Default printer disappears in Word

Every time I open Word the default printer has "disappeared". I get an error
message saying the printer has not responded and asking whether I want to
wait. This makes printing very, very difficult. Does anyone have a solution.

I am using Vista Home edition, Office 2003 and the printer is an Epson D78.
I have installed the new driver for the D78 and Vista. I have uninstalled and
re-installed Word and the printer, but all to no avail.

Everything worked fine until about 3 days ago.
--
lozan365

Did you try a System Restore to four days ago?
--
Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
www.coribright.com/windows

"lozan365" <lozan365@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FF5DC8D4-03AB-4308-BA26-A5A024EAB909@microsoft.com...
> Every time I open Word the default printer has "disappeared". I get an
> error
> message saying the printer has not responded and asking whether I want to
> wait. This makes printing very, very difficult. Does anyone have a
> solution.
>
> I am using Vista Home edition, Office 2003 and the printer is an Epson
> D78.
> I have installed the new driver for the D78 and Vista. I have uninstalled
> and
> re-installed Word and the printer, but all to no avail.
>
> Everything worked fine until about 3 days ago.
> --
> lozan365

Yes, I have tried a System Restore, but it makes no difference.

It is only in Word that the default printer disappers. For example, it is
still there in Excel even when it has disappeared in Word.


--
lozan365


"Cari (MS-MVP)" wrote:

> Did you try a System Restore to four days ago?
> --
> Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
> www.coribright.com/windows
>
> "lozan365" <lozan365@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:FF5DC8D4-03AB-4308-BA26-A5A024EAB909@microsoft.com...
> > Every time I open Word the default printer has "disappeared". I get an
> > error
> > message saying the printer has not responded and asking whether I want to
> > wait. This makes printing very, very difficult. Does anyone have a
> > solution.
> >
> > I am using Vista Home edition, Office 2003 and the printer is an Epson
> > D78.
> > I have installed the new driver for the D78 and Vista. I have uninstalled
> > and
> > re-installed Word and the printer, but all to no avail.
> >
> > Everything worked fine until about 3 days ago.
> > --
> > lozan365
>

Thanks for the tip. I'll try the Word forum.
--
lozan365


"Cari (MS-MVP)" wrote:

> Ask in the Word newsgroups/forums... the Word gurus there may be able to
> assist.
> --
> Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
> www.coribright.com/windows
>
> "lozan365" <lozan365@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:A5588115-EE9C-405C-B021-FCA6736E58A4@microsoft.com...
> > Yes, I have tried a System Restore, but it makes no difference.
> >
> > It is only in Word that the default printer disappers. For example, it is
> > still there in Excel even when it has disappeared in Word.
> >
> >
> > --
> > lozan365
> >
> >
> > "Cari (MS-MVP)" wrote:
> >
> >> Did you try a System Restore to four days ago?
> >> --
> >> Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
> >> www.coribright.com/windows
> >>
> >> "lozan365" <lozan365@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:FF5DC8D4-03AB-4308-BA26-A5A024EAB909@microsoft.com...
> >> > Every time I open Word the default printer has "disappeared". I get an
> >> > error
> >> > message saying the printer has not responded and asking whether I want
> >> > to
> >> > wait. This makes printing very, very difficult. Does anyone have a
> >> > solution.
> >> >
> >> > I am using Vista Home edition, Office 2003 and the printer is an Epson
> >> > D78.
> >> > I have installed the new driver for the D78 and Vista. I have
> >> > uninstalled
> >> > and
> >> > re-installed Word and the printer, but all to no avail.
> >> >
> >> > Everything worked fine until about 3 days ago.
> >> > --
> >> > lozan365
> >>
>

"lozan365" wrote:

> Thanks for the tip. I'll try the Word forum.
> --
> lozan365
>
>
> "Cari (MS-MVP)" wrote:
>
> > Ask in the Word newsgroups/forums... the Word gurus there may be able to
> > assist.
> > --
> > Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
> > www.coribright.com/windows
> >
> > "lozan365" <lozan365@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:A5588115-EE9C-405C-B021-FCA6736E58A4@microsoft.com...
> > > Yes, I have tried a System Restore, but it makes no difference.
> > >
> > > It is only in Word that the default printer disappers. For example, it is
> > > still there in Excel even when it has disappeared in Word.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > lozan365
> > >
> > >
> > > "Cari (MS-MVP)" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Did you try a System Restore to four days ago?
> > >> --
> > >> Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
> > >> www.coribright.com/windows
> > >>
> > >> "lozan365" <lozan365@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> news:FF5DC8D4-03AB-4308-BA26-A5A024EAB909@microsoft.com...
> > >> > Every time I open Word the default printer has "disappeared". I get an
> > >> > error
> > >> > message saying the printer has not responded and asking whether I want
> > >> > to
> > >> > wait. This makes printing very, very difficult. Does anyone have a
> > >> > solution.
> > >> >
> > >> > I am using Vista Home edition, Office 2003 and the printer is an Epson
> > >> > D78.
> > >> > I have installed the new driver for the D78 and Vista. I have
> > >> > uninstalled
> > >> > and
> > >> > re-installed Word and the printer, but all to no avail.
> > >> >
> > >> > Everything worked fine until about 3 days ago.
> > >> > --
> > >> > lozan365
> > >>
> >


We use Windoes XP, but the issue is the same.

You might want to try this. Close Word. Then show hidden files and folders
in Windows... Locate the hidden file "Normal.dot" by either searching for it
or navigate to this directory "C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application
Data\Microsoft\Templates". Delete or rename any instance of Normal.dot. Start
word again and test.

This has worked for us many times before.

Good Luck