Question Microsoft Word App Disappeared

[DoubtingThomasina]

Hello everyone, I am not a sophisticated user as you folks are, but I would really like to know if this sounds familiar to any of you, and I am at the end of my rope. I'm just an average user on an HP desktop, Windows 10 -- this morning I booted up Word, made a few notes, collapsed it to work online, and then saw that the icon in my toolbar was gone. so was the open page. If you put your cursor there, it says Word and you can see a faint outline of the shape in black, but nothing happens. The icon on my desktop is a blank page. Word files open with Notepad. It's gone. I can't recount everything that has happened since in any detail, it's insane, but through my own research and then repeating the same steps courtesy of someone on the Microsoft Forum, I have tried to uninstall Office about 7or 8 times, and it's not working, because Excel boots up, no problem. Still, I went ahead with the reinstall (I use Word 2019), and followed the prompts to the letter but the only option it gives me is to buy 365 in order to do it, and I can't afford it, and I feel like I'm being held hostage by Microsoft. I don't go to any dodgy sites, I don't click on anything in emails, I have good antivirus software, I just cannot understand why Word disappeared like that. I never knew 365 was subscription, I find that outrageous, I'm sure I'm not the only one, I can get Home and Student Office 2021 with a break at a local office store, at least that lasts, but really, for how long, if I don't know how or why this happened, how can I be sure the newer one will be OK? I'm overwhelmed and any bit of your experience and expertise you'd care to share to help me, I'd be very grateful for, thank you.

 

[punkncat]

Where did you come by the original 2019 install?

 

[DoubtingThomasina]

When I purchased the system in December 2018, the office supply store loaded it for me. legally purchased, and no problems since except for the normal low level PC hissy fits we all deal with every now and then.

 

[Lafong]

When I purchased the system in December 2018, the office supply store loaded it for me. legally purchased, and no problems since except for the normal low level PC hissy fits we all deal with every now and then.

Not sure how much faith I would put in the "office supply store" installation.

You may have "legally purchased" it, but do you know that they did?

Just guessing; could be entirely legit.

 

[DoubtingThomasina]

Oh, it is, it's a national chain here in the US, I had the key code and everything, which I kept in a safe place that i can no longer find -- as I said, I do NOT have the expertise as exhibited on this forum, but I wrote about computing professionally from the beginning of the PC era for almost 10 years, so I am familiar with the way things are done -- think of it as how I know how to wash clothes, what to use, water temp, etc., but you folks know how the machine works, how to troubleshoot it, fix it, and so on. People getting ripped off was my main concern in those days (IBM hated my guts!) so I'm not immune to getting rooked, but I can spot more than many others.

 

[punkncat]

Generally speaking a purchased code of Office (offline) is good for ~ 3 reinstalls before it will throw a fit and may or may not require calling MS support. The version(s) that I continue to use have been out of support a couple of years so when I run into that it is another key.

I would assume that since this is seemingly a valid and legitimate key/install that you should attempt to locate that key card and try an uninstall and clean reinstall of the Word part of the installer. Perhaps someone else will have a better idea towards this.

No offense intended in asking about the key. There are LOADS of places to find these that can be good, grey market, or plain out scam. We never know....

 

[Lafong]

You might be able to dig out your Product Key with a software tool.

If you can do that, you might try to get a live human on the phone at Microsoft Customer Support.

Recite your Product Key to them.

Let them tell you if it is legit.

Just an idea. Depends how much frustration you are willing to endure.

You can buy a new version of Office Home and Student 2021 for around 140 or 150, from MS direct and probably elsewhere. One time fee. No subscription.

Would you pay 150 to get out of your current dilemma? Personal decision. I suppose you might be able to avoid that given enough time and a bit of luck.

 

[DoubtingThomasina]

Generally speaking a purchased code of Office (offline) is good for ~ 3 reinstalls before it will throw a fit and may or may not require calling MS support. The version(s) that I continue to use have been out of support a couple of years so when I run into that it is another key.

I would assume that since this is seemingly a valid and legitimate key/install that you should attempt to locate that key card and try an uninstall and clean reinstall of the Word part of the installer. Perhaps someone else will have a better idea towards this.

No offense intended in asking about the key. There are LOADS of places to find these that can be good, grey market, or plain out scam. We never know....

Absolutely NO offense taken, you can't imagine how much I appreciate your wanting to help. If I had my violin handy, I could really tell you what's getting in the way of my searching for the code, but it may come to me with a night's sleep. Conversationally, have you ever heard of such a thing as a program disappearing like that, and while it was being used?

 

[DoubtingThomasina]

You might be able to dig out your Product Key with a software tool.

If you can do that, you might try to get a live human on the phone at Microsoft Customer Support.

Recite your Product Key to them.

Let them tell you if it is legit.

Just an idea. Depends how much frustration you are willing to endure.

You can buy a new version of Office Home and Student 2021 for around 140 or 150, from MS direct and probably elsewhere. One time fee. No subscription.

Would you pay 150 to get out of your current dilemma? Personal decision. I suppose you might be able to avoid that given enough time and a bit of luck.

You might be able to dig out your Product Key with a software tool.

If you can do that, you might try to get a live human on the phone at Microsoft Customer Support.

I'd have better luck getting Oprah to clean my oven! And as for digging out the key with a software tool, that flew so far over my head, the chandelier moved! Time is an issue because Word is really program I use all the time, and luck sometimes is my friend, sometimes not, but the store does have 2021 for a hundred and fifty bucks, again, if I don't know how or why this disappeared like this on 2019, how do I know it won't on 2021, you know?

 

[USAFRet]

And as for digging out the key with a software too

Belarc Advisor can maybe do this.

 

[Lafong]

Download Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder - MajorGeeks

Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder is a freeware utility that retrieves your Product Key (cd key) used to install windows from your registry.

www.majorgeeks.com

Above is one of several tools that might help you find the key.

I say might.

 

[LinuxDevice]

If your hard drive (or SSD or whatever you use) has partially failed this will happen. On a mechanical disk, if a sector fails, it will basically be edited out to keep the drive running (bad sectors). That part of the disk simply disappears. If it is related to content showing on the desktop, then that part of the desktop simply goes away.

Once this starts though it implies the life of the disk won't be very long. What kind of disk is it? How old is the disk?

I'm not really a Windows guy, maybe someone else can suggest a Windows method to check for disk failure or reliability logs and records.

 

[DoubtingThomasina]

Download Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder - MajorGeeks

Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder is a freeware utility that retrieves your Product Key (cd key) used to install windows from your registry.

www.majorgeeks.com

Above is one of several tools that might help you find the key.

I say might.

Freeware has always frightened me, are they really safe and secure? I'm going to have to spend time in the basement tomorrow, the key may be in with old papers and such.

 

[DoubtingThomasina]

If you hard drive (or SSD or whatever you use) has partially failed this will happen. On a mechanical disk, if a sector fails, it will basically be edited out to keep the drive running (bad sectors). That part of the disk simply disappears. If it is related to content showing on the desktop, then that part of the desktop simply goes away.

Once this starts though it implies the life of the disk won't be very long. What kind of disk is it? How old is the disk?

I'm not really a Windows guy, maybe someone else can suggest a Windows method to check for disk failure or reliability logs and records.

Oh, THANKS A LOT, and a good night to you, too! It's just your garden-variety HP desktop hard drive, they usually last me about 8 years, but in so many ways, it IS a new dawn!

 

[USAFRet]

Freeware has always frightened me, are they really safe and secure? I'm going to have to spend time in the basement tomorrow, the key may be in with old papers and such.

I've used this particular tool for years.

Belarc Advisor - Belarc, Inc.

Belarc's products automatically create an accurate and up-to-date central repository (CMDB), consisting of detailed software, hardware, network and security configurations. Customers use our products for software license management, IT asset management, cybersecurity audits, information...

www.belarc.com

 

[DoubtingThomasina]

I've used this particular tool for years.

Belarc Advisor - Belarc, Inc.

Belarc's products automatically create an accurate and up-to-date central repository (CMDB), consisting of detailed software, hardware, network and security configurations. Customers use our products for software license management, IT asset management, cybersecurity audits, information...

www.belarc.com

Relying on your USAF oath and the fact that you talk up back up, I may give it a try tomorrow, thank you!