MS Word hangs (sometimes)

[fsa3]

I use a web based application that loads MS Word via an active X control. Only on one specific machine, the startup of MS word is VERY slow. It takes upwards of 5 minutes to startup, then everything works fine. WHen MS word IS NOT started via the active x control it loads up in less than a second. On other machines the active x control loads MS word very quickly as well.

Anyone have any theories on this?

Thanks,
Frank

 

[bcastner]

Honestly only a guess.

I think it matters what Security Hotfixes are installed on the respective machines.

My guess is the slow one is likely the most current in terms of Hotfixes; it is an equally likely proposition it is the least current workstation.

So,

. Make uniform the Security patches and OS Hotfixes for all clients. This may not necessarily mean that your are completely up-to-date. For Security patches listed as "Critical" you must be; for other patches/Hotfixes it becomes a question of what works best in your setting with your applications. Do an inventory of what is installed on your "best" working machine, set it as a standard, and make all other workstations conform in future decisions about applying patches.

You can make the non-compliant workstations "conform" through Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.

. The second area of importance is the settings under Control Panel, Internet Options.

Look carefully at the settings for the " Local Intranet" Zone under the Security Tab. There may be some Axtive-X and/or scripting controls that differ between workstations. Look too at the "Content" and "Privacy" tabs on your "Best" machine, and having accumulated all the settings make these the standard settings for all others.

 

[fsa3]

Just realized I should have given more info.

The web app also has a thick client sister program that also loads word. This program also causes the same delay, so internet related settings seem unlikely.

THe machine that isn't working is definetly much newer and has SP3 of win2k installed.

Also, when this 'hang' occurs what I see is that WINWORD.exe gets started in task manager, and uses no cpu. THe program itself is unusable however for about 5 minutes at which time it 'catches up'. Not sure if thats any help.

Frank

 

[bcastner]

Try changing the referency to word. Often I have found people overspecify the link.

If your File Associations are correct, link only to the .DOC file, and allow the OS to find Word.

Any and all relative paths to Word itself are likely to be slower than just a straight reference to document.doc, and let the OS resolve the handler.

 

[fsa3]

I doubt thats it... we are talking about 5 minutes on a 2ghz machine and less than a secon on a 200mhz machine..something is timing out or failing, then moving on. Just cant figure out what.

 

[fsa3]

Another note -- this (or something similiar) seems to be happening to me (again intermitently) in Outlook. I was just typing an email, then when I switched program and tried to go back to the email outlook stopped responding for about a minute(or 2) then came back and everything was fine.

Think my Office install is just screwy?