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Word 2003 -- Normal.dot corruption


__RonR

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Notes on Office 2003 Cleaning Corruption

 

I have Office 2003 installed on XPPro-SP3. Under APPLICATIONS, when Office 2003 is checked, custom settings in Word 2003 get corrupted. Custom options and toolbars are saved in the Normal.dot template, but when CCleaner is run, customizations get corrupted. Checking 'Office 2003' will corrupt "SOME" custom settings in Word's Normal.dot template. This ScreenShot shows the Apps tab and my system specs.CCleanerShot-10k.pdf

 

Corruption occurs on CLEAN even if ANALYSIS shows no items to be cleaned.

 

Corruption affects certain SAVE, PRINT and VIEW Options in Word 2003. It does not affect custom Toolbars or Autotext entries.

 

The Normal.dot template itself does not seem corrupted since the custom toolbars, autotext entries and some of the options ARE retained. Rather, it seems that something is preventing Word from recognizing certain customizations, particularly the VIEW, SAVE, EDIT, TRACKING and PRINT options. Simply resetting the custom Options does NOT fix the problem (Word doesn't save Normal.dot) until a change is also made to the Toolbar customizations. Then, Word will save Normal.dot on exit and again maintain ALL custom settings until the next time CCleaner is run (with Office 2003 checked).

 

I discovered this problem with Version 2.33. After upgrading to 3.0, the problem still exists. I can repeat this problem with 100% predictable results as follows:

 

Run CCleaner w/o "Office 2003" checked. Run Registry Clean. Clean everything shown. Repeat many times. Custom settings in Word are fine. Clean everything, including registry one more time, then immediately run ANALYSIS only with Office 2003 checked. Analysis will show NO Itmes to clean. Check Word again -- still normal.

 

Finally, run CCleaner with Office 2003 checked (Analysis shows nothing to Clean, remember). Now, Word's custom settings are disfunctional.

 

Unchecking Office 2003 solves the problem. Fortunately, checking Office 2007 seems to clean many of the same Temp files, without corrupting Word 2003's access to Normal.dot.

 

I don't believe the Normal.dot file itself gets corrupted. Word still gets custom Toolbars correctly. Deleting Normal.dot resets everything to default and Word saves a new Normal.dot template. Replacing my custom Normal.dot with a backup copy does not fix the problem.

 

The only way I been able to fix it is to Reset all my corrupted customizations AND change a Toolbar setting to FORCE Word to SAVE Normal.dot on exit.

 

Then everything is fine as long as I never check the Office 2003 option in CCleaner.

 

Sorry this is so long, but I really tried to do exhaustive analysis before posting.

 

Any thoughts? Anything else I should test? __RonR

__RonR

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--- Upgrade to CC version 3.00

--- CC (CrapCleaner) does show all the files that are to be wiped/are wiped but it does NOT show the registry entries/info that are/is (to be) wiped. And all versions of MS Office store nearly all info in the registry. So, that's quite normal.

--- You can customize what CC wipes by writing your own winapp.ini files. CC uses a embedded script which tells CC which files to wipe and what info to wipe from the Windows registry.

More info on how to proceed is to be found in this thread:

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=29970

Although it refers to MS Office 2010 the (approximate) same procedure can be applied to Office 2003.

 

I hope this provides the answer. In any case, post in this thread whether my reply did help you or not.

System setup: http://speccy.piriform.com/results/gcNzIPEjEb0B2khOOBVCHPc

 

A discussion always stimulates the braincells !!!

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I DID upgrade to Version 3.0.

 

I am somewhat familiar with Winapp2.ini, but that process is more a workaround than a solution. CCleaner should NOT have to be fine tuned in order to keep from corrupting customizations of an application.

 

I am NOT going to the trouble of selecting each specific Reg Key that gets deleted or saved by CCleaner ... especially when (as you stated in the other post) "...one has to modify winapp1.ini every time a new version of CC is released..."

 

CCleaner has been criticized by some as being TOO agressive. My issue illustrates why people think that way. CCleaner (formerly CRAP Cleaner) should default to cleaning JUST the CRAP! Those of us that customize our applications DO NOT consider losing those cusomizations as "cleaning."

 

Maybe my issue isn't a bug, but it certainly IS a configuration issue. On the APPS tab of CCleaner, an ordinary user should expect CCleaner to clean ONLY truly dispensible files (typically those in TEMP locations and/or with *.tmp extensions). Power users should fine tune for more agressive cleaning -- not the other way around.

 

For now, the Office 2007 check mark analyzes and clears most of Word 2003's Temp and Recent files without corrupting my customizations. That's what I want. Just seems to me that CCleaner should work that way by DEFAULT. If the APPS tab cannot be trusted, it becomes USELESS for the average user. I hope the movers and shakers (and sympathetic users) will see it that way, too.

__RonR

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So are you saying that Word 2007 cleans 2003 version fine?

 

I wonder how the cleanup scripts compare.

 

Wonder if whoever is in charge can verify if 2007 cleans 2003 properly, & if so, maybe use the script for 2007 & simply add it again with the title 2003?

 

I haven't had time to compare them, so maybe someone else can clear this up for us.

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They shouldn't work completely together due to how they're detected!

 

Detection for Office 2003, version 11.0:

Detect=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common

Detection for Office 2007, version 12.0:

Detect=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common

Detection for Office 2010, version 14.0:

Detect=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Common

They all however have this cleaned, it's 100% identical:

FileKey1=%appdata%\Microsoft\Office\Recent|*.*

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They all however have this cleaned, it's 100% identical:

FileKey1=%appdata%\Microsoft\Office\Recent|*.*

I can verify that both Office 2003 and 2007 clean the same RECENT files entries. In fact, when both APPS are checked, Anaysis reports the entries twice, once under each of the two apps.

 

I don't have Office 2007, but I DO have the 2007 Compatibility Pack. Both the 'discovery' reg keys (..\11.0\Common and ..\12.0\Common) are on my system.

 

The Recent files entries are the only items I remember ever seeing show up when either or both Office 2003 and 2007 are 'Analyzed.' Since they clean the same Recent file items, only one needs to be checked.

 

This still doesn't answer the question: Why does cleaning Office 2003 break Word's custom option settings? There must be some other key that gets wiped out. I am not familiar enough with how Word stores the options, nor in what "scripts" CCleaner uses, to investigate any deeper myself. I hope somebody can resolve this.

__RonR

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This still doesn't answer the question: Why does cleaning Office 2003 break Word's custom option settings? There must be some other key that gets wiped out.

It's because when CCleaner and most other cleaning tools offer to clean the Office MRU. However the MRU list is buried inside of Office's settings in the Windows registry, which unfortunately wipes out Word's settings just to clean the MRU. About the only option if you don't want the Office settings to disappear is to untick Office cleaning in CCleaner.

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However the MRU list is buried inside of Office's settings in the Windows registry, which unfortunately wipes out Word's settings just to clean the MRU. About the only option if you don't want the Office settings to disappear is to untick Office cleaning in CCleaner.

 

With all due respect, this explanation does not hold water. If ticking Office 2007 can clean the MRUs without wiping out Word 2003 settings, there should be no reason that a tick mark on Office 2003 can't do the same. If all that gets cleaned is the MRUs, and the MRU reg keys are common to the two versions, then there must be something additional that CCleaner is "cleaning" that it maybe shouldn't.

 

I have, for now, unticked 2003 but left 2007 ticked. That cleans the MRUs. Would be interesting to know if someone with Office 2007 has similar issues with customizations getting wiped by CCleaner.

 

I hate to belabor this issue, but I still believe CCleaner should NOT corrupt Office 2003 simply to clean out the MRUs, at least not by default. This is especially true because the 2007 version does it just fine. If ALL that CCleaner is supposed to clean is the MRUs, then the scripts for the two versions should be identical. Again, I don't know how to view or manipulate CCleaner's default scripts.

__RonR

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CCleaner wipes out settings, it's a known fact with Office 2003 and has been posted about many times over the years.

 

This is the reason why in Word 2003 the settings are wiped out, it's in CCleaner's default Office 2003 cleaner:

RegKey10=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Data|Settings

 

Edit:

And the |Settings at the end is where Word stores things!

 

The whole Office 2003 cleaner looks like this:

[Office 2003]
ID=2048
LangSecRef=3021
Detect=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common
Default=True
FileKey1=%appdata%\Microsoft\Office\Recent|*.*
RegKey1=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Excel\Recent Files
RegKey2=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\Open Find\Microsoft Office Word\Settings\Save As\File Name MRU
RegKey3=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\PowerPoint\Recent File List
RegKey4=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Publisher\Recent File List
RegKey5=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\InfoPath\Recent File List
RegKey6=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\Internet\Server Cache
RegKey7=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\Internet|UseRWHlinkNavigation
RegKey8=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\MSPaper 11.0\Persist File Name
RegKey9=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\MSPaper 11.0\Recent File List
RegKey10=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Data|Settings
RegKey11=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile1
RegKey12=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile2
RegKey13=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile3
RegKey14=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile4
RegKey15=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile5
RegKey16=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile6
RegKey17=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile7
RegKey18=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile8
RegKey19=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Contact|QuickFindMRU
RegKey20=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Contact|StripSearchMRU
RegKey21=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Preferences|LocationMRU

 

This is the Office 2007 cleaner built into CCleaner:

[Office 2007]
ID=2049
LangSecRef=3021
Detect=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common
Default=True
FileKey1=%appdata%\Microsoft\Office\Recent|*.*
RegKey1=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common\Open Find\Microsoft Office Word\Settings\Save As\File Name MRU
RegKey2=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\File MRU
RegKey3=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Excel\File MRU
RegKey4=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Access\Settings|MRU1
RegKey5=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Access\Settings|MRU2
RegKey6=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Access\Settings|MRU3
RegKey7=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Access\Settings|MRU4
RegKey8=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Access\Settings|MRU5
RegKey9=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Access\Settings|MRU6
RegKey10=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Access\Settings|MRU7
RegKey11=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Access\Settings|MRU8
RegKey12=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\PowerPoint\File MRU
RegKey13=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common\Open Find\Microsoft Office PowerPoint\Settings\Save As\File Name MRU
RegKey14=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common\Open Find\Microsoft Office InfoPath\Settings\Open\File Name MRU
RegKey15=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common\Open Find\Microsoft Office InfoPath\Settings\Save As\File Name MRU
RegKey16=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common\Open Find\Microsoft Office Excel\Settings\Save As\File Name MRU
RegKey17=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Common\Open Find\Microsoft Office Publisher\Settings\Save As\File Name MRU
RegKey18=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Publisher\Recent File List
RegKey19=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\InfoPath\Recent File List

 

If you wish to investigate the cleaners more on your own you can try the freeware Resource Hacker (which is what I used to extract the cleaners in the code above), and open the CCleaner.exe file in it then go into the INI section.

 

You could always exclude the Word settings using CCleaner's Exclude registry location feature, would look like this:

92fc032b95ad.png

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I user 2007 at the moment, & I no longer have 2003 to test it with.

 

I am going to take a guess & say that it is probably this key that is causing the problem when erased:

RegKey2=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\Open Find\Microsoft Office Word\Settings\Save As\File Name MRU

 

Test this by making sure Office 2003 settings are like you want.

Then go to start/run & type regedit & hit enter.

 

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\Open Find\Microsoft Office Word\Settings

Right click the key & choose export.

 

Next time you run CCleaner, double-click the registry key you just exported to re-import the old settings & see if Office still has the same problem.

If this fixes it, you can use this as a stop-gap measure till it gets fixed.

 

Alternatively, if this is the right key, you can automate the run CCleaner/re-import the registry key silently via a few options using .bat files or WinRar SFX.

If this does help with your problem, please post back here so I can know it helped.

 

Thanks!

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Mr. Don is not correct, the key he points to is the "last saved directory"

 

Sadly MS Word 2003 keeps it's most recent files within it's settings regestry key. The offending key is HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Data\Settings

which is removed by the Microsoft office setting in CCleaner

 

You stated

I am somewhat familiar with Winapp2.ini, but that process is more a workaround than a solution. CCleaner should NOT have to be fine tuned in order to keep from corrupting customizations of an application.

 

However there is nothing ccleaner can do about this

Microsoft programmed MSWord 2003 BADLY. They decided to save the settings in the same place as the recently opened list. More people want the recently opened list cleaned than they want/have custom view settings, thus it is a benifit that ccleaner removes this entry.

 

since you would rather keep those settings (understandably) here is an easy work around:

 

Add the following entry to your Winapp2.ini file (note, as stated above, this will probably stop ccleaner's ablility to remove the most recent opened files list for microsoft word 2003) and uncheck ccleaner's Office 2003 entry

[Office 2003 *Leave Word Alone*]
ID=2048
LangSecRef=3021
Detect=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common
Default=True
FileKey1=%appdata%\Microsoft\Office\Recent|*.*
RegKey1=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Excel\Recent Files
RegKey2=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\Open Find\Microsoft Office Word\Settings\Save As\File Name MRU
RegKey3=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\PowerPoint\Recent File List
RegKey4=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Publisher\Recent File List
RegKey5=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\InfoPath\Recent File List
RegKey6=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\Internet\Server Cache
RegKey7=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Common\Internet|UseRWHlinkNavigation
RegKey8=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\MSPaper 11.0\Persist File Name
RegKey9=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\MSPaper 11.0\Recent File List
RegKey10=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile1
RegKey11=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile2
RegKey12=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile3
RegKey13=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile4
RegKey14=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile5
RegKey15=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile6
RegKey16=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile7
RegKey17=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Visio\Application|LastFile8
RegKey18=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Contact|QuickFindMRU
RegKey19=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Contact|StripSearchMRU
RegKey20=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Preferences|LocationMRU

 

EDIT: From my tests the removal of this key (from the Office entry) does seem to leave the view settings intact. I placed my word program in normal view mode (instead of print layout) and cleaned using the original entry. this reverted my Word to printlayout and removed the thumbnails view I added in normal layout.

I then tested my entry from above and the settings remained (as did the recent documents list). I am also confused why you have office 2007 listed on your ccleaner as you have office 2003.

 

ADVICE FOR USING CCleaner'S REGISTRY INTEGRITY SECTION

DON'T JUST CLEAN EVERYTHING THAT'S CHECKED OFF.

Do your Registry Cleaning in small bits (at the very least Check-mark by Check-mark)

ALWAYS BACKUP THE ENTRY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL BREAK IF YOU DON'T.

Support at https://support.ccleaner.com/s/?language=en_US

Pro users file a PRIORITY SUPPORT via email support@ccleaner.com

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...or another way to stop Word from storing MRU data ("recently opened/saved documents") if that's what someone wants is to:

Configure Word itself to not create any MRU's by unticking "Recently used file list" located in Tools->Options->General

 

Screenshot:

64eab2ae0f72.png

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