Workstations cannot change options or settings in Word 2000 (212066)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 2000
This article was previously published under Q212066

SYMPTOMS

After you install Microsoft Word on a server, all or some of the workstations from that installation use the same set of defaults, such as the default font. If changes are made, they are not present in the next session.

CAUSE

This problem occurs if a copy of the Normal.dot file exists on the network server in the Word program directory.

Word (not Word Setup) can create the Normal.dot file in the Word program directory on the server. This occurs if the network administrator (or someone who has read, write, and create privileges in the Word program directory on the server) runs Word directly from the server, rather than running a workstation-installed instance of the program. When Word is run directly from the administrative copy on the server, no references to the file storage locations exist, so when Word is closed, it stores the Normal.dot file on the server in the directory where the Winword.exe program is located.

Once the Normal.dot file exists on the server, Word uses that file every time it starts from any workstation, even if you have run a Workstation Setup and created a reference that points to another Normal.dot (User Template) location. This happens because, as Word starts, it checks for Normal.dot in the directory where the Winword.exe file resides. If it finds Normal.dot in this location, it uses that copy and does not attempt to find a copy in any other location.

NOTE: In some cases, it is desirable to have everyone use the same Normal.dot file and prevent any changes being made. In that case, the Normal.dot template is placed on the server intentionally.

REMINDER: Word Setup does not create the Normal.dot file. Word creates a new version of Normal.dot any time the program is run and Normal.dot is not located. Therefore, this is a network administration issue rather than a Word Setup issue.

RESOLUTION

Perform all three of the following steps to resolve this problem and restore each user's preference and option settings in Word:

  1. Quit all instances of Word running from the server.

  2. Rename or delete the Normal.dot file in the network server directory.

  3. Make sure the Word program directory on the network server and all files in that directory are flagged as read-only and shareable. You should not have write privileges in this server directory before you perform the Workstation Setup at the workstation.
  4. Make sure you run a workstation installation of Word at every workstation where the user has administrative rights (that is, full access to the Word program directory on the server). This process creates references that point to the correct location for the Normal.dot file.

MORE INFORMATION

This section contains a description of the Normal.dot file and a discussion of the network installation of Word as it pertains to the problem addressed in this article.

Normal.dot

The default document template that stores macros, toolbars, menus, keystrokes, AutoText, and AutoCorrect entries. This file should be located in the user's Template directory and is created after the user makes a change to one of the items mentioned above. This file is not created by Setup. It is referenced in the Windows registry file.



Overview: Network Setup of Word

NOTE: This discussion assumes that you have a working knowledge of network operations and terminology. For network-specific information, see your network documentation.

To install Word so it runs from a network file server, go to a workstation and connect to the file server. Run the administrator's installation of Word (type setup /a at the command line). When Setup prompts you for the network directory for the main Word program, specify a path on the file server. Setup copies all the program files to this location.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT RUN WORD AT THIS POINT! If you do, the problems described at the beginning of this article may occur. Before you run Word, you must first perform the following two steps:

  1. Set the access privileges to read-only and shared for the server directories in which you installed Word. Refer to your MS-DOS or network operating system documentation for more information.
  2. Run the workstation installation of Word at each workstation. This registers the Word program with your local Windows installation and creates references to file locations. If you do not run a workstation installation before you run Word from the network server, Word runs, but some operations do not function correctly, such as the spelling checker, grammar checking, and object linking and embedding (OLE ).
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:1/24/2005
Keywords:kbprb KB212066
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