MS Word 2007 suddenly stopped working properly

[ugo]

Hi,
I hope someone can help me, I'm kind of desperate.
From one day to another Word 2007 installed in a Windows Vista environment
stopped working properly.
I don't really know what might be the cause, maybe a Windows update or maybe
an Adobe Update, since a couple of times I had a message concerning Acrobat
Distiller (my idea is that maybe there's a conflict everytime Word has to use
some shared dll in order to be able to print or make pdf documents, but
that's just a guess).
Anyway, the symptomps are:
1. Word opens up apparently fine, but I can't use the side bar to scroll
down the pages
2. I can't click within a document, eventhough I can move the cursor with
the arrows and add characters or delete.
3. If I go to the Word options menu, I'm not able to click on any other
option besides the first line "General settings", I can't go for instance to
the "Center of Protection"
4. Everytime I shut it down, I get a message that there's has been an error
in the process, so the computer will look up for solutions, meanwhile it
restarts Word.

I uninstalled and reinstalled Word twice, but nothing has changed. Curiously
the problem is not with the general Microsoft Office Package (Powerpoint for
instance works fine).
What shoul I do? What might have caused the problem?

Thanks for any help or idea.
Ugo

[Malke]

Try a System Restore to when things worked since this is a sudden change. To
run System Restore, go to the Start Orb and in the Start Search box type
"System Restore" without the quotes. System Restore will appear in the
Programs result. Click on it, allow the UAC prompt, and follow the wizard.

If a System Restore doesn't work, then the experts in the Word newsgroup may
have an answer for you:

microsoft.public.word.general

[Peter]

Have you tried going to Control Panel/Programs/Uninstall a Program,
selecting Microsoft Word and clicking the Repair option?
That usually works for me.

[ray]

As a stopgap until you can get the problem resolved, you might consider
installing OpenOffice.org. It is a complete Open Source office suite -
imports and exports MS Office files and works pretty much the same.

[ugo]

Thank you for the replies they were all somewhat helpful eventhough none
really solves my problem:
1) Restoring the computer to a previous date it's what i'll be forced to do,
eventhough I don't like this kind of solution (i will have to reinstall more
recent programs and i always fear to lose data).
2) I tried repairing the Word installation once, it didn't work, then i
uninstalled it once and reinstalled it without positive results. Finally i
uninstalled and reinstalled the whole Office package, but it didn't solve the
problem.
3) I thought about using OpenOffice, but the compatibility sometimes is not
just perfect with the latest docs.

[Rat-race.co.uk]

I'm in the same sinking boat as Ugo, has anyone (especially Ugo) found the solution to this horrid problem??

[camille]

Hi -- I have the same problem as Ugo & Rat-race.co.uk. I've done everything, even uninstalled the entire MS Office 2007 suite & reinstalled it. And it's the same problem. I worked with a Dell tech for hours & finally gave up and installed 2003. I think it has something to do with the interaction of Vista & MS Office. Has anyone found the solution to this?

Also, is anyone having a problem with System Restore? Mine has never worked & despite repeated attempts by Dell, we can't get it to work.

[firecat]

Hi folks I'm new here but I'm on the same sinking Word 2007 boat but with XP Pro SP3.

Tried everything everyone has suggested so far and nothing it sits with the hourglass sponning and all you can see is the menus along the top but they are unclickable. If you press ESC it loads and presents you with a nice clean page and you think hallyluyah but then the dreaded box pops up saying it rying to repair an error then restarts and does the same again and again. Someone said it might be do to with something expiring but mines genuine so it can't be that can it?

Help!! BTW if you install word 2003 it works but the same Word 2007 works fine on the laptop and it was installed the same day?

[John Barnes]

You are in the wrong group as noted, but you can try to uninstall and
reinstall to make sure you have no corrupted files.

Download openoffice.org and use that. It is free, runs on Win, Linux
and Mac and it much better than MS Office.

[fb]

Usually the problem can be traced to the Word add-ins.
Turn off all Word add-ins. If Word 2007 then boots and functions
normally, then proceed to turn on each add-in and test Word.
HTH.

[inkysmiles]

This is my first post on this site. I dunno if this will help anyone,
but from the sounds of the symptoms it could be the same troubles that I
suddenly started having with Word 2007 on VISTA (OS).

I found the solution in a post at the following URL: 'Tim Anderson’s
ITWriting - Tech writing blog » Annoying Word 2007 problem: can’t select
text' (http://tinyurl.com/54dyqw)

. Close Word and Outlook
2. Start / Run and type regedit
3. Navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Data
4. Rename this key.
5. Restart Word

Microsoft support site also offered a similar solution: 'How to
troubleshoot problems that occur when you start or use Word 2007, Word
2003, or Word 2002'
(http://support.microsoft.com/default...en-us%3B921541)

Hope this helps! :)

[arlene892]

Hi everyone: I had the exact same problem re "Microsoft Word has stopped working". I tried the procedure suggested by inkysmiles and it WORKED!! I'm so happy because I was just about to uninstall and reinstall until I read that a few of you had tried it and it didn't resolve the problem.

Anyway, THANK you inkysmiles - I'm up and running again!!

Here's the procedure again:
. Close Word and Outlook
2. Start / Run and type regedit
3. Navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\W ord\Data
4. Rename this key.
5. Restart Word

[kabeerkher]

inkysmiles! You are an absolute genius. Give yourself a pat on the back

I've been trying to sort this for 2 weeks and your solution was spot on

Why on earth have Microsoft not sent out an update to fix this yet? Its a disgrace.

Thanks again

[Paula]

I would like to follow inkysmiles' advice but don't know what it means to "rename" the "key." Could someone offer an idiot-simple explanation? Thanks.

I have the same problem with Vista/Word 2007 and would like to follow inkysmiles' advice but don't know what it means to "rename the key." Any elucidation would be appreciated.

[Rick Rogers]

Quote the full text of the message you are responding to, Paula, and someone
might. Otherwise, the vast majority will have no idea of what you are
referring to.

The forum you are posting to actually just slurps posts from Microsoft's
newsserver farm. Those trying to help use newsreaders, and do not (for the
most part) cache all the old posts, or the readers database would become
unwieldy.