microsoft word on mac doesn't work anymore.

Post Reply New Topic

every time i try and launch it, this message pops up. resetting the app settings doesnt work, like the computer suggested. i need it for school, how do i fix it? X/

Looks like something's corrupted. I'd look into checking it over - awaits Mac Guru... Those are not my area of expertise.

That's one cool desktop

*joins Keith in waiting for mac guru*

thank you. . i like zombehz

In the meantime if you desperately need to get something done, use OpenOffice. It is mostly compatible with MS Word.

To try and fix Word: I assume you have a working license key and an installation CD.
Do the other components of Office still work? One thing that may work is just reinstalling Word, or Office entirely. Just dragging it to the Trash won't work, though, as it leaves behind all sorts of nasty messes which are probably the cause of your problem anyways. Download and install AppTrap so that when you delete Word, it will also delete all associated program files (not your .doc files, though, don't worry) and leave your system clean for a new installation of Word.

i installed...now i must find the cd. :/.
thank you for providing a quick link

Does work if you hold down the shift key while starting word?

nope. :/

I'm running MS Word on two Macs, one with 10.4 (Tiger) and the other with 10.5 (Leopard). Word does occasionally quit unexpectedly, but runs when and how I want it to.

OpenOffice is a good free alternative, and iWork is an inexpensive option too.

Meanwhile, I assume you've swept your system for nasties (viruses, trojans, et al.) and secured your system too. Word is a point of vulnerability, and though rarely a problem in this way, it shouldn't be overlooked. ClamXav is a good, reliable, and free tool for this purpose.

As Orwell suggested, if you install Word, make sure you remove all the associated preference files. Or you can simply delete those and launch Word, which itself will recreate the default files (MS Word 2008 does this; I'm not sure 2004 does it).

Hope you get it up and running soon.

That is the better and more reliable way of doing it, especially if you don't have your CD handy. Unfortunately, I don't know where MS Word stores its preference files on OSX, hence my suggestion of the automated AppTrap. One tricky option you could try: install Apptrap, move Word to the trash, and AppTrap will remove the preferences files for you. Then take Word back out of the trash and put it back in your Applications folder. AppTrap will not dig its preferences files back out, so they'll still be gone. Now there are no preferences files, so Word will have to create them on next launch- it should be like a clean install of Word.

it didnt work! should i do a virus/trojan scan, then?

Word is supposed to ignore all existing settings if you start it while holding the shift key, so it's not too surprising deleting the preference files alone won't fix it.

Have you tried reinstalling it?

Does it work before? Did the problem occur after something is installed? Usually, it's plugins that cause this kind of problem.

btw virus scan is never a bad thing to do.

whats a plugin, exactly?

You could always use ClarisWorks.

I don't know of any that target Word for Mac, but go ahead if you want to. ClamXav probably won't break anything.

If you've deleted the preferences and reinstalled Word, I have no idea what could have caused it to stop working.

...should i do it again? XD

I mean any software that install something to extend word, from adding a toolbar to providing extra functions.
eg: translation tools, voice recognition software, addition file formats, ...