[Bob]

Word Cannot open the existing (normal.dot).

This is what I did to try and fix it ( all failed):
1. Per every website I read I re-named the old file and let Word create a
new one.
2. Set Word to think it was a fresh install (deleted files in registry)
3. Uninstalled Word and re-installed it, deleting all NORMAL files before
reinstalling
4. Uninstalled Word and installed the component version
5. Created Normal file, edited it and saved it (using Save ALL feature in
Word)
6. Tried to manually point Word at the Normal file in the template folder.
The only thing I haven't done yet is to re-image the Pc and I would prefer
not to do this if possible as this user has several very difficult to install
applications. Help!

[Graham Mayor]

Only Word can create normal.dot, which it will do if there isn't one present
in the user templates folder.
All that installing and uninstalling is unlikely to achieve anything.
Check there is no orphan lock file for normal.dot -
http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm .

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Bob wrote:
Word Cannot open the existing (normal.dot).

This is what I did to try and fix it ( all failed):
1. Per every website I read I re-named the old file and let Word
create a new one.
2. Set Word to think it was a fresh install (deleted files in
registry)
3. Uninstalled Word and re-installed it, deleting all NORMAL files
before reinstalling
4. Uninstalled Word and installed the component version
5. Created Normal file, edited it and saved it (using Save ALL
feature in Word)
6. Tried to manually point Word at the Normal file in the template
folder. The only thing I haven't done yet is to re-image the Pc and I
would prefer not to do this if possible as this user has several very
difficult to install applications. Help!

[Bob]

I'll give this a try. Never thought to look for orphaned temp files. Will let
you know if it works. Thanks.

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

Only Word can create normal.dot, which it will do if there isn't one present
in the user templates folder.
All that installing and uninstalling is unlikely to achieve anything.
Check there is no orphan lock file for normal.dot -
http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm .

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Bob wrote:
Word Cannot open the existing (normal.dot).

This is what I did to try and fix it ( all failed):
1. Per every website I read I re-named the old file and let Word
create a new one.
2. Set Word to think it was a fresh install (deleted files in
registry)
3. Uninstalled Word and re-installed it, deleting all NORMAL files
before reinstalling
4. Uninstalled Word and installed the component version
5. Created Normal file, edited it and saved it (using Save ALL
feature in Word)
6. Tried to manually point Word at the Normal file in the template
folder. The only thing I haven't done yet is to re-image the Pc and I
would prefer not to do this if possible as this user has several very
difficult to install applications. Help!

[Bob]

This did not work. I am going to reimage.

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

Only Word can create normal.dot, which it will do if there isn't one present
in the user templates folder.
All that installing and uninstalling is unlikely to achieve anything.
Check there is no orphan lock file for normal.dot -
http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm .

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Bob wrote:
Word Cannot open the existing (normal.dot).

This is what I did to try and fix it ( all failed):
1. Per every website I read I re-named the old file and let Word
create a new one.
2. Set Word to think it was a fresh install (deleted files in
registry)
3. Uninstalled Word and re-installed it, deleting all NORMAL files
before reinstalling
4. Uninstalled Word and installed the component version
5. Created Normal file, edited it and saved it (using Save ALL
feature in Word)
6. Tried to manually point Word at the Normal file in the template
folder. The only thing I haven't done yet is to re-image the Pc and I
would prefer not to do this if possible as this user has several very
difficult to install applications. Help!

[Bob]

As a moritorium on this problem, the resolution was to run a CHKDSK. There
were two bad clusters in two different sectors on the hard drive. For some
reason Word kept creating the NORMAL file in the same location and because it
was in a 'bad' area, couldn't read it. I did a Defrag, then a CHKdsk and when
the PC came back up the error was gone.

"Bob" wrote:

Word Cannot open the existing (normal.dot).

This is what I did to try and fix it ( all failed):
1. Per every website I read I re-named the old file and let Word create a
new one.
2. Set Word to think it was a fresh install (deleted files in registry)
3. Uninstalled Word and re-installed it, deleting all NORMAL files before
reinstalling
4. Uninstalled Word and installed the component version
5. Created Normal file, edited it and saved it (using Save ALL feature in
Word)
6. Tried to manually point Word at the Normal file in the template folder.
The only thing I haven't done yet is to re-image the Pc and I would prefer
not to do this if possible as this user has several very difficult to install
applications. Help!