Some problems, "bugs," or minor
annoyances are usually fixed by Corel and included in a Service
Pack (a/k/a
an "SP" or "patch") for specific versions of the program.
See "What
'version' of WordPerfect do I have and what updates/patches are
available?" This WordPerfect Universe FAQ pertains
to WordPerfect 7and later versions. It is updated periodically as new
versions and patches are released.
Updating WordPerfect is an often
neglected procedure (even though it generally is easy to do) on the
theory that "if it ain't broke don't fix it." This is your choice, of
course, but this author has rarely seen a problem with a Service Pack,
and when one surfaces it is fixed almost immediately.
Note: Users who bought the initial release of
WordPerfect 11 (version
11.0.0.233 as shown in Help, About...) should seriously consider
applying Service Packs. See here
for the reasons and "how to" procedures.
What about trying to repair or reinstall
the program?
After
backing
up important WordPerfect program files so you can restore or migrate
your customizations later -
For repairing WordPerfect
7,8,9: You can use PFREG,
"...a Corel utility that can be used to unregister and register
PerfectFit components in the Windows registry. Running it can solve a
variety of problems and is a common troubleshooting recommendation."
For repairing WordPerfect
10 and later: You can use the Microsoft Installer (.msi),
typically through the Windows Control Panel's Add or Remove
Programs applet in Windows XP (in Vista/Windows7 you can use
Start, Control Panel, Programs, Uninstall a program; choose the
WordPerfect program and click Uninstall/Change; then choose Repair).
You can also right-click the appropriate .MSI file and choosing Repair.
[Alternatively, insert your CD and when the new installation screen
appears, you should be given three choices, variously named Typical
installation, Repair, and Custom installation. Choose Repair.]
Uninstalling and
reinstalling WordPerfect is considered to be "the solution of last
resort." (For example, an uninstall does not remove files which you
have modified -- this includes the default
template file. If it is corrupted, the re-installed program
will use the corrupted file. So, you should relocate or rename the
default template file before uninstalling the program.)
Before beginning
an uninstall, see the tips here
about backing up your customizations so you can migrate them to the
reinstalled program. Then, if you wish to completely remove all traces
of the program go to the Corel support website at http://corel.force.com/index/
and search under WordPerfect Office for "uninstall," "manually remove," or other similar term.
For example, you should be able to find a page on manually
(and completely) uninstalling WordPerfect by searching for "4352" (for
WPX4), "4657" (for WPX5), "13709" (for WPX6) or just "How to remove
WordPerfect." The procedures there are more thorough than using the
Control Panel to uninstall the program (which in most cases is sufficient).
If WordPerfect won't open or
displays a document in a strange way, try this tip from
Charles Rossiter (Corel C_Tech):
"You need to have
set up [in Windows] a default printer. Actually you can install any
printer, even if you do not have the physical printer. Basically, the
printer driver defines the interface between WPWin and the printer.
With no printer installed, WPWin does not know how to format the
document for printing, and so it also does not know how to display the
document."
Restore factory defaults:
From Corel's http://corel.force.com/index/
article 3461 (old ID: 201735):
"In some cases,
Wordperfect's default installation may become corrupt or damaged
preventing the application from launching, or working properly. This
document will restore factory defaults by renaming
Wordperfect's configuration files (which are stored in your Windows
User Profile).
... [More]
...
... Quoted (as of Nov 2011) in Footnote 1 [below]
This procedure
simply renames the relevant Registry
key (in case it -- or any sub-key --is corrupt), as well as the Windows
profile (Corel) subfolder. WordPerfect will create them again
when next it loads. Hence, this is a "fix" for corrupt profile settings.
[Note that
several other important files are automatically recreated if they are
manually renamed or deleted, such as the default
template. But this is often done as a remedy for a corrupt WordPerfect
template, which is not the same as fixing a corrupt Windows
profile -- which is a database of user
folders, files, and some other user settings.]
It probably
should be emphasized that you should rename the
items described in the above Corel article, since deleting the profile
will delete any customized user files in it -- such as the default
template, which contains toolbars, keyboard definitions, menus, etc. If
you rename these folders or files, you can often restore customizations
from the renamed items. This is discussed here.
Barry
MacDonnell's
Repairing 'bad' or damaged WordPerfect program files