Hi Listers, I have Works Suite 2001 and have a problem in the Word files. What I need to get rid of for good I am told is a file in "C" drive named "normal.dot". I know when this file is starting to cause trouble as it can crash my computer, it can freeze my computer, it can make my modem ping when I hit a key, it can turn in a keystroke the file I am using into a "read only file" & the only way I can work on this file is to search for the dreaded file & delete it, if it will let me.It can also control my mouse. Deleting it is only a temp measure as it continually re-appears, I have even had 3 of these files sitting at one time in my "rubbish" file. Any suggestions. Barbara

Normal.dot is the template for normal documents that you create in Word. You will need it. But you may have accidentally edited it so that it is all messed up and causing you problems. You should be able to reinstall Word and get a new, working Normal.dot file that way. You should find quite a bit in the Word help files if you search for "Template" Alfred D. Eller http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~adelr/ ====== ====== ====== ====== ----- Original Message ----- From: "KBarbara.Stirling" <KBarbara.Stirling@xtra.co.nz> To: <GEN-COMP-TIPS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2004 3:11 AM Subject: [Gen-Comp-Tips] Microsoft Word 2001 Problem > Hi Listers, > > I have Works Suite 2001 and have a problem in the Word files. > > What I need to get rid of for good I am told is a file in "C" drive named "normal.dot". > > I know when this file is starting to cause trouble as it can crash my computer, it can freeze my computer, it can make my modem ping when I hit a key, it can turn in a keystroke the file I am using into a "read only file" & the only way I can work on this file is to search for the dreaded file & delete it, if it will let me.It can also control my mouse. > > Deleting it is only a temp measure as it continually re-appears, I have even had 3 of these files sitting at one time in my "rubbish" file. > > Any suggestions. > > Barbara >

Barbara, The normal.dot file is a Word template file. I holds all the formatting information for Word to create a document. It is a needed file for Word to work. The file increases and decreases in size to suit the formatting. As you have found out, anytime it is deleted, it will be re-created when Word is next used. The problems you seem to be having seem to be more than just normal. Have you ran a FULL virus scan? Are your virus files up-to-date? You maybe infected with a "macro" virus. Also check that the Word version is up-to-date. Have you installed all patches and updates for it? It is Word 2000, in the version of Works that you have. As a last resort, re-install the Works program. Hope this helps. Art >Hi Listers, > >I have Works Suite 2001 and have a problem in the Word files. > >What I need to get rid of for good I am told is a file in "C" drive >named "normal.dot". > >I know when this file is starting to cause trouble as it can crash my >computer, it can freeze my computer, it can make my modem ping when I hit >a key, it can turn in a keystroke the file I am using into a "read only >file" & the only way I can work on this file is to search for the dreaded >file & delete it, if it will let me.It can also control my mouse. > >Deleting it is only a temp measure as it continually re-appears, I have >even had 3 of these files sitting at one time in my "rubbish" file. > >Any suggestions. > >Barbara