judith L. Osborn said:
Ah. Thanks, though I don't know how that didn't come up when I searched.
It is likely either the Works add-in or stamps.com (I seem to recall
something installed or updated that included the latter.) I had checked
for plug-ins from within Word, but there was nothing installed ... also
had checked the startup folder, nothing there ... but it appears these
things aren't necessarily going to show that way.

Appreciate it. Thanks again.


This is usually caused by add-ins making changes to Word's toolbars; see
"WD2000: Prompt to Save Normal Template When You Quit Word" at
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=241763. And I would strongly advise you
to leave the prompt to save Normal.dot enabled. Even if it is an annoyance,
you want to know when Normal.dot is being changed and be able to say no when
asked to save it. If you don't have the prompt enabled, Word tacitly saves
it without asking you.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

I have a Win2000/SP4 system that just recently started showing this
problem; I'm not sure if it started with the installation of SR-3
(installed over an initial SR-1) to Word 2000.

For *all* users, even the administrator, when closing Word, it prompts
every time to save the default template (normal.dot) & says there are
changes to the global template also. The only time it doesn't do this
is if there is no normal.dot pre-existing when it was opened.

I have tried:

- Making sure the "prompt to save changes to NORMAL.DOT" checkbox is
UNchecked.
- Deleting every single NORMAL.DOT on the system
- Virus-checking with the latest NAV defs and making sure I'm checking
.DOT files (all files, actually) since I know this is a typical sign of
macro virus infection trying to write a new macro to the default
template. Comes up clean.
- Checking the "RUN" keys in the registry to be sure nothing is loading
that shouldn't be.
- Making sure that the users have correct rights to the place that
NORMAL.DOT is stored (although it has no problem creating a new one if
there isn't one there, but after it's created it comes back to the same
prompt on closing Word.)
- Checking to see if there are ANY macros in NORMAL.DOT. None show. (I
thought the "auto-" ones were supposed to show, but those don't show
either. ???)
- Running a "repair" of the Word 2000 install which wants the original
(SR-1) CD.
- Running a "repair" with the re-install option instead of just repair,
using same CD. [After both types of repair, it still reports SR-3
installed, however.]
- Looking for autorecover files and removing those.

I'm out of ideas. Has anyone seen this and knows how to get the prompt
to stop coming up?

Thanks for ANY hints; I've already searched the web and all I can find
is the obvious that this comes up when one has a macro virus.

Much obliged.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
D

DE

Thanks, I need that ... Neither Stamps.com nor the works suite were
installed on this particular system (although they are on some in the
office) and there is *nothing* in any of the startup folders including
those ref'ed in the article ... so it's got to be a COM add-in.

Interestingly, if I turn ON the prompt to save changes to NORMAL.DOT, then
the prompt that first comes up (to save to normal.dot) does NOT appear,
but the global-template-change prompt only appears. If I turn OFF the
prompt to save changes to NORMAL.DOT, then the first prompt appears
nagging you to save changes to NORMAL.DOT, and if you say No to saving the
changes or cancel, it forces you through a few extra steps as if you
should have to re-save that NORMAL.DOT file under some name, THEN it
prompts for changes to the global template. Yes, that's right, I'm saying
it prompts for both when I turn the prompt option *off*, and only prompts
for the global template changes when I turn the prompt *on*. Sigh.


Anyway, I will check COM add-ins, very likely esp. as it shows up on all
users and there were a wide variety of programs that the original user
added to this system, not all of which are uninstalled yet.

Thanks yet again. This has been VERY frustrating!

-- DE

Yes, COM add-ins aren't listed in Tools | Templates and Add-ins (and don't
appear in Word's Startup folder). To check on those, see
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm

The Microsoft Works Suite Add-in for Word is the most frequent and notorious
cause of such problems. In addition, it will clear the Clipboard when you
start Word, under- or overpopulate menus (it adds Mail Merge items to the
Tools menu and Clip Collection items to the Insert menu), etc.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

Ah. Thanks, though I don't know how that didn't come up when I searched.
It is likely either the Works add-in or stamps.com (I seem to recall
something installed or updated that included the latter.) I had checked
for plug-ins from within Word, but there was nothing installed ... also
had checked the startup folder, nothing there ... but it appears these
things aren't necessarily going to show that way.

Appreciate it. Thanks again.



you

annoyance,

when

saves
Click to expand...
newsgroup so
all may benefit.



I have a Win2000/SP4 system that just recently started showing this
problem; I'm not sure if it started with the installation of SR-3
(installed over an initial SR-1) to Word 2000.

For *all* users, even the administrator, when closing Word, it prompts
every time to save the default template (normal.dot) & says there are
changes to the global template also. The only time it doesn't do this
is if there is no normal.dot pre-existing when it was opened.

I have tried:

- Making sure the "prompt to save changes to NORMAL.DOT" checkbox is
UNchecked.
- Deleting every single NORMAL.DOT on the system
- Virus-checking with the latest NAV defs and making sure I'm checking
.DOT files (all files, actually) since I know this is a typical sign of
macro virus infection trying to write a new macro to the default
template. Comes up clean.
- Checking the "RUN" keys in the registry to be sure nothing is loading
that shouldn't be.
- Making sure that the users have correct rights to the place that
NORMAL.DOT is stored (although it has no problem creating a new one if
there isn't one there, but after it's created it comes back to the same
prompt on closing Word.)
- Checking to see if there are ANY macros in NORMAL.DOT. None show. (I
thought the "auto-" ones were supposed to show, but those don't show
either. ???)
- Running a "repair" of the Word 2000 install which wants the original
(SR-1) CD.
- Running a "repair" with the re-install option instead of just repair,
using same CD. [After both types of repair, it still reports SR-3
installed, however.]
- Looking for autorecover files and removing those.

I'm out of ideas. Has anyone seen this and knows how to get the prompt
to stop coming up?

Thanks for ANY hints; I've already searched the web and all I can find
is the obvious that this comes up when one has a macro virus.

Much obliged.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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