I have Windows 10 and have both Microsoft Office (old version - 2007) and Libre Office. I have a problem develop where Word freezes or gets hung while trying to open a document (.docx specifically although it also often gets stuck on .doc files also). Libre Writer also has the same problem of getting stuck while tyring to open a .docx file, although it seems to have no problem with .doc files.
This issue seems connected to my user profile, though, since I can open these same troublesome documents when I log on as a different user.
I recently did a complete reinstall of Windows 10 (clean install - wiped out everything on my drive) after this problem surfaced as I read some things about corrupted user profiles causing similar issues.
Anyway, at first everything seemed fine, but then the same problem started. I noticed an application I had installed after which the problems started, so I uninstalled that software and after a computer restart everything was working fine, but then the problem started again. I uninstalled the same software but this time it didn’t fix anything.
To me there obviously is something about my user profile that is causing this issue, but short of switching to another profile is there a way I can narrow down the specific cause of this issue to see if it can be solved? I like the technical knowledge to do that and am asking in case anyone out there can help me.
Really the only way to determine what is causing it outside of both office suites is to test in between installing the other programs you suspect are causing the issue (i.e. Install your office suites, TEST thoroughly, install next program, TEST thoroughly, install next program, TEST thoroughly, etc. It can be a long process particularly when the problem is intermittent.
Having said that, if possible upgrade each program to the latest versions as bug fixes between version may solve the issue also.
When you install LibreOffice then use the “custom” installation. Then the installation wizard shows you a page where you can uncheck the options to open docx/xlsx/pptx by LibreOffice. [For the other pages in the wizard you can simply click on Next.]
Finally found the solution. My earlier fix of reinstalling Libreoffice was only temporary. At home I print on a networked computer. The computer is connected to my wife’s computer and I am able to print on it from my laptop via my home wifi. This printer is the default printer in Windows. I guess whenever the other laptop/printer was not on, Word/Librewriter somehow couldn’t handle the fact that they couldn’t find that printer, so they would freeze. I changed the default Windows printer to “Microsoft Print to PDF” and now everything’s working fine.
Installing the printer manufacturers own print driver rather than relying on the generic one that comes with Windows generally solves the issue of the the two minute wait for Windows to say the printer is not available.