Office 2011 Mac - Unable to save Word files, plus normal.dot alert errors

Question

There are actually 3 errors here.

1. When I open Word, I get:

Word cannot open the existing global template. ()

2. If I create a file, type a character and try to save to the desktop (that I have no problems writing to otherwise), I get:

Word cannot save or create this file. The disk may be full or write-protected.

Try one or more of the following: * Free more memory * Make sure that the disk you want to save the file on is not full, write-protected, or damaged. ()

3. I am just saving to the desktop, and I can save excel files (or anything else) there. After the failure, if I save again, the default file name becomes: .doc...doc Weird.

4. Finally, when I close word completely, I get: Do you want to replace the existing Normal.dotm.

Solution 1

I have had the same issue, and also have an SSD.

The solution was to rename the hard drive so it differs from the user name (Apparently there is a bug where the user's foldername and hard drive name cannot be the same).

Solution 2

I had this problem, and tracked it down to the language setting on the Mac. If I set the preferred language to Irish on the Mac, then this problem happens, if I change back to English and restart the Mac the problem goes away. A Amadáin Microsoft!!!

[Mac Office 2011 v14.4.5, MacBook Air running OS X 10.10]

Comments

[Admin]

Have you tried removing and reinstalling Office for Mac?

[HikeMike]

What do you respond to that final dialog? Have you tried pressing all options?

[Jeff D]

I have reinstalled, to no effect.

[Jeff D]

Daniel, I've tried answering with both options. I believe the problem may have something to do with security. The security on the Office folder in apps didn't list me initially as the owner. Fixing that didn't help though. The flaw in that thinking of course, is that I can save files in excel... I'm very confused. Perhaps I need to check the security on those .dot files.

[Jeff D]

Ah, ok new information. I CAN save to the /Applications/Microsoft Office folder from Word.

[CodeKiwi]

This was the fix for me, somehow my local disk had been renamed to random characters (possibly the cat walking on the keyboard).