I'm running Word 2002 on Windows XP on my laptop. I don't have this problem
using the exact same software on my PC, just my laptop...

When I insert lines or other test boxes inside a text box those items don't
always appear. If I select the text box sometimes it is just solid black.
Even previewing the document doesn't usually help. Some times if I move to
the next page and come back part of the text box contents will be there, but
then they usually disappear.

Is there any reason this might happen? I have Acrobat installed, but not
much else.