Shortcut that windows can't find Word 2002

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Hi –

For past several weeks, my Desktop shortcut to a document has been erratic: sometimes it will open the document as expected; other times I will get a message that Windows couldn’t find the document. Sometimes if I clicked ok, the document would open. Other times, not.

I have copied the document –all but last para mark – to a new document and for a few days the newly created shortcut works. Then the Windows couldn’t find box appears.

I have copied the shortcut from my folder and also from navigating to the folder from Windows. Still the erratic behavior. I have checked the properties box and all is as is should be. If I click on Find target, there the file is and can be accessed.

Any ideas what can be done to correct this?

Thank you,

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If you get a message that Windows can’t find the document, it’s not likely that the problem is caused by the document being corrupt – if that were the case, you’d get a message that Word can’t open the document.

Does it make a difference if Word is already running or not when you open the shortcut?

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Does it make a difference if Word is already running or not when you open the shortcut?

I’ll check that out, but since it’s a Desktop shortcut to a file I open first thing every day before doing anything else on the PC, I’ve never opened Word first.

I did notice that some other shortcuts have quotes around the Target file. I have added quotes to the file in question and that didn’t change the behavior.

Curious

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I don’t think the quotes matter here – if they did, the shortcut would always fail or always succeed.

If the document is the first thing you open after starting Windows, does it make a difference how long you wait after the desktop appears?

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Hans – don’t understand your question “…does it make a difference how long you wait after the desktop appears?”

Are you suggesting I “stare” at Desktop for a few minutes before clicking the shortcut?

Thanks.

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Are you suggesting I “stare” at Desktop for a few minutes before clicking the shortcut?

Well, it’s worth a try – if the shortcut always opens if you wait a few minutes, that’d be a clue.

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Well, it’s worth a try – if the shortcut always opens if you wait a few minutes, that’d be a clue.

Shall it it a try. Thank you.

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Hans – I believe that did it. If I wait to click the desktop shortcut until after the initial flurry of CPU activity is over, the shortcut does open without any messages.

Thank you.

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That could mean that the CPU was so busy that opening the document timed out. Or that the path to the document wasn’t accessible yet (for example, if the document is stored on a network drive).

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That could mean that the CPU was so busy that opening the document timed out.

Hi –

As a follow up, I believe this very busy CPU activity began when I started to use AVAST. I understand its value, but I do find it frustrating that it slows opening programs, files.

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Avast! has a good reputation, but Eset NOD32 generally scores best when it comes to impact on performance; it’s not free though.

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Avast! has a good reputation, but Eset NOD32 generally scores best when it comes to impact on performance; it’s not free though.

Thanks, Hans. It IS quite pricey….

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This screenshot is from the October 2008 AV Comparatives report. The chart shows overall impact on system performance of several antivirus programs (shorter bars are better). As you see, avast! is a bit heavier than Eset NOD32, but not dramatically so.

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A very interesting chart. Thank you for posting it.

Curious

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Please take a look at the complete report – there’s quite a bit of useful background information.

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It was interesting reading and written so an ‘average’ user’ could understand it. Thank you.

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