Word97 on XP -- Cannot save Normal.dot

M

Marc Girod

Hello,

I installed Word97 onto my new XP (Professional Edition).
I did it as Admin, and it works as Admin.
Other users however get an error at exit: cannot save or create
C:\PROGRAM FILES\...\OFFICE\NORMAL.DOT (I translate from Finnish, so
not exactly this text).

I tried for now to reprotect the Office directory, as Admin:
in Properties: Office (note: again translated...), I uncheck the
Read-only box, and save with OK (selecting either of the following
popup choices: only this object, or down recursively to everything).

Surprise: this won't work!? It fails silently, i.e. accept the
choices, but as I come back, the read-only flag is still there!

1. Why is that, and how to change it to read-write?
2. I guess there is a better way... Any hints?

Thanks,
Marc
 
T

TF

Windows XP is a user based OS and each user has their own profile.
Normal.dot will be different for each user and should be located in their
individual profile. You cannot share normal.dot by moving it somewhere else:
it won't work. The default location for normal.dot is:

Drive>documents and settings>UserName>Application Data>Microsoft>Templates

As each user opens Word for the first time and makes customise changes (such
as default font), the changes will be saved to their own normal.dot in their
own profile. Normal.dot should NEVER be restricted by making it read only;
all users will need to have full permissions.

--
Terry Farrell - Word MVP
http://www.mvps.org/word/


Hello,

I installed Word97 onto my new XP (Professional Edition).
I did it as Admin, and it works as Admin.
Other users however get an error at exit: cannot save or create
C:\PROGRAM FILES\...\OFFICE\NORMAL.DOT (I translate from Finnish, so
not exactly this text).

I tried for now to reprotect the Office directory, as Admin:
in Properties: Office (note: again translated...), I uncheck the
Read-only box, and save with OK (selecting either of the following
popup choices: only this object, or down recursively to everything).

Surprise: this won't work!? It fails silently, i.e. accept the
choices, but as I come back, the read-only flag is still there!

1. Why is that, and how to change it to read-write?
2. I guess there is a better way... Any hints?

Thanks,
Marc
 
H

Hal Underwood

try www.mvps.org/word/faqs/apperrors/blankdocnotblank.htm

----- Marc Girod wrote: -----

Hello,

I installed Word97 onto my new XP (Professional Edition).
I did it as Admin, and it works as Admin.
Other users however get an error at exit: cannot save or create
C:\PROGRAM FILES\...\OFFICE\NORMAL.DOT (I translate from Finnish, so
not exactly this text).

I tried for now to reprotect the Office directory, as Admin:
in Properties: Office (note: again translated...), I uncheck the
Read-only box, and save with OK (selecting either of the following
popup choices: only this object, or down recursively to everything).

Surprise: this won't work!? It fails silently, i.e. accept the
choices, but as I come back, the read-only flag is still there!

1. Why is that, and how to change it to read-write?
2. I guess there is a better way... Any hints?

Thanks,
Marc
 
M

Marc Girod

"TF" == Terry Farrell <terryfarrell%40%6d%73%6e%2ecom> writes:

TF> As each user opens Word for the first time and makes customise
TF> changes (such as default font), the changes will be saved to their
TF> own normal.dot in their own profile.

Thanks.
I went to Tools/Settings/Default folders and changed the User's models
(all names translated).

Now however, as I open an existing document, I am being asked whether
I want to make a copy of the document, which is already in use by...
me.

[Well, looking at the MVP FAQ, in the problems Opening Word, found 4a,
and changed the path to the Startup directory, but this didn't help]
 
T

TF

Marc

Go to the temp folder and when all applications are closed, delete
everything you find. The temp folder is again user based and will be found
in Drive>documents and settings>UserName>Local Settings>Temp

You may have to reboot to delete all these unwanted files.

Test again and see if that has removed the problems.

Terry



TF> As each user opens Word for the first time and makes customise
TF> changes (such as default font), the changes will be saved to their
TF> own normal.dot in their own profile.

Thanks.
I went to Tools/Settings/Default folders and changed the User's models
(all names translated).

Now however, as I open an existing document, I am being asked whether
I want to make a copy of the document, which is already in use by...
me.

[Well, looking at the MVP FAQ, in the problems Opening Word, found 4a,
and changed the path to the Startup directory, but this didn't help]
 
M

Marc Girod

"TF" == TF <terryfarrell%40%6d%73%6e%2ecom> writes:

TF> Go to the temp folder and when all applications are closed, delete
TF> everything you find. The temp folder is again user based and will be found
TF> in Drive>documents and settings>UserName>Local Settings>Temp

Sorry, nothing like that...
C:\Documents and Settings\Marc\
and below:
Cookies
Startup-menu
Own files
Preferences (Bookmarks?)
Desktop
UserData
WINDOWS

[and always this reverse translation...]
 
T

TF

Marc

In Windows Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, View tab, do you have the
options set to Show Hidden Files and Folders and cleared to Hide Extensions
and Hide System and Operating files?

Terry


: >>>>> "TF" == TF <terryfarrell%40%6d%73%6e%2ecom> writes:
:
: TF> Go to the temp folder and when all applications are closed, delete
: TF> everything you find. The temp folder is again user based and will be
found
: TF> in Drive>documents and settings>UserName>Local Settings>Temp
:
: Sorry, nothing like that...
: C:\Documents and Settings\Marc\
: and below:
: Cookies
: Startup-menu
: Own files
: Preferences (Bookmarks?)
: Desktop
: UserData
: WINDOWS
:
: [and always this reverse translation...]
:
: --
: Marc Girod P.O. Box 323 Voice: +358-71 80 25581
: Nokia NBI 00045 NOKIA Group Mobile: +358-50 38 78415
: Valimo 21 / B616 Finland Fax: +358-71 80 64474
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

Preferences might = Local Settings.



Marc Girod said:
TF> Go to the temp folder and when all applications are closed, delete
TF> everything you find. The temp folder is again user based and will be found
TF> in Drive>documents and settings>UserName>Local Settings>Temp

Sorry, nothing like that...
C:\Documents and Settings\Marc\
and below:
Cookies
Startup-menu
Own files
Preferences (Bookmarks?)
Desktop
UserData
WINDOWS

[and always this reverse translation...]
Click to expand...
 
M

Marc Girod

Hi Terry,

TF> In Windows Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, View tab, do you have
TF> the options set to Show Hidden Files and Folders and cleared to
TF> Hide Extensions and Hide System and Operating files?

Now I have. Sorry for that, and thanks for reminding me of it.

Now I found the Local Settings\Temp, removed everthing there, and
rebooted.

But still the same effect:

File foo in use by Marc. Do you want to make a copy?
 
M

Marc Girod

SB> Preferences might = Local Settings.

Thanks, but no: now I can see that I have a distinct "Local Settings".
The word which I translated by "Preferences" is in Finnish "Suosikit"
and it is the same as used in the browser for "Bookmarks".

BTW, there came one more detail to my mind, which could affect.

As I bought the computer, the shop installed it mispelling my name as
"Marc Giros", and created the user, and the directory.
I have changed the name of the user (to "Marc"), but not dared to
rename the directory.

So that I have a directory which doesn't match the name of the user
(and I lied slightly earlier giving the name of the directory once as
"Marc" instead of as "Marc Giros" as it actually is).
 
M

Marc Girod

MG> I have changed the name of the user (to "Marc"), but not dared to
MG> rename the directory.

Well, now I dared. And maybe I shouldn't have done that. Looks that I
lost all I had there.
 
T

TF

Marc

From your description I'd say that Windows XP hasn't been installed/setup
correctly. I recommend that you take this problem an appropriate Windows
Newsgroup for some expert assistance.

Terry

:
: MG> I have changed the name of the user (to "Marc"), but not dared to
: MG> rename the directory.
:
: Well, now I dared. And maybe I shouldn't have done that. Looks that I
: lost all I had there.
:
: --
: Marc Girod P.O. Box 323 Voice: +358-71 80 25581
: Nokia NBI 00045 NOKIA Group Mobile: +358-50 38 78415
: Valimo 21 / B616 Finland Fax: +358-71 80 64474
 
B

Beth Melton

Hi Marc,

I'm jumping in here so I hope I didn't misunderstand the problem you
are encountering, but the file in use issue could be caused by a
problem in the file associations for Word. If you encounter this
message when you open documents from and Exploring window but do not
encounter the message when opening documents in Word using File/Open
then you should recreate the file associations. Go to Start/Run and
run:

winword /r

Note the space before the forward slash.

As for your user name, prior to Word 2000 in order to modify the
"licensed to" user name you need to reinstall Word. :-(

As of Word 2000 you can make this change in the Registry.

I'm not sure if you lost everything by changing the directory name,
but try creating a new user with the same name as the previous
directory name. Also, the contents *may* have been moved elsewhere. If
you recall a file name then try searching for it using the Windows
Search utility.

If you don't recover the folder contents then as Terry suggested you
might try posting to a Windows XP newsgroup.

--
Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/
 
M

Marc Girod

Thanks to both of you, Beth and Terry,

Yesterday, I couldn't boot at all -- the display remained dark.
Could it be that something related to the display installation was
under this user (ex admin...) directory?

Anyway, I'll contact the shop. I guess I have to restart the whole
installation from scratch.
 
G

Girod Marc

MG> I guess I have to restart the whole installation from scratch.

Just to say that I had not to do it.
I was instructed to reboot in "Fail Safe" mode, by pressing the F8 key
while booting, and to restore a previous save point (the exact word
was different), which I did.

I must say that my first reboot actually succeeded without going by
the Fail Safe menu (I pressed the F8 key continuously which didn't
trigger it, or smthg like that), so I don't know what to think.

I'll now purchase and install Word 2004 and hope that the problems
....vanish.

In fact, I'll take time to try Beth's "winword /r" advice before, now
that I notice I had forgotten about it.

And yes, if I get similar oddities with Word 2004 as with 97, I'll
move to an XP forum.
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

Let us know if you find Word 2004. The most progressive of us are still
using Word 2003 (the latest version, Word 11, which came out this past
fall).
 
G

Girod Marc

SB> Let us know if you find Word 2004. The most progressive of us are still
SB> using Word 2003 (the latest version, Word 11, which came out this past
SB> fall).

That's what the shop proposed to sell me... Even the Finnish version
(which I'd assume should come later). Bundled with Works.

They told that I may have to wait 2 or 3 days for the delivery.
And no, Helsinki is too southern to have kaamos (long polar night in
the winter).
 
T

TF

Girod

In English, these are called Restore points. It is advisable to manually
force a new Restore Point immediately before embarking on any major system
changes.

Terry

:
: MG> I guess I have to restart the whole installation from scratch.
:
: Just to say that I had not to do it.
: I was instructed to reboot in "Fail Safe" mode, by pressing the F8 key
: while booting, and to restore a previous save point (the exact word
: was different), which I did.
:
: I must say that my first reboot actually succeeded without going by
: the Fail Safe menu (I pressed the F8 key continuously which didn't
: trigger it, or smthg like that), so I don't know what to think.
:
: I'll now purchase and install Word 2004 and hope that the problems
: ...vanish.
:
: In fact, I'll take time to try Beth's "winword /r" advice before, now
: that I notice I had forgotten about it.
:
: And yes, if I get similar oddities with Word 2004 as with 97, I'll
: move to an XP forum.
:
: --
: Marc Girod P.O. Box 323 Voice: +358-71 80 25581
: Nokia NBI 00045 NOKIA Group Mobile: +358-50 38 78415
: Valimo 21 / B616 Finland Fax: +358-71 80 64474
 
B

Beth Melton

Hi Girod,
SB> Let us know if you find Word 2004. The most progressive of us are still
SB> using Word 2003 (the latest version, Word 11, which came out this past
SB> fall).

That's what the shop proposed to sell me... Even the Finnish version
(which I'd assume should come later). Bundled with Works.
Click to expand...

In that case the shop is referring to Works Suite 2004 which comes
with Word 2002.

--
Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/
 
M

Marc Girod

Girod Marc said:
In fact, I'll take time to try Beth's "winword /r" advice before, now
that I notice I had forgotten about it.
Click to expand...

This worked!
I expected a menu driven procedure, but the command returned very
soon, with no comment. And as I tried again, the annoying effect
didn't show up.
 
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