WD97: No Macro Warning Opening File Attached to Template Containing Macros

ID: Q214652

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When you open a document file that is attached to a template containing macros, the macro virus warning message may not appear. Word provides a macro warning message when a document containing a macro is opened; however, if that document is attached to a non-trusted template that contains a macro, no warning is issued.

Microsoft Word considers documents and templates that are stored in either the user templates or workgroup templates folder as trusted or free of unwanted macro viruses. To determine where Word is storing your trusted user and workgroup templates, click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the File Locations tab.


RESOLUTION

To protect your existing and future documents from Word macro viruses, you should download and run the Word Template Security Patch. After installing the patch, you will receive a warning when you open a document attached to a non-trusted template that contains a macro. Installing the patch will not disable the use of templates or macros in templates.

The Word Template Security Patch is designed to patch Microsoft Word 97 Service Release 1 (SR-1) and Service Release 2 (SR-2) installations. Original (base) Microsoft Word 97 installations must first be patched with SR-1. For additional information about obtaining SR-1 or SR-2, please see the More Information section of this article.

The Word Template Security Patch is available from the following address: http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/downloaddetails/wd97sp.htm

The file size of the Word Template Security Patch is 98,304 bytes.

After you have downloaded the updated security patch, run the Wd97SP.exe program by double-clicking it. The patch should correctly update your Microsoft Word program file.

You can verify that your Word executable has been successfully patched by running the Wd97SP.exe program. The utility can determine if your Word program was previously patched and will notify you with the following message: Microsoft Word has already been patched.


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.


MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about Word for Windows 97 or Office 97 Service Releases, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q172527 WD97: How to Obtain Word 97 for Windows Service Release 1

Q172475 OFF97: How to Obtain and Install MS Office 97 SR-1

Q151261 OFF97: How to Obtain and Install MS Office 97 SR-2


For additional information about macro viruses, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q187243 WD97: Frequently Asked Questions About Word Macro Viruses

Q181079 WD97: What to Do If You Have a Macro Virus

Q160686 WD97: No Macro Warning Opening File in Template Folder
Q49500 List of Anti-Virus Software Vendors

Additional query words: security html email 


Keywords          : kbdta kbvirus kbtemplate word8 word97 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: July 2, 1999