SYMPTOM

The menu bar with the "File", "Edit", "Insert", etc. is not displayed.
Restarting the applications or rebooting, makes no difference.

CAUSE

The normal.dot file has been corrupted or changed in some way.

SOLUTION

1. Search for the file Normal.dot.
1. From the Start menu select either the Find or Search function.
2. Search all your local drives for the Normal.dot file.
2. Delete any Normal.dot not found in the Office folder.
3. Rename the Normal.dot file found in the Office folder. (example: normal.old)
4. Restart Word.

NOTE: Recreating this file will cause all personal settings to be lost.

The normal.dot file is the global template for Microsoft Word. When you click on the FILE menu and select NEW you will see a file called "Blank Document;" this is the normal.dot file.

*Your Toolbar settings will also be defined in this file.

This file or template must be in the folder that Word expects to find it in (usually the "Office" folder), and Word will use the first normal.dot file it finds.

Using the switch parameter /a will prevent the normal.dot file from loading when you execute Word.

Viruses like "Melissa" will target and infect the normal.dot file. As a result, all subsequent new documents are infected.