Office XP Programs Stop Responding after SP2 Update

Hello,
I am so frustrated! I installed SP2 and than brought my PC up to date with all Microsoft's Updates. Now my office programs are running like #$%^! They either hang up or stop responding. I tried to use PowerPoint and got so frustrated I had to close it. After every keystroke it hung up and would stop responding.
I run Ad-ware all the time. I have Windows Firewall disabled, etc... I still have these problems with my programs. Any suggestions woud be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much.

 

Is office xp itself updated?

 

Do you happen to have any Symantec products installed? Sometimes Service pack 2 causes problems with Norton, which interfaces directly with all office programs via an office plug-in.

 

I think I might be having a similar problem, but it might be a spyware problem as well. See
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=703251#post703251

On Thursday, December 15, 2005, I installed:
1. Windows XP Update for Windows XP (KB910437)
2. Office 2002/XP Office XP Service Pack 3

I think that's when the problem with Microsoft Office and Norton Internet Security started. I tried using a restore point, but that only caused further problems so I undid the restore point.

Any suggestions?

 

OK, after two days of trying to attach a spyware problem and posting the message http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=703251#post703251, I read through the software thread and came across this thread.

Me and that poster had something in common: 1. We recently updated microsoft windows products http://update.microsoft.com/microsof....aspx?ln=en-us, 2. Microsoft Office products not working, 3. Norton Internet Security acting funny.

Here's what I did that seemed to work:

1. In Norton Internet Security, options, general, I selected manual start up.
2. I disconnected my computer from the Internet
3. I reboot my computer
4. With Norton Internet Security turned off, I opened Microsoft Word
5. Microsoft Word opened in safe mode.
6. I shut down Microsoft Word and restarted
7. IT OPENED!!!!!
8. I then manually started Norton Internet Security
9. With Norton Internet Security turned ON, I opened Microsoft Word
10. It Opened!!!!
11. In Norton Internet Security, options, general, I selected automatic start up.
12. I reconnected my computer to the Internet
13. I rebooted my computer.
14. With Norton Interent Security running and my computer connected to the internet, I tryed to open Microsoft Word
15. IT OPENED!!!

HERE IS WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED (Perhaps the experts here can confirm this)

The recent microsoft windows updateds affect Microsoft Office. If Norton Internet Security automatically boots up on restart, the Microsoft Office products (word, power point, etc.) never have a chance to fully integrate the new Microsoft Office updates. Thus, the Microsoft Office products stop working. By keeping Norton Internet Security from automatically starting in restart, the Microsoft Office products (word, power point, etc.) finally had a chance to fully integrate the new Microsoft Office updates.

Now, my computer seems to be back to normal.

 

Yes I also updated Office XP.

 

Apparently, Microsoft found this problem back in November 22, 2005: How to use Office programs with the Norton AntiVirus Office plug-in. Here's what they wrote in the article

"The Norton AntiVirus plug-in for Microsoft Office scans documents for macro virus infections in Office products. This plug-in may cause performance issues, the inability to open files within Office, or the inability to install some Office programs."

Thanks Bill Gates

MY COMMENTS ON THE ARTICLE
Method 1: Run Live Update - I did and it didn't help.

Method 2: Disable Norton AntiVirus Office plug-in
This sounds like a winner. Although Norton no longer won't scan Office documents when I open them, Norton still will scan "files" when I run, download, open, create, or delete. Besides, how often do I use Office documents other than my own? Answer: never!

Disable the Norton AntiVirus Office plug-in

1. Start Norton AntiVirus.
2. Click Options.
3. Under Other, click Miscellaneous.
4. Under How to keep Microsoft Office documents protected, click to clear the Enable Office Plug-in check box, and then click OK.
5. Restart the computer.

I'll try this and let you know whether it worked.

 

Yes, thank you for informing us of an issue that is a problem with crappy Symantec coding, not Office.


Symantec has an awesome habit of breaking crap and not telling anyone.

 

THE PROBLEM:
After updating with Microsoft Office XP Service Pack 3, my Norton Internet Security, including my Norton AntiVirus, started acting up, preventing me from using many malware and spyware applications, particularly Spybot - Search & Destroy. Norton also prevented my Microsoft Word from working (here's why).

THE SOLUTION
Disabling the Norton AntiVirus Office plug-in allowed my Microsoft Word to work. By disabling Norton Interent Security, I finally was able to install, update, and run Spybot - Search & Destroy.

WHAT I FOUND
As I suspected, my computer was massively infected with malware.

Spybot - Search & Destroy found problems:
1. Registry Cleaner - RegistryOptimizer.com
2. SearchSquire - adware/spyware
3. Sgrunt - Malware
4. My Norton Antivirus Disabled notification was turned off
5. My Norton Internet Security Disabled notification was turned off

WHY I THINK IT HAPPENED
Apparently, the authors of the above adware/spyware/malware know of the Norton/Microsoft Office/Windows Update problem and know how to take advantage of it.

THANKS
This software thread gave me the clues to figure out the problem. Thanks.

 

I completely disable Norton and installed AVG Free. I am still having performance issue with my programs, i.e., hanging up, stalling, etc... I can't even use PowerPoint it's so bad. When I open Outlook it takes forever for the the send and receive update and when I print it takes a long time before the job actually prints.
What can I do?
Thanks.

 

Hopefully, this is my last post on this saga.

I ran Norton's Automated Support Assistant at http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/home_homeoffice/index_ts.html?src=hho_us which determined that my Norton Internet Security alert/firewall settings were changed to block most anti-spyware and anti-malware programs. That's why I could not run/update many of the anti-spyware and anti-malware programs listed in this string.

Norton's Automated Support Assistant says it fixed the problem. We'll see.

 

Hi debeye,

Because your firewall was messed with, your computer probably is infected with spyware/malware.

I would first run Spybot - search & destroy
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2471.html
and

Bitdefender
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html

as those two programs found most of my spyware problems. This may give you some breathing room to really attack the problem. These may get rid of some of your spyware/malware problems, but that crap hides everywhere and you need to attack it as such.

Then I would religiously follow all the "READ & RUN ME FIRST Before Asking for Support" instructions at:

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407

Over two years, I've followed these instructions and they fixed my problem. This last time, it took me two solid days to comply with all the instructions as all the downloading and scanning take a lot of time. DO NOT SKIP ANY OF THE INSTRUCTIONS AT http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407.

 

Hi debeye,

OH, I also would stop using Outlook for your emails as that probably is how the spyware/malware on your computer is getting message out to their mother ship. And don't use Messenter either (for the same reason).

Try google mail, yahoo mail, or other free mail services.

 

This saga just doesn't end.

I thought I fixed Norton Internet Security, but I was still having problems. F-it. I uninstalled Norton Internet Security and followed the instructions at How to Protect yourself from malware!

In hindsite, I'm not sure whether I was using Norton's firewall or Windows Firewall. I assued that by installing Norton Internet Security, it would take care of everyting and use Norton's firewall.

Now I have a different firewall. I still have months to go on my Norton Internet Security subscription. Maybe I'll try to get a refund.