Whoops, What’s Wrong With Word?

[AerBabe]

I'm using Windows XP and Word 2000.
Two things appear to be wrong with it. The first is that every 3 or 4 times I save a file then close the window, it causes an error - the standard "Microsoft Word for Windows has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."
If I close the file, but leave Word open, then I get an ‘abnormal program termination’ message.
The second problem is that under 'Tools' I have 30, yes 30 'Mail Merge' options. I used to have one. Then it was about 14. Now it's 30. :uhoh:
Can anyone help please?

Oh, I've tried uninstalling the whole of MS Office & reinstalling it, but it makes no difference...

[E-Liam]

Hi Aerbabe,

The first thing to do with any Word problem is to find and delete the normal.dot file. Then reboot. Word creates a new one automatically.

Try that first, as it usually fixes most simple problems.. :)

Cheers

Liam

[Saab Dastard]

Aerbabe,

There are "interesting" compatability problems with Office XP on Win2K and vice-versa. I have also recently found backwards compatability problems with Office 2003, btw.

I discovered a lot of these - all were macro problems - during a couple of recent projects. Mail Merge is a set of macros...

My advice is to a) trawl M$ knowledge base and b) operate only matched versions of Windows and Office.

SD

[AerBabe]

Liam - Thanks; I tried it... it made no difference. :(

Saad Bas' - Know anywhere I can get a cheap copy of a recent version of Word then? :ugh:

[Ausatco]

AB,

You're still studying, aren'tcha? Can you get a student discount for MS Office through your educational institution? Knocks heaps of the price (in Oz, at least). Tax deduction, too - again in Oz.

AA

[AerBabe]

Ausatco - Yes, but I haven't been a registered student since last September. There is some software you can get student deals on here, but I'm not sure if Office is included.

9 days to go!!!

[Saab Dastard]

AB,

Just a thought - you are fully up to date with anti-virus?

Have you access to another PC to try your files on Win2K with office 2K? Or rebuild your PC as above (not realistic, given your deadline, I know).

BTW - Office is very definitely available at educational rates in UK.

BTW 2 - its Saab Das', not Saad 'Bas - but I can sympathise with the Freudian slip ;). Actually, you are probably closer to the truth...:O

SD

[Chaffers]

Even better just dump Windows totally and geek yoursef out on one of the Linux flavours. I don't know of anything that MS Office does that Star Office dosn't.

Sun have released their Java desktop system which will either be free or very cheap (much cheaper than even a student discounted copy of Office) and should do everything that Win + Office does only without the constant security / virusses / bugs that plague the microsoft products.