When I try to save a document (doesn't matter if it's a new or old document), I go to
File
Save as - I get the save as box ..
I click on the drop down arrow to brouse where I want my file to go. As soon as I click on the drop down arrow, that top box with the current file position I'm in disappears and then it hangs up. I just sit there with an hour glass and wait and wait. It usually comes back after a while and I can reclick on the down arrow and get to where I want to go.

Other times I get an error saying it had a problem and needs to close. (Sorry can't remember the exact error. Next time I'll write it down.) When I get this error, it then closes out word entirelly.

I've always thought Microsoft puts things on your computer and changes and updates files without telling you. I KNOW when I've had to download updates, they change my settings back to their default settings (which really makes me mad).

I've turned off the automatic update through XP now. It's supposed to prompt me when updates are available. I'm running XP, SP2 but I loaded that patch a long time ago and have been running office 2003 for a few months. This just started happening.

Thanks. tortmom (as in turtles/tortoises)

I would try to repair the Office 2003 installation:

Start -> Control Panel -> Add & Remove Programs -> Scroll down to Office 2003 and click Change

You should get the Office 2003 installation window. Select the option to Repair, and restart the system. If that doesnt work then, uninstall Office 2003, delete the Microsoft Office folder under C:\Program Files (if you used the default install location). Restart the computer, and install Office 2003. Hope that this helps and please post back either way.

You should also download the latest Service Pack for your version of Office at Microsoft Office Downloads. Click the link Check for Updates, install all of the updates(might have to go back if the computer needs to be restarted). Hope that this helps.

D. Hooper: You guys are so great!

I had to re-install my office 2003. Repairing it didn't work. When I tested it out, the first file I tried a save as, gave me a little "burp." I didn't take as long as before for it to come back with my "save in" area drop down arrow. I closed out that file and word. Came back into word and tried two other documents. They both did okay with my file, save as. It came up right away.

I'm hoping this is the end of this problem. Again, thank you so much for your help.

Tortmom

D Hooper:

I shouldn't have spoken too soon. After I wrote you my email, I shut the computer down for the night. The next day, my problems with save as were back. It still hangs up, not as long, but it does. sometimes I still get the error and it shuts ms word down.

I've ran all my virus stuff, adware, spyblocker, etc. Nothing comes up.

any other suggestions? I did completely re-install it after our last email.

Thanks. tortmom

Hi tortmom.

Don't know why this is happening. Sometimes when I've run out of solutions, I use a product called ccleaner. You can download it from Major Geeks. It cleans out all fragments hanging out in the computer. Maybe that may be gettin the way. You have run adaware and cleaned out your temp. files, haven't you?

How are the tortoises doing?

I have a strange idea that might help. Outside of Word 2k3 (with it not running) search for all instances of normal.dot and delete them. Rerun Word 2k3 and see if that helps.
I've seen a corrupt normal.dot do this.

I have run the adware etc., on my computer and still got the save as problem.

I just tried your search for normal.dot and my computer didn't find any other files to delete.

I've updated all the current updates from MS and it's still doing this stupid hang up.

If you think of anything else, let me know.

thanks for the thought.

Tortmom

You are lucky to have the probelm only in word, I am having this in all programs,word,excel.pp etc for a long time and still looking for a good solution. At present how I am dealing is will click on File >Save as > in file name I will type the drive letter and press enter by this it gives me the whole drive from there I will click on the desired folder to save the file.

Try this software. It's a virus software from avast. The have a 60 day free trial before you buy the software. It was the software that seemed to find the virus I had on my machine. I had tried everything else. Panda picked up 3, but I still had major problems with other stuff. Adaware, spybot, spyblaster are all on my machine and I run them all the time.

I tried Norton and that didn't help either. I have systemworks installed and got this "virus" some how. I was also running zonealarm too.

The person who helped me, deleted zonealarm and ran avast. It seemed to do the trick.

It might be worth a try. Good luck.

Tortmom

I've had this problem with a few of my users. Took me awhile to find a solution, but Microsoft has a fix for it.

Go here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321126

Pretty much all you need to do is make sure you have the latest updates for both office and windows and add this registy key:

Subkey: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\SCAPI
Entry: Flags
Type: DWORD
Value: 0x100C02


Email me if you need help adding that registry key. Cleared the problem up on 5 computers running Windows 2000 Pro so far. Haven't seen the problem in XP Pro machines. I suspect a recent 2000 update created the problem as all the computers started having the same problem right around the same time.

That's one of the first things I did was update both my XP and (I'm running) office 2003. It was working fine, then one day, it just started this delay. I'm still having this issue a little bit. What I mean is the delay is half as long as it used to be, but I still have it.

Also, since this happened, I don't have MS update automaticlly anymore. I want to know what they're putting on my computer.

Do you think adding this string in 2003 will be an issue?

tortmom

I checked out the fix. All the data says for running office 2000, nothing about other products. Kicker is, I was running 2000 for years and NEVER had this problem. I've been running 2003 for a few months and it just started.

tortmom

I've only noticed the problem on Windows 2000 machines and it was within the last few weeks it popped up. But I've seen it with both Office XP and Office 2003 so I think it's more of an operating system issue. And it's not something that affects every computer as I've only had a few users with the problem. So it appears to be somewhat isolated.

I would try adding that registry key even if you're running XP. It's worked on both Office XP and Office 2003 for me. It sure can't hurt. And if it doesn't help things then you can just as easily remove it. Do a backup of the registry first so you have a fall back.

On all 5 machines the problem cleared up immediately without requiring a restart.

Okay, I'll try it. first, how do I back up the registery? Then what do I type in to get the registery? I figure I go to msconfig correct? You're getting into "programming" type stuff I really don't mess with much.

Thanks for the help.

Tortmom