View Full Version : Microsoft Word problem! Need help NOW!
Sofa King Kool
10-08-2008, 12:45 PM
I have a very, very important paper due in about an hour, but I can't finish it OR print it because Microsoft Word is giving me some error message I've never seen before, stating "The file Normal already exists. Do you want to replace the existing file?"
What the fuck does that mean?! Every time I try to open any of my papers, it tells me that they're "unavailable", and every time I try to close Word, I get "The file Normal already exists. Do you want to replace the existing file?" I tried uninstalling/reinstalling and I'm still getting the same error. I really have no idea what happened to it, because, as of 11 o'clock last night, it was working just fine.
I need help NOW or I'm fucked. Any help is GREATLY appreciated.
You could try downloading OpenOffice.Org at that URL and use that to finish your paper.
Sofa King Kool
10-08-2008, 01:12 PM
Right now I'm using notepad, but I need to write another paper later, so I really need this fixed.
n25philly
10-08-2008, 01:54 PM
What version of word. I've seen this before and it's not a major problem, the error you are getting has to do with one of the templates in word.
As for the openoffice suggestion, that's like taking a dump in your hand and trying to write with it. If you want a free word alternative use Abiword
Sofa King Kool
10-08-2008, 02:05 PM
I'm using Office 2003. That's the version they sell at my university. Not really sure why they never upgraded.
I figured it had something to do with the templates because it kept directing me to some template folder. I just have no idea how to fix it, or how it even got changed in the first place.
I finished typing my paper in notepad, but I still really need to get this fixed...
thekeybladewars
10-08-2008, 02:14 PM
When you click "yes" to replace the existing file, what does it say?
n25philly
10-08-2008, 02:27 PM
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA011514521033.aspx
just click no and change the name.
Sofa King Kool
10-08-2008, 05:06 PM
When you click "yes" to replace the existing file, what does it say?
It doesn't say anything, Word just closes.
Machine
10-08-2008, 05:18 PM
1. Exit Word
2. Run a search and find the file named "normal.dot" - rename the file to something like "normalold.dot"
3. Restart Word and let it create a new "normal.dot" template
4. Hopefully this will solve the problem
Sofa King Kool
10-08-2008, 05:30 PM
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA011514521033.aspx
None of those worked :-(
1. Exit Word
2. Run a search and find the file named "normal.dot" - rename the file to something like "normalold.dot"
3. Restart Word and let it create a new "normal.dot" template
4. Hopefully this will solve the problem
Search turned up empty.
*EDIT*
Found the folder myself. Changed the name and it didn't work. Word created a new "Normal" file and it's giving me the same error.
Drizzt
10-08-2008, 06:03 PM
I kinda doubt this is the problem you're experiencing but just in case, under Tools->Options->File Locations tab is there anything under the Workgroup templates? If so clear it out. Just to be safe, make sure your User Templates are mapped to a location on your local hard drive. Once again, I doubt there's anything wrong in either of those settings, but just wanted to throw it out there.
Sofa King Kool
10-08-2008, 07:54 PM
I kinda doubt this is the problem you're experiencing but just in case, under Tools->Options->File Locations tab is there anything under the Workgroup templates? If so clear it out. Just to be safe, make sure your User Templates are mapped to a location on your local hard drive. Once again, I doubt there's anything wrong in either of those settings, but just wanted to throw it out there.
There are three things underneath Workgroup Templates:
AutoRecover files
Tools
Startup
They all sound important...
Drizzt
10-09-2008, 01:22 PM
There are three things underneath Workgroup Templates:
AutoRecover files
Tools
Startup
They all sound important...
I meant if you had anything mapped for your workgroup templates. It should be blank by default. To the right of Workgroup Templates is the location that it would be mapped to, and by default there is nothing mapped there since it's only useful in a work place setting. Your user templates should show something like "C:\...\Microsoft\Templates" to the right of it. I'm not sure if reinstalling Office 2003 resets these mappings to their defaults, but I did run into the problem with Office 2000 in the past where some genius had people mapping their User Templates to the same folder as the Workgroup Templates which caused all sorts of problems including prompting about saving Normal.dot as well as crashing Word upon start up. We had to go into the registry to fix it as reinstalling Office 2000 retained the template mapping settings. That's mainly why I just threw it out there, though I still doubt that's the problem you're experiencing.