WD: How to Ignore User Settings When You Start Word (121709)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word for Windows NT 6.0
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 95 7.0a
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q121709
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SUMMARY

This article discusses methods which can be used to ignore user option settings for versions of Word listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

In Word 6.x for Windows, user settings are stored in the Winword.opt file (located in the Winword folder). To start Word without loading this file, you must rename Winword.opt. Word will then re-create this file.

Word for Windows NT, Word for Windows 7.x, and Word 97 for Windows do not use the Winword.opt file. Instead, user settings are stored in the Windows Registry under the Data key.

The /A switch allows you to start Word without loading the following components.

  • The global template (Normal.dot)
  • Any add-in templates in the Startup folder
  • Any add-in libraries (.wll files)
  • User settings stored in the Data key in the Windows NT Registry
Note: This functionality is different from Word 6.x for Windows where starting Word with the /A startup switch does not ignore the user settings file (Winword.opt) but does ignore templates and add-ins. In Word 6.0 for Windows, it is not necessary to modify the registration database to ignore the Winword.opt file.

NOTE: When you start Word with the /A switch, changes you make in Word that affect any of these components will not be written to disk when you exit Word, and the changes will be lost.

Word 97:

Assuming that Word is located in the C:\Program Files\ Microsoft Office\Office folder, use these steps:

  1. Click the Windows 95 Start button, and then click Run.
  2. In the Run dialog box, click Browse.
  3. Locate and click WINWORD.EXE. Then, click the Open button.

    This will fill in the Open box in the Run dialog box.
  4. In the Open box, place the insertion point after Winword.exe.

    NOTE: The path to the Winword.exe in the Run dialog box will be enclosed in quotation marks. Be sure to place the insertion point to the right of the closing quotation mark.
  5. Type a space and then type /a.

    The statement in the Open box should now resemble the following:

    "C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\WINWORD.EXE" /A

Word 7.x, Word NT 6.0:

Assuming that Word is located in the C:\MSOffice\Winword folder, use these steps:

  1. Click the Windows 95 Start button, and then click Run.

    (On Windows NT 3.x: On the File menu, click Run).
  2. In the Run dialog, click Browse.
  3. Locate and click Winword.exe. Then, click Open.

    This will fill in the Open box in the Run dialog box.
  4. Place the insertion point after Winword.exe in the Open box.
  5. Type a space and then type /a.

    The statement in the Open box should now look similar to:

    C:\MSOFFICE\WINWORD\WINWORD.EXE /A

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

140097 WD: How to Rebuild User Preference and Options Settings

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/16/2005
Keywords:kbenv kbhowto kbtshoot KB121709
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