Microsoft word 2003 hangs on opening

[Andyuk2007]

Hi All

I was called out to a customer today to try and resolve a problem with her microsoft xp word package, when you double click the icon and the white screen comes up it fails to load the program from that point. Now i'm told it was working fine last week and now it doesn't. please read below the solutions i tried.


Things i tried

I've tried reinstalling the whole thing and even deleting the registry keys to microsoft office so it doesnt remember any user settings, but nothing seems to resolve this problem, heck i even tried a windows roll back but this didnt work.

i'm at a loss at what else to try to get it working again

I've never come along this issue before as with other programs ive been able to fix them but this is a mystery.

thanks

 

[Blues]

Did you delete all files from the C that were left after an uninstall? There are setting files that it leaves behind normal.dot is one file I believe that gets left behind and can be a source or problems for MS Word.

 

[greggh]

Indeed, you need to remove the Program Files\Microsoft Office directory and all the files in it. Then run a registry cleaner to remove any pointers to those files.

(After a complete uninstall of course.)

 

[Andyuk2007]

Indeed, you need to remove the Program Files\Microsoft Office directory and all the files in it. Then run a registry cleaner to remove any pointers to those files.

(After a complete uninstall of course.)

ahh i didnt remove the directory as i uninstalled it from control panal but i will try it.

 

[Bryce W]

Office products also dump installer files in your temporary directories. You might want to run something like ATF Cleaner before reinstalling.

 

[Andyuk2007]

thanks for that bryce i'll try that next time i go round for her

 

[dipper]

There also may be a item that auto starts in:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OfficeXX\STARTUP

Deleting the entire directory will fix this as well.

 

[The Goatboy]

I think "disk cleanup" will also remove office install files as well; just an idea.

 

[Andyuk2007]

hmm it didnt work guys, any other advice ?

I tried to remove all traces as you said then reinstalled the program but we still have the same problem.

 

[Blues]

Memory test if thats not been done along with testing the hard disk.

 

[Andyuk2007]

Memory test if thats not been done along with testing the hard disk.

but every other program works fine thats in the office xp package, there is nothing wrong with the memory or hard drive its just very strange. even microsoft were baffled when i called them to give us some advice

 

[thecoldone06]

It could be memory/HDD issues. Bryce just the other day had a comp that crashed when he opened email in hotmail. Other than that, the computer was fine. It ended up being memory issues. Can't hurt to check it out.

 

[Simmy]

anything in the event logs when after it crashes?

 

[Andyuk2007]

she has decided to go back to windows xp as she has tried vista but she doesn't like it so i'm due back there next week to back up her inportant files and downgrade to xp for her. hopefully the office xp problem will be resolved

 

[greggh]

Upgrading to XP is a great move. All machines infected with Vista should be upgraded.

ps: Yes, I really feel that strongly about it.