Fixing corrupt Word

**winchcombe** · 2011-09-15 12:32

When Word gets corrupted the usual solution is to find the Normal.dot file, change the name and then re-start Word to build the new default settings. Is it possible to use System Restore to achieve the same ends? Using a Restore point produced before problems start to occur often solves all sorts of problems. I suppose it all depends on whether the Normal.dot file is included in the System Restore process, or is not touched by it. Can anyone advise?

**Medico** · 2011-09-15 12:57

it is worth a try. What harm will it do?

**jscher2000** · 2011-09-15 15:55

System restore might not have the Normal.dot file in your profile's user templates folder. Is there any way to see what files System restore has stored?

**RetiredGeek** · 2011-09-15 17:16

According to the Wikipedia article on System Restore the User Profile information is included and since the Normal.dot is in the User profile area: C:\Users\Bruce\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates it should be included. Here is a MS article on System Restore.

**jscher2000** · 2011-09-15 17:38

Oh... this is actually very cleverly integrated. You can restore files to your Templates folder from System Restore (or is this a backup feature??) from the right-click context menu. Note: viewed in Windows 7, no idea whether this was present in earlier versions.

**winchcombe** · 2011-09-16 08:05

Many thanks to all those that replied to my post. With respect to jscher2000's right click menu option, I can say that I have both a Windows 7 computer and an old XP desktop. The right click menu of Windows 7 contains the "restore previous versions" selection in the list of options, which I assume means that it should restore that specific file to an earlier version. Including, possibly, the Normal.dot file. This restore option is not available in XP. My corrupt Word is, of course, on my XP computer. Perhaps I should try and correct the problem by using System Restore. I will think about this.

**thaijay** · 2011-09-21 21:37

Originally Posted by winchcombe

Many thanks to all those that replied to my post. With respect to jscher2000's right click menu option, I can say that I have both a Windows 7 computer and an old XP desktop. The right click menu of Windows 7 contains the "restore previous versions" selection in the list of options, which I assume means that it should restore that specific file to an earlier version. Including, possibly, the Normal.dot file. This restore option is not available in XP. My corrupt Word is, of course, on my XP computer. Perhaps I should try and correct the problem by using System Restore. I will think about this.

Do the two computers have the same version of Word? Are there major differences between how/what you do with the docs on the two computers? Are the templates very different?

Why not just copy the normal.dot for Win7 computer to XP computer?

**Charles Kenyon** · 2011-09-21 22:46

I think system restore is much more likely to restore other things as well. You are using a blowtorch when you want a Bic lighter.

Regenerating normal within Word is very easy. What problem is it not addressing for you that you need system restore?

**learningstill** · 2011-09-22 00:26

Hi, what Word are you using? I have MS Office 2003 and there is a Repair Facility available in Tools. I also have MS Office Professional 2007 in this comp running Vista Business and there is a Repair section under MS Tools called Diagnostic.
Doesn't MS Word have a Diagnostic or Repair section? Cheers Neil.

**winchcombe** · 2011-09-22 10:05

Some more interesting comments on this subject. My thanks again to all those who contributed. Some answers to queries:

* The Word version is 2003 on both computers.
* Charles Kenyon's point about the comparison between repairing Normal.dot and System Restore is, of course, valid. But if you have a restore point only just before the corruption occured then System Restore could be the best option - if it works. I suspect many Windows users out there are much more comfortable with SR than they are with interfering with a critically important file.
* Anyway, I have now corrected the problem by messing around with the Normal.dot file, which worked perfectly well, of course. Perhaps the next time I will try the alternative.
* My thanks again to you all. I believe the topic is exhausted now and should be closed.

**squirema** · 2011-09-27 06:27

While it doesn't appear to apply in your situation, I am using Windows 7 64-bit and that when I first installed Office 2010 as a 64-bit application and subsequently used Excel 2010 (64-bit), I was always getting corrupt worksheet errors whenever I opened certain worksheets that I had created on that same PC. The solution was to uninstall Office 2010 and then reinstall it as a 32-bit application. That completely cleared up my corruption problem. If I used Word 2010 more often, I might have had that same problem there.

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