Microsoft KB Archive/244843

= WD2000: What Does the Word Startup Switch "/a" Really Do? =

PSS ID Number: 244843

Article Last Modified on 12/10/2002

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word 2000

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This article was previously published under Q244843



SUMMARY
This article describes what the /a switch is, what it does, and how to use it.



What Is the /a Switch?
The /a switch is a troubleshooting tool that is used to determine where a problem may exist when you are working with Microsoft Word. When you use the /a switch to start Word, the switch prevents add-ins and global templates from being loaded automatically. The /a switch also locks the setting files; that is, the setting files cannot be read or modified when you use this switch.

NOTE: The /a switch is not recommended as a normal operating startup switch. This switch prevents your preferred settings in Word from being retained and should only be used when a Microsoft Support Professional requests it, or when you need to troubleshoot Word to determine where a problem may exist.

What Specifically Does the /a Switch Bypass or Lock?
The /a switch starts Microsoft Word, bypassing or locking the following.

NOTE: The paths mentioned in the following are the default locations and may be different on your system.  Global template (Normal.dot) located in the following folder.

NOTE: Virus scanning on Normal.dot is disabled, because the Normal.dot file is not loaded.  Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me):

C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows Me with profiles enabled, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0:

C:\WINDOWS\Profiles\ \Application Data\Microsoft\Templates Microsoft Windows 2000:

C:\Documents and Settings\ \Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

NOTE: This includes any autosaved or autorecovered Normal.dot files. Templates and files located in the following Startup folder:  Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Startup

</li> Microsoft Windows Me, Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\ \Application Data\Microsoft\Word\Startup</li></ul> </li> The Temp folder. Windows uses the Temp folder to store file information before the files are saved.

 Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me:

C:\WINDOWS\Temp</li> Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me with profiles enabled, or Windows NT 4.0:

C:\WINDOWS\Profiles\ \Temp</li> Windows 2000 and Windows XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\ \Temp</li></ul> </li> Files that were added as global templates or add-ins. To locate these files in Word, click Templates and Add-Ins on the Tools menu.</li> The shortcut for Microsoft Word that is to start the program.

To locate this shortcut, click Programs on the Start menu.</li> COM add-ins.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

228856 WD2000: How to Identify Word COM Add-ins

</li> The Word Data key in the Windows Registry at the following location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Data</li> The Word Options key in the Windows Registry at the following location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Options</li> Your currently selected Microsoft Office Assistant, whose settings are located at the following Windows Registry location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Common\Assistant</li></ul>

For additional information about a known problem with some settings that are reset to their default when you use the /a switch, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

243966 WD2000: Starting Word with the "/a" Switch Resets Some Word Options

How Do I Use the /a Switch?
To start Word by using /a, follow these steps: <ol> Click Start, and then click Run.</li> In the Run dialog box, click Browse.</li> In the Browse dialog box, click Winword.exe, and then click Open.

NOTE: To locate the Winword.exe file, change the Look in box to the following folder:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office

NOTE: The Winword.exe file may be located in a different folder on your system.</li> <li>In the Run dialog box, the Open box contains a path similar to the following:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe"</li> <li>Click in the Open box, and then move the insertion point to after the closing quotation mark at the end of the path statement.</li> <li>Type a space and then type /a. The path statement should now look similar to the following:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe" /a

NOTE: The /a switch must be typed outside of the quotation marks. If it is typed inside the quotation marks, an error message similar to the following appears when you attempt to run the command:

Cannot find the file 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe /a' (or one of its components). Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available.

</li> <li>Click OK to start Word with the /a switch.</li></ol>

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