Office programs run slow only when logged in as a certain user? 2

[pjewett]

Running Windows XP and Office XP...fully patched up.

When logged in as the user, excel and word run very slowly, expecially when navigating to open files and browse local and network drives.

Other non-Office programs function normally when also browsing for files to open and do not seem to be effected.

When logged in as an Administrator, Excel and Word function normally.

Is there a preference in the users profile I can delete or something else I can do?

Thanks for any help.

 

[xlbo]

delete the .xlb file for Excel and the normaL.dot file for Word - likeliehood is that they have got corrupted

 

[pjewett]

Thank you! Can you tell me where they are located? I'm searching but can't find them anywhere.

 

[pjewett]

Is it called something else in Office 2003? I'm not finding these anywhere.

 

[Lilliabeth]

Tips to help you find normal.dot

In Word: Tools> Options, User Templates, File Locations tab

In Windows Explorer: Tools > Folder Options, View tab, Show Hidden Files and Folders

 

[xlbo]

Toolbar file for excel: search for *.xlb on the C: drive and/or within the user profile

Word: do the same but search for *.dot

 

[pjewett]

I was able to find normal.dot via Windows Exporer and delete it. This has not had an effect on the problem.

Logged in as the user, Word and Excell are still very sluggish specifically when navigating local drives and our netowrk for files via the File-Open menu. Again, when logged into the admin account they are fine.

I'm showing hidden files and folders and still can't find any file called .xlb to trash it though.

 

[fumei]

Regarding Word:

1. There can be more than one normal.dot. Make sure you have show hidden files in Explorer, and find them all. The standard one for a specific user is normally stored in C:\Document and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates...but there could be others.

2. make sure you check Tools > Templates and Addins to see if there are any global templates doing something. Also check Tools > COM Addins for any COM components. NOTE: Tools > COM Addins does NOT show in the default menu under Tools. You must explcitly add it. See Help.

Gerry

 

[pjewett]

I've made sure that I can see hidden files.

Well I was able to confirm that I had found the only normal.dot in the system and deleting/renaming it repleatedly is having no effect. Never did find a .xbl file using *.xbl as criteria on any of our systems.

However something new to add. A couple of other users are now reporting the same sluggish behavior reported above and all are reporting that it started happening in the last week or so.

We're now looking at the possiblity this was caused by a service pack recently applied though not everyone is having this problem...yet.

 

[Lilliabeth]

Could it be a mapped drive issue?

 

[tf1]

Try deleting the user's profile and creating a new one as a corrupt profile seems the most likely problem.


Regards: tf1

 

[wimvh]

I've seen similar problems with mapped network drives, as Lilliabeth already mentioned. Open a cmd prompt and type net use to check if there is an invalid mapping (share that does not exist anymore).

 

[pjewett]

It's happening to several users now and we are at the end of an Active Directory migration so the mapped drive idea sounds hot. I'll check that.

Thanks!

 

[pjewett]

It was indeed a mapped drive issue. Thank you Lilliabeth!

 

[KenWright]

Hi pjewett, please note the link at the bottom left of each posters note. It's just a small way of saying thank you, and awards the poster a star for their post. In this instance I've gone and awarded L a star for pointing everyone in the right direction.

Best wishes
Ken...........

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[yawie]

Hello,
even if the map drive can solve the problem, I previously had a good behaviour (with the error in map drive).

After changing the installation (added access to my current install) this problem has raised.

I added a new user, with this new user it works fine.

So: I think there should be an "open directory" key or parameter which make office look into the map drive any time the directory is changed. I would like to remove it but I can't find where it is.

I had the same problem with mediaplayer classic. Any file opening was veeerrrry slow. Because it was looking in the unreachable drive before anything else.