Microsoft KB Archive/214198

Knowledge Base

WD2000: Macro Virus Warning Message When Using Word

Article ID: 214198

Article Last Modified on 12/6/2000

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Word 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q214198

SYMPTOMS

When you start Word, open an existing document, or create a new document, one of the following may occur:

Case 1

The following macro virus warning message appears:

C:\<path>\<filename> contains macros.

Macros may contain viruses. It is always safe to disable macros, but if the macros are legitimate, you might lose some functionality.

Case 2

The document opens in Design mode.

CAUSE

This functionality is by design in Word 2000 and is different from earlier versions of Microsoft Word. Depending upon the security level set in Word, Word may not "trust" documents and templates even when they are stored in certain folders (as in earlier versions of Word).

This problem may occur under any of the following circumstances:

• You start Word, and a Word document or template that contain macros or ActiveX components is stored in one of the Startup folders.
  
  For example, this problem may occur when a document or template containing macros or ActiveX components is stored in either of the following default folders:

  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Startup
  
  -or-
  
  C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP

  NOTE: Your default Startup folders may be in a different location.
  
  

• You click a Word shortcut on the Windows Desktop or Windows Start menu that points to a document or template that contains macros or ActiveX components.
  
  For example, this problem may occur when you click a Word shortcut that pointed to an existing file and you may have renamed, deleted, or moved the file, causing your shortcut to become invalid. When this occurs, Windows tries to find the file, and it is possible that the shortcut may be directed to an incorrect file.
  
  This can also occur when you upgrade from one version of Word to another. Shortcuts you have may not be affected by the Word Setup program.
• You click a Word file on the Windows Desktop that contains macros or ActiveX components.
• You click New on the File menu and select a template that contains macros or ActiveX components.
  
  NOTE: When you click New on the File menu, Word shows you the Word templates that are stored in the following locations:
  • User templates path
  • Workgroup templates path
  • Templates installed by the application. The default location for Microsoft Word 2000 templates is as follows:

    C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033

    NOTE: Your Microsoft Word templates may be installed to a different folder. To view your User templates and Workgroup templates paths, click Options on the Tools menu, and then select the File Locations tab.
• You open a document or template that contains macros or ActiveX components.

NOTE: Word opens a document in Design mode when the document contains ActiveX components and the Security level is set to High. If the document does not contain macros, Word does not show the macro virus warning message described in the "Symptoms" section of this article.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use the appropriate method for your situation.

Method 1: Change the Shortcut

Change the desktop or menu shortcut to point to a file that does not contain macros or ActiveX components.

To Change a Desktop Shortcut

Use the following steps to change the file that your Windows desktop shortcut points to:

1. On the Windows desktop, right-click the Word shortcut icon.
2. On the shortcut menu, click Properties.
3. Click the Shortcut tab.
4. Change the Target and Start in paths as appropriate, and then click OK.

To Change a Windows Menu Shortcut

1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start, point to Settings, and then click Taskbar.
2. Click the Start Menu Programs tab, and then click Advanced. This takes you to the Start Menu folder.
3. Switch to the location that the menu shortcut displays.
   

For example, for Word 2000, double-click Programs. On the right side of the window, you should see a shortcut to Microsoft Word.

1. Right-click the Microsoft Word shortcut, click Properties, and then click the Shortcut tab.
2. Change the Target and Start in paths, as appropriate, and then click OK.

Method 2: Create a New Desktop File

Create a new Word file on the Windows Desktop that does not contain macros or ActiveX components to start Word.

Method 3: Change the Security Level (Not Recommended)

To change the security level in Word, do the following steps:

1. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and click Security.
2. On the Security Level tab, click to select the security level you want and click OK.
   

NOTE: Microsoft does not recommend that you select Low security. When you select Low security, you are not protected from potentially unsafe macros. Use this setting only if you have virus scanning software installed, or if you are sure all documents you open are safe.

For additional information about security levels and macro viruses, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

233396 WD2000: How to Reduce the Chances of Macro Virus Infection

MORE INFORMATION

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

211800 WD2000: What to Do If You Have a Macro Virus

211607 WD2000: Frequently Asked Questions About Word Macro Viruses

For more information about ActiveX components, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type ActiveX in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Keywords: kbvirus kbprb KB214198

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