OFF97: Office Assistant Window Appears Off the Screen

• Microsoft Office 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Access 97
• Microsoft PowerPoint 97 For Windows
• Microsoft Outlook 97

Q132332 How to Back Up the Registry

SYMPTOMS

In the programs listed at the beginning of this article, when you click the Office Assistant tool on the Standard toolbar, the Office Assistant may appear off the screen. Because you cannot see the Office Assistant window, it is not possible to move it back onto the screen.

CAUSE

This problem may occur if the Office Assistant window is located in a position on the screen that is visible only when you use a high-level video resolution (for example, 1024 x 768). Note that this position is not visible when you use a low-level video resolution (for example, 640 x 480).

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem, use either of the following methods:

• Use the Display control panel icon to switch to a higher video resolution. To do this, follow these steps:
  
  
  1. On the Start menu, point to Settings and click Control Panel. Then, double-click Display.
  
  
  
  2. Click the Settings tab.
  
  
  
  3. Move the Desktop Area or Screen Area slider to the right to increase the resolution.
  
  
  
  4. Click OK. If you are prompted to restart the computer, do so.
  
  
  
  If the Office Assistant window appears on the screen, move it towards the upper-left corner of the screen. After you have moved the Office Assistant window, you can use the Display control panel to switch back to the lower video resolution.
  
  -or-



• Reset the keys in the registry that control the location of the Office Assistant window.
  
  WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  
  For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).
  
  
  1. Quit all of the following Microsoft Office programs:

     Microsoft Excel
     Microsoft PowerPoint
     Microsoft Word
     Microsoft Outlook
     Microsoft Access
     Microsoft Office Binder

  
  
  
  2. On the Start menu, click Run. In the Open box, type "regedit" (without the quotation marks). Click OK.
  
  
  
  3. In the left pane, click the plus signs (+) to the left of the following items (in order):

     HKEY_CURRENT_USER
     Software
     Microsoft
     Office
     8.0
     Common

     Then, select the folder to the left of "Assistant."
  
  
  
  4. In the right pane, select AsstLeft. On the Edit menu, click Modify. In the Value Date box, enter the value 0. Click OK.
  
  
  
  5. In the right pane, select AsstTop. On the Edit menu, click Modify. In the Value Date box, enter the value 0. Click OK.
  
  
  
  6. On the Registry menu, click Exit.
  
  
  
  When you start a Microsoft Office program and click the Office Assistant tool, the Office Assistant window should appear in the very upper-left corner of the screen (position 0, 0). You can then move the Office Assistant window to any desired location.

Additional query words: OFF97 XL97 WD97 AC97 PP97 OL97

Keywords          : offassist offhelp 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb 

Last Reviewed: May 25, 1999