Word crashes when I perform a simple copy and paste or select and drag?

Anonymous

Why does Word crash when I perform a simple copy and paste or select and drag?

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous

Here is the solution to your Copy - Paste nightmares.... The word software needs to be reset. Don't panic you won't lose your documents.

Step (1) Close all your open programs

Step (2) Open Finder

Step (3) Press and Hold Option button, then click GO on the top tool bar. Keep holding the Option button down and click on Library

Step (4) In the Library, click on Preferences

Step (5) Look for the file com.microsoft.word.plist

Step (6) Move the file to your desktop

Step (7) Close the Library file

Step (8) Open Word again, this will take you through a Welcome screen. Which means your word software is reset.

This fix has worked for me for over a week now and the Save button is thanking me! Keep the .plist file on your desktop, if something hits the fan you can always reset your settings.

Good luck fellow pasters!

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Anonymous

I just found this on the net & it works for me on text pasted from a web page. In word use edit, paste special and select unformatted

good luck!

Try Paste Special.

Press ALT/CTRL/V.
Select Unformatted Text in the As list box.
Click OK.

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Jim G 134.1K MVP

It turns out the Java malware problem was widespread. As you can see from the thread there are several possible causes of the problem. If you want assistance solving your particular problem, post a new question with as much detail as you can supply about your system, update level of Word and Mac OS X, what sort of thing you're trying to copy that causes the crash, a bit of the crash log, etc.

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74 additional answers

Anonymous

2011-12-16T14:31:43+00:00

I applied the workaround some fellow provide in this discussion - I add the workaround also below. It is helping for a while and it has saved me from crashes. It doesn't resolve fully the problem since eventually after a period of time the crash problems return. At this point i apply the procedure which helps again for a sometime. The recurrence of the problem i would say depends on the time of use of the application and the size of the opened documents. In my case it varies from 2 to 3 weeks.

I am using Mac OS X 10.6.8 and I have no intention of upgrading to Lion.

Here is the procedure - replace 'kostas' with your user name.

Step (1) Close all your open programs - at least MS Office

Step (2) Open Finder

Step (3) Go to "kostas/Library/Preferences"

Step (4) Look for the file com.microsoft.word.plist

Step (5) Move the file to your desktop - you can delete it later once Word opens successfully

Step (6) Open Word again, this will take you through a Welcome screen = Software reset.
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Anonymous

2011-12-16T19:37:24+00:00
Has anyone found out more about this problem? Has Microsoft addressed it? Here is everything I have tried to solve the problem:
1. Run a virus scan (nada)
2. Deleted Word preferences (nope)
3. Repaired disk permissions (right)
4. Repaired disc (guess)
As soon as I get through this flurry of documents my company is relying on me to produce, I intend to wipe my hard drive and do a clean reinstall of system and all applications. But I am pretty sure what the outcome will be.

If there is anyone at Microsoft who watches this thread, please post a workaround to this problem--or at least when to expect an update that addresses this (December 16, 2011.)
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