Problem with Word 2002, and pictures

Question

When I insert a picture (either from a file on my hard-drive, or from the internet) into a Word 2002 document - the picture is invisible - only its placeholder (outline) is shown.

The picture is shown only after I minimize, and then maximize the word document.

But when I scroll through the document - the picture disappears.

I have to minimize and then maximize the document to see the picture again.

Doing a google search - the only fix which works is to decrease the hardware acceleration significantly in my video card's ATI catalyst control

panel. Specifically I have to "Disable all DirectDraw and Direct3D accelerations.." which is bad for games.

Is this a problem with ATi (driver or video card), or just a problem with hardware acceleration in general?
Is there any other fix for this problem?

(NB Others have proposed from within Word, to remove the tick from "picture placeholders" in tools-options-view; but I never had a tick there).

DIMENSION XPS GEN 3
PENTIUM 4 EE 3.4 GHZ
Windows XP Pro (SP2)
2GB DDR2 SDRAM 533MHZ
ATI RADEON X800XT
1 X 74 GB SERIAL ATA
1 X 400 GB SERIAL ATA
16X DVD / 12X DVD+RW DL
Now using ATI Catalyst 4.11

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."-- Albert Einstein

scoobydooby · Answer

Actually I think the problem is with the Microsoft Word program itself; and not with ATI or hardware acceleration.

The reason is that pictures are inserted and displayed NORMALLY, even with FULL hardware acceleration, in both " Open Office ", and " AbiWord " , which are freeware versions of Microsoft Word.

Message Edited by scoobydooby on 11-14-2004 02:18 PM

joe_mcguire · Answer

Are you using Microsoft Word (typically a component of Microsoft Office) or the freeware programs you listed as 'versions' of Office?

scoobydooby · Answer

I am using Microsoft Word 2002 - the component that came as part of Microsoft Works.

I installed OpenOffice and AbiWord to test if these free-ware programs also suffer from dissappearing pictures with

full hardware acceleration; they do not.

Based on my readings in google groups, Word 2003 has the same problem.

scoobydooby · Answer

Thanks for your help.

joe_mcguire · Answer

I have not had this problem but I will work on it.

cat55 · Answer

I've been going crazy with the same problem. I finally found a "work around" fix - but there MUST be an easier way. I copy the picture from the internet into my "Paint". Then from there I save it as a .jpg file into my pictures folder. From there I can insert it into Word and actually see the picture!

This should help until we find an easier way.

joe_mcguire · Answer

That's what I have usually done. Cumbersome, but it works fairly well.

abach · Answer

Are you using Norton Antivirus? If so, disable the Office plug in.

scoobydooby · Answer

- but there MUST be an easier way.     The only 'easier' way is to lower the hardware acceleration (as I indicated in my initial post);  but then you may not be able to play certain games.   If you are willing to abandon Word;   you can try the freeware equivalents OpenOffice or AbiWord - both programs work well, and pictures show up normally.

scoobydooby · Answer

No, I am using McAfee. But I did disable both McAfee antivirus and firewall to see if it made a difference -  the answer is no.

abach · Answer

Do you have a picture toolbar available when you select the frame? If so, try chaning the Text Wrapping to Tight. Does this work?

scoobydooby · Answer

No, it doesn't work. For fun, I also tried the other 'wrapping' choices - the picture still disappears with scrolling.

abach · Answer

It seems the problem is not Word. Have you tried removing the video card in Control Panel, then restarting the PC to let Windows find it and reinstall the drivers?

scoobydooby · Answer

Yes I have uninstalled the ATI catalyst video driver - but still the same problem, even with the XP drivers.

And I have re-installed the catalyst drivers (different versions - 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, and now 4.11) - always the same problem.

abach · Answer

OK, first, I would clean the registry with a tool like RegVac (available << here >> Try the trial version) If that does not help, then, if you're familiar with the registry, I would uninstall office, remove all registry entries, and reinstall Office. Message Edited by abach on 11-26-2004 05:14 PM

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Problem with Word 2002, and pictures

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