WD: "Hide Network Neighborhood Policy" Changes Template Icon

• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

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.

SYMPTOMS

Word template icons are displayed as question marks inside balloons when you use the System Policy Editor to "hide" the Network Neighborhood icon on the Windows 95 desktop and set the User Templates location to the Office 95 administrative directory on the network drive. Although the icons are displayed incorrectly, you can still use the templates.

RESOLUTION

You can edit the registry using System Policy Editor (Poledit.exe) or Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Check with your network administrator before you make any changes to the registry.

If you are using the Office 97 system policy templates that are included in the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit, you must use the version of the System Policy Editor that is included in the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit or the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit.

NOTE: You can download Policy.exe, a self-extracting executable file containing Poledit.exe, from online services. Download this file from the following Web site:

   http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/appa/appa.htm#dex4

1. Click the Start button, click Run, type "poledit" (without quotation marks) in the Open box, then click OK to start System Policy Editor.

2. On the File menu, click Open Registry.

3. Double-click Local User.

4. Double-click Shell.

5. Select No Entire Network and No Workgroup Contents.

6. Double-click Network.

7. Clear the Hide Network Neighborhood check box. Select the "Disable File Sharing" and "Disable Printer Sharing" check boxes.

8. Click OK.

9. Save the changes to the registry, exit System Policy Editor, and then restart Windows 95.

STATUS

Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.