WD2000: How to Reset User Options and Registry Settings

ID: Q211793

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word 2000
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SUMMARY

This article describes various methods for resetting user options and registry settings in Microsoft Word.


MORE INFORMATION

There are two basic kinds of options that a user can define in Word. The first kind affects the way the program operates. The information for this kind of option is usually stored in the Windows registry. The second kind of option affects the formatting or appearance of one or more documents. The information for this option is stored in templates or documents.

When you troubleshoot odd behavior in the program or in a document, first eliminate the possibility that the problem is caused by a combination of options and formatting. If the behavior in question occurs in multiple documents, it may be useful to reset the user settings to the "factory" defaults either temporarily or permanently. To do this, use one of the methods listed in the following table.


   Method                                                   Result
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

   Hold SHIFT to prevent automatic macros from starting.    Temporary

   Start Word with the /a switch.                           Temporary

   Rename the Normal template.                              Temporary or
                                                            Permanent

   Run Detect and Repair.                                   Permanent

   Edit or delete registry entries.                         Permanent

Holding the SHIFT Key

Word reserves special names for macros that you can create to automatically alter the way Word behaves. These are called "auto" macros. The auto macros in Microsoft Word are listed in the following table.

   Macro      Storage location                Automatically Runs
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

   AutoExec   In the Normal template          When Word is started
              or in a global add-in
   AutoNew    In a template                   When a new document that is
                                              based on the template is
                                              created
   AutoOpen   In document or template         When a document that is
                                              based on the template or that
                                              contains the macro is opened
   AutoClose  In document or template         When a document that is based
                                              on the template or that
                                              contains the macro is closed
   AutoExit   In the Normal template          When Word is quit
              or a global add-in
Word recognizes a macro with a name that begins with "Auto" as a macro that automatically runs when the situation to which it applies occurs. You can prevent an auto macro from running by holding down SHIFT while performing the action that causes the macro to run.

Starting Word Using /A

Starting Word by using /a on a command line causes Word to use the default settings for all options and prevents add-ons from being loaded.

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 subkey in the Windows registry


NOTE: When you start Word with the /a switch, changes you make in Word that affect any of these components are not written to the hard disk when you quit Word, and the changes are lost.

For the following example, assume that Word is located in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder.

To start Word by using /a:
  1. Click Run on the Microsoft Windows Start menu.


  2. In the Run dialog box, click Browse.


  3. Use the Look in box to locate Winword.exe, and then select it. Then click Open.

    This step fills in the Open box in the Run dialog box.


  4. In the Open box, move the insertion point after Winword.exe.

    NOTE: The path to the Winword.exe in the Run dialog box is enclosed in quotation marks. Be sure to move 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 resemble the following:
    "C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\WINWORD.EXE" /A


If starting the program with the /a switch corrects the problem, use the following methods to further isolate the problem, or refer to the following Knowledge Base article:
Q244843 WD2000: What Does the Word Startup '/a' Switch Really Do?

Renaming the Normal Template

To prevent formatting, AutoText, and macros that are stored in the Normal template (Normal.dot) from affecting behavior of the program and documents that are opened, rename Normal.dot. Renaming allows you to quickly determine whether the Normal template is causing the problem or behavior.

NOTE: Renaming the Normal.dot template resets several options back to the default settings, including custom styles, custom toolbars, macros, and AutoText entries. For this reason, Microsoft strongly recommends that you rename the Normal.dot file.

Certain kinds of configurations may create more than one Normal.dot file. These situations include cases in which multiple versions of Word are running on the same computer or cases in which several workstation installations exist on the same computer. In these situations, be sure to rename the correct copy of Normal.dot.

To rename the Normal.dot file:
  1. Quit all instances of Word, including WordMail.


  2. On the Microsoft Windows taskbar, click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.


  3. In the Named box, type Normal.dot.


  4. In the Look in box, select your local hard disk drive (or an alternate user template location if you are running Word from a network server).


  5. Click Find Now to search for the file.


  6. For each occurrence of Normal.dot that appears in the Find dialog box, right-click the file. Click Rename on the shortcut menu. Give the file a new name, such as OldNormal.dot or Normal-1.dot.


  7. On the File menu, click Close to quit the Find program, and then restart Word normally (without using the /a switch).


If Word starts correctly, you have resolved the problem. In this case, the problem is a damaged Normal.dot template. You may need to change a few settings to restore your favorite options. If the Normal.dot file you renamed contains customizations, such as styles, macros, or AutoText entries that cannot be easily re-created, you may be able to copy those customizations from the old Normal.dot file to the new Normal.dot file by using the Organizer.

For more information about using the Organizer, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type Organizer in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Using Detect and Repair

Word now has the ability to detect and repair problems associated with Setup. This feature uses the Windows Installer to correct problems with missing files and to repair registry settings. This is equivalent to using the /f Setup command-line switch with the following options:
o - Reinstall a file if it is missing, or an older version if present.
c - Reinstall a file if it is missing or corrupted.
u - Rewrite all required user registry entries.
m - Rewrite all required local machine registry entries.
s - Reinstall all shortcuts, overwriting any existing shortcuts.
For example, the syntax for this switch is:
drive:\setup.exe /focums
There are three methods you can use to repair or reset Word files and values:
  • Use Detect and Repair from the Help menu.


  • Use Repair from Maintenance Mode.


  • Reinstall Word.


The following table lists the aggressiveness of each type of Detect and Repair, in the order of aggression.

   Aggression Level        Repair Process
   ---------------------------------------------------------

   Least Aggressive        Detect and Repair from Help menu
   Moderately Aggressive   Repair Word from Maintenance Mode
   Most Aggressive         Reinstall

Detect and Repair on the Help Menu

You can access the Detect and Repair feature from the Help menu in Word. This option fixes and repairs errors in Word. All files, registry entries, and optional shortcuts for all Office 2000 programs are verified and repaired. This means that if you run Detect and Repair from within Word, all other Office 2000 programs are checked as well. This option only performs a checksum.

The Detect and Repair feature can also restore the Word program shortcuts on the Start menu. The Restore my shortcuts while repairing option must be selected for this to occur.

If Detect and Repair does not correct the problem, you may need to reinstall Word. The Reinstall option in the Maintenance Mode dialog box completes the same action as Detect and Repair, except that Reinstall copies down a file when the files are of equal versions. Detect and Repair does not copy over the file when the install file has the correct version and checksum.

NOTE: The Detect and Repair feature does not repair corrupted documents or a damaged Data key in the registry or the Normal template.

If a file that is required to start Word is missing, the Windows Installer automatically installs that file before starting the application.

Repair Word in Maintenance Mode Setup

The Word Maintenance Mode Setup process is similar to that in earlier versions. It allows you to repair Word, add or remove features, and remove Word. The Repair Word feature is a new enhancement in Maintenance Mode that finds and fixes errors in a Word installation.

To start Maintenance Mode:
  1. On the Start menu, point to Settings and then click Control Panel.


  2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.


  3. Select Word 2000 or Office 2000 from the list of applications, and click Add/Remove.


You can access the Repair Word feature from the Maintenance Mode Setup dialog box by clicking Repair Word. It allows you to do any of the following:
  • Reinstall Word the way it was installed originally.


  • Repair My Shortcuts. (This only repairs Windows Installer shortcuts, not shortcuts created by the user.)


  • Find and fix errors in the Office or Word 2000 installation. If this choice is selected, you have the option to Restore my shortcuts. This replaces any missing Word shortcuts on the Start menu.


  • Use Repair Word in Maintenance Mode Setup to check the version of the file and checksum.

    Checksum is an error-detection scheme that involves creating a sum of the bits in a set of bytes of data and using that sum to later check for a change in the data.


Saving and Deleting Registry Entries

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

Deleting the Data Subkey

NOTE: Deleting the Data subkey resets several options back to the default settings, including the most recently used file list on the File menu and many settings you customize in the Options dialog boxes.

Most common options (click Options on the Tools menu) are stored in the Data subkey. One troubleshooting step is to delete the Data key. Word rebuilds this Data subkey by using the default settings the next time the program is started.

To delete the Data subkey:
  1. Quit all instances of Word, including WordMail.


  2. On the Microsoft Windows taskbar, click the Start button and then click Run.


  3. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.


  4. Locate the following subkey by double-clicking the appropriate folders:


    5. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Data
  5. With the Data folder selected (on the left), click Delete on the Edit menu to delete the subkey.


  6. Click Yes when you are prompted to confirm the deletion.


  7. On the File menu, click Exit to quit the registry editor. Then, restart Word normally (without using the /a switch).


If Word starts correctly, you have resolved the problem. The problem is a damaged Data subkey. You may need to change a few settings to restore your favorite options.

Where Settings Are Stored in the Registry

Word stores all of its settings in the Windows registry. This section lists the settings in the registry that pertain to Word.

The locations are organized into the following sections:
  • Main Locations of Word Settings


  • Word Subkey


  • Common Subkey


  • Shared Tools Subkey


  • Using the RegOptions macro


  • Alphabetical List of Options and Where They Are Stored


Main Locations of Word Settings

Most settings in Word are stored in the following subkey:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word
Changes made to this HKEY_CURRENT_USER subkey are mirrored in the following subkey:
HKEY_USERS\Default\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word
The difference between the two locations is that first applies only to the current user of the system, and the other is the default for all users. However, Word entries are the same for both, so any change made to one is automatically reflected in the other.

NOTE: For the remainder of this section, all references to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER subtree apply also to the HKEY_USERS subtree except where noted.

Word Subkey

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word
The settings that you may need to examine during troubleshooting are located in this subkey. The Data subkey and the Options subkey are the most frequently changed areas.

Data Subkey

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Data
This subkey contains binary information for most recently used lists, including the most recently used file list and the most recently used address book list. It also contains Track Changes settings and Edit settings.

Options Subkey

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Options
This subkey stores the options that you can set from Word either by changing menu options or by running the RegOptions macro (see the "Using the RegOptions Macro" section later in this article).

The settings fall into two groups: default settings and optional settings. Default settings are established during Setup. You can change them by modifying options in Word.

Stationery Subkey

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Stationery
This subkey contains the default location for the template for WordMail and the links to find the template.

The four settings are the following: 

   Cfg File Location    Sets the path to the WordMail folder
   Default Template     Sets the path to the template (by default,
                        Email.dot)
   DlgDefTpl            Shows a link to the default template
   Option               Shows a link to the default template
NOTE: These options may or may not be present.

Wizards Subkey

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Wizards
All wizard defaults are stored here. These settings are created the first time that you run a wizard.

Common Subkey

HKEY\CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Common
This subkey is used by other Microsoft programs, such as the Office programs. Likewise, these settings are shared between programs. Changes made in one program's settings also appear in the other program's settings.

Shared Tools Subkey

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools
This subkey contains paths for all Windows utilities (programs such as Equation, WordArt, and MsGraph). Paths for graphics filters and text converters are also registered in this location.

Using the RegOptions Macro

You can use the RegOptions macro to examine the Windows registry or to make changes to Word settings stored there.

For additional information about the RegOptions macro, please click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q230121 WD2000: What's Contained in Support9.dot and How to Install It

Alphabetical List of Options and Where They Are Stored

NOTE: In the following table, "Template" refers to either the Normal.dot template or to a custom template. 

   Setting name                    Storage location
   -----------------------------------------------------
   AutoCorrect-Formatted text      Normal.dot
   AutoCorrect-Shared Entries     .ACL files <user>.acl
   AutoSave Path                   Registry
   AutoText                        Template
   Company Name                    Winword.exe
   Custom Keystroke Assignments    Template
   Font Substitution               Registry
   Help for WP                     Registry
   Macros                          Template/Document
   Picture Editing                 Registry
   Print data forms                Document
   Snap to Grid                    Registry
   Styles                          Template/Document
   Toolbars                        Template/Document
   User Info                       Registry
   View Toolbars                   Template
   View/Toolbar                    Template
For additional information about options and where they are stored, please click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q212242 WD2000: Where Settings Are Stored in the Registry
AutoCorrect lists are shared between Office programs. Any changes you make to the AutoCorrect entries and settings while in one program are immediately available to the other programs. In addition, Word can store AutoCorrect items that consist of formatted text and graphics.

Information pertaining to AutoCorrect is stored in various locations. These locations are listed in the following table. 

   This AutoCorrect information                Is stored here
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

   AutoCorrect entries shared by all          .acl file in the location
   programs                                    specified in the registry

   AutoCorrect entries used only by            Normal.dot
   Word (formatted text and graphics)

   AutoCorrect settings (correct two initial   Registry
   capitals, capitalize names of days,
   replace text as you type)

   AutoCorrect settings used only by           Registry
   Word (corrects accidental usage of CAPS
   LOCK key, capitalizes first letter of
   sentences)

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbdta
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: January 7, 2000
© 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.