Approximately a week ago, I defragmented my hard drive. Since that time, I have been unable (on most occasions- exceptions below) to open Microsoft Word. The program freezes while loading, usually when the “splash” screen has just appeared but occasionally with the blank document partially loaded. Once this happens, I have to restart my computer, either with Ctrl-Alt-Del or by shutting it down manually.
When I discovered this predicament, here is what I did:
First: Used System Restore to go back to a time when I did not have this problem. No effect.
Next: Used the repair utility provided by Microsoft to repair my installation of Word. No effect.
Third: Used the reinstall facility provided by Microsoft to reinstall Word. Word opened 1 time immediately afterwards, but the second time I tried to open Word after this reinstallation, the problem reappeared.
Fourth: Uninstalled Word from the computer totally, waited several days, then reinstalled it from the CD. As before, Word opened on the first attempt after this reinstall, but when I tried a second time, the problem was back.
Here are the error messages this problem has generated:
-Winword.exe caused an error in USER.EXE
-Winword caused a general protection fault in USER.EXE at 0003:00006cab
-Error: OE:0187:BFF8E64B (This is the most common notice)
-Error: OE:0187:BFF4530F
I am running Windows ME (I know, but I have never had a problem with it before) and Word 2000 SR-1. The computer is about 3 years old. No other program causes any problem like this, including Works (spreadsheet), Acrobat Reader and IE. If I don’t try and open Word, the computer works just as it always has. Unfortunately, as a grad student I kind of need a word processor.
I have never run into this problem, so I don’t know how accurate or helpful any of this is. Anyhow, here is something from the Microsoft Knowledge Base. You can research the problem more by going to the Microsoft site, selecting the Support menu, and selecting the Knowledge Base option. Paste your error codes into the search box and select Word 2000 as the product.
The Normal.dot template file is damaged.
The Word in Works Suite add-in program that is included with Microsoft Works Suite 2000 is installed on your computer, and the add-in program is damaged.
The site suggests renaming normal.dot to normalold.dot and opening Word again. I don’t know if this wipes out any of your styles, though.
I’ve been having the SAME PROBLEM. And once it starts requesting virus scan, the program stops responding, and I have to shut it down. I’ve gotten NO work done. I’ve tried to turn off the “auto-protect” function on Norton, that didn’t work.
Now I’m having the problem where the only programs that seem to be working correctly are Outlook and Internet explorer. As much as I’d like to send emails and surf the web all day, this really isn’t going to work out.
When I try to open word, Norton, or almost any other program, I get nothing. Then I go on to do something else, and 15 minutes later (after I’ve forgotten all about it), the program opens.
I’m convinced that this problem has something to do with my antivirus software. I’ve spent all morning on Symantec’s site trying to research this problem, but so far, I’ve gotten NOWHERE.
Does anyone have any idea what could be going on here??
Which version of Windows are you using? Do you get any errors at all? Have you tried turning off Norton so it doesn’t run at start up? What else is running in the background(#1)?
Slee
#1. Hold down ctrl-alt and hit delete as soon as the computer boots. You should get a close program box. That is a list of all the processes running on your machine. Highlight one and hit ‘end task’. Repeat that until the only programs listed are explorer and systray and then try launching another program.
I’m running Windows 2000, and I haven’t gotten any error messages. The only weird thing (besides all my programs going haywire) is that when I restart my computer, right before windows shuts down, I get one of those “End Program” boxes. The application listed is ccapp.exe, which is apparently a norton program related to the auto-protect function. Also, I’ve attempted to turn off the auto protect function of Norton (can’t figure out how to turn Norton off completely, it’s not in my Startup folder, so I don’t know why it automatically starts in the first place), and that doesn’t help either.
I’ve been all over the Norton knowledge base today and so far haven’t found anything useful.
Thanks for Advice #1 - However, when I try to end the process for Norton (named NAV-something or other), it says that I can’t do it. Why not??
I noticed my copy of Word (2002 sp-2 on Windows XP) just started doing something like this after I downloaded the latest Norton update. No idea how it’s related. But mine does eventually open.
The same problems started happening to me this afternoon, and I’ve spent the last six hours trying to track down the cause: Word runs like molasses, Norton Systemworks takes minutes to open, that End Program message for ccApp when rebooting.
I uninstalled and reinstalled Systemworks, with no effect, until I found the Office Plug-in thing. Everything seems to be okay now, but I was really worried for a while: I suspected a virus because the problem started when I tried to open a Word document that was attached to an e-mail from a known source.
Two full system scans (before and after the reinstall of Norton) have turned up nothing, nor have scans by Adaware and Spybot.
I’m still concerned. Could this be a bug in a recent Norton update that we automatically downloaded in the last day or two?
Here’s a little test: do all of the people with this same problem either have auto live update selected, or or did you do an update manually recently?
Recently, Verisign (the company responsible for issuing Internet security certificates) experienced a failure in their certification system. Several applications will thus be unable to verify the integrity of files or open secure connections. One affected application is Norton Antivirus, which manifests as Word being unable to start. Fixes might include updating the software, or disabling the Norton software in question.
Thanks MarineOne - I figured that one out toward the END of the day. I also upgraded and reinstalled my Norton.
It sounds like I was having all the same problems that commasense is having, and my problems also started when I attempted to open a Word attachment. Norton didn’t find any viruses after the scan, but nothing seemed to be working right.
I fiddled around with it for EIGHT HOURS yesterday - I must have done something right though, because when I came into the office today, everything was working perfectly. Someone somewhere is testing me.
As to commasense’s question, I did have live update selected, but since my Norton subscription had expired, I don’t think that matters much. I hadn’t been updated in a while.
Well, all’s well that ends well, I guess. It’s working fine now, so something I did must have stuck. Thanks for the help.
Citygirl852 (or anyone else): Does everything work normally with the Office Plug-in box checked? I’ve got too much work to do (and lost too much time yesterday screwing around with this problem) to fool around with this right now, and since my system seems to be working okay (with the box unchecked), I’m going to leave well enough alone for now, and get back to work.
Have Norton or Verisign said anything about this problem? Have they fixed something out there that will make our systems work normally again?
I have to say that I found it spooky, worrying, and very annoying that some problem Verisign (a company with which I have no direct relationship) had out there on the Internet would cause my system to become inoperable, through no fault or action of mine, and with no hint at all as to the source of the problem. It’s just unacceptable.
Head on over to Windows Update (you should be doing this at least monthly anyway). Download the Root Certificate Update, in the Recommended Updates section, I believe, as well as any Critical Updates. Let them download and install, then reboot. This SHOULD fix the problem. Norton’s suggested method of fixing the problem is not very good, as it essentially disables the security that Certificates are meant to provide.
Head on over to Windows Update (you should be doing this at least monthly anyway). Download the Root Certificate Update, in the Recommended Updates section, I believe, as well as any Critical Updates. Let them download and install, then reboot. This SHOULD fix the problem. Norton’s suggested method of fixing the problem is not very good, as it essentially disables the security that Certificates are meant to provide.
