Normal.dot 1

[wilbrian]

What is the proper way to set up multiple users sharing documents on an NT File server based network. Do we point to a "shared" normal.dot file or have each user's C: drive contain a normal.dot? We continusouly have problems with normal.dot getting corrupted. Right now each user has a copy of normal.dot in the "C:\WINDOWS\APPLICATION DATA\MICROSOFT\TEMPLATES" folder. Any experience with this?

wilbrian

 

[Dreamboat]

As an experienced Word user, I encourage you not to do that to YOUR experienced Word users. This keeps them from being able to customize their toolbars, and create macros that they use every day.

Normal.dot commonly *goes bad* for everyone. When they have a problem in Word, just have them delete or rename their normal.dot.

Here's the complete troubleshooting steps:

http://www.thewordexpert.com/word.htm

http://www.TheWordExpert.com

 

[dsi]

As usual, Dreamboat is absolutely right!

Worst case, if it gets corrupted, just delete it and it will be recreated by Word. One step better would be to create a backup copy of their template once they have it set the way they want. Then, they won't have to manipulate the settings every time it goes south.

 

[wilbrian]

Thank you for the helpful information regarding normal.dot. This confirms that some of the problems we have been experiencing are "normal" (no pun intended). If this happens so often, I wonder why there is not a better fix for it from the authors of Word instead of the band-aid solution of deleting it and letting it recreate itself, or copying over it.

wilbrian

 

[Dreamboat]

Uh...no pun intended, but I like to have people rename their normal.dots to abnormal.dot



Why not a better fix? You really want to hear my opinion? Ok! Because 50% of the time, it's not really corrupt. They've made a setting they don't like and don't know how they did it and don't know how to fix it.

http://www.TheWordExpert.com