Word Problems

Word can develop a very strange problem which just happens.

Sometimes it's just the blank page when you open Word has changed. Or, suddenly when printing a document, the printer will lock up, or Word will lock up, or the PC will lock up.

The cause could be as simple as a mis-hit key stroke the last time you were working, where you accidentally hit a strange multiple key combination. The most common reason is that you have two copies of Word open at the same time and don't realise it. Then you close them out of sequence.

Sometimes it's the result of someone else's Word document which has created a problem when you opened it.

The problem may be a corrupted Normal.dot template. If you run Office 2007 or later it is the Normal.dotm template.

Ensure Word is closed, then using Windows Explorer you will find your active copy of Normal.dot in C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates, where <username> is your logged in name.

Normal.dotm can be found by first looking where your files are located.

Your default Normal.dot or Normal.dotm is created when you first open Word after installation. The details are added to the Normal.dot, usually when you modify a default setting such as printer margins, during the original installation. Check the file details of Normal.dot in this folder. If its date coincides with the start of Word’s strange behaviour it needs to be replaced with a good version. Now check its size which should be upwards of 29kb but not usually more than 35kb, which may also indicate corruption. You could rename it to Normalbad.dot.

Normal.dotm can be checked also and it is usually smaller, perhaps 18kb. In both cases the date is the give away.

In either case, deleting the Normal.dot or Normal.dotm causes Word to recreate a default replacement.

Now open Word and try out a simple file; if the problem is gone you are on the right track. Reset the paper size and printer margins to your preferred settings. Shut Word, which will save the Normal.dot.

With Word 2007 and later change the margins, font and paragraph details using the appropriate dialog boxes, choosing the Default option at the bottom of the box. This forces Word 2007 and later to edit and save the Normal.dotm file so on opening Word it comes up the way you like it.

Try it out. If the problem is gone, further customize your Normal.dot or Normal.dotm by resetting anything you usually have in the Normal.dot or Normal.dotm, things like extra buttons on the toolbars, toolbar settings and so on.

Lastly, keep a copy of your good Normal.dot or Normal.dotm somewhere on you C: drive for next time; if the problem happens again you can copy the good one over the bad one and save a lot of time. I have done this since 1996, so it's an old and common problem and an easy standard solution is very useful!