You receive a "This file contains macros with an expired or revoked signature" error message when you start Word 2002
This article was previously published under Q301638 SYMPTOMS When you start Microsoft Word 2002, or when you start
Microsoft Outlook 2002 and you are using Word as the e-mail editor, you receive
the following message:
This file contains macros with an expired or revoked signature. Since you are running under High Security Level, these macros will be disabled.
This message appears even if you selected the Trust all
installed add-ins and templates check box on the Trusted Sources tab of the Security dialog box.NOTE: To access the Security dialog box in Word, point to Macros on the Tools menu, and then click Security. CAUSE This behavior occurs when Word macro security is set at the
High security setting, and a Word add-in file contains a macro with an
expired certificate. WORKAROUND To determine the name and location of the add-in file that
contains the expired certificate, follow these steps:
NOTE: Macros may contain viruses. If you do not recognize the software vendor on the certificate, delete the add-in file to prevent the "expired or revoked signature" message from appearing. For help with deleting the file, click Help on the Start menu in Microsoft Windows, and search for the "deleting files" topic. Method 1: Change the Startup Path in Word to the Folder That Contains the Add-inUse the following steps to change the startup path in Word to the folder that contains the add-in file:
Method 2: Move the Add-in File into the Word Startup PathThe following are the default locations for the Word startup path:Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me): If you want to be sure of the Word startup path
before you move the add-in file, verify the path by following these steps:
C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) with user profiles:
C:\WINDOWS\Profiles\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
Microsoft Windows NT 4.0:
C:\WINNT\Profiles\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
For help with moving the file, click Help on the Start menu in Windows, and search for the "moving files" topic. NOTE: If you reinstall the software that includes the Word add-in, the add-in file will be placed back in its original location, and the "revoked or expired signature" message will appear again. To prevent this, contact the vendor for an updated version of their software. For information about how to contact third-party vendors, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/vendors (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/vendors) Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find
technical support. This contact information may change without notice.
Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact
information.STATUSMicrosoft
has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed
at the beginning of this article.
MORE INFORMATION Microsoft Word 2002 automatically loads any document
template (*.dot) or Word add-in library (*.wll) that is saved in either of two
Startup folders. One of these Startup folders is in the directory that contains the Microsoft Office XP program files. The other is in the directory that contains the Windows operating system files, or the directory that contains the user's profile on computers with user profiles enabled. Earlier versions of Word trust all add-in files in either of these Startup folders if the Trust all installed add-ins and templates check box is selected in the Security dialog box. Word 2002 only trusts one folder, which is the folder that is specified as the Word startup path in the Options dialog box. For additional information about macro security in Microsoft Word 2002 and Microsoft Office XP, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 285514 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/285514/)
Macros and add-ins do not run when security is set to High in PowerPoint and in Word
287567 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/287567/EN-US/) OFFXP: Considerations for Disabling VBA in Office XP
290949 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290949/) "The Macros in the Project Are Disabled" Message When You Run a Macro
211607 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/211607/EN-US/) WD: Frequently Asked Questions About Word Macro Viruses
233396 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/233396/EN-US/) WD: How to Reduce the Chances of Macro Virus Infection
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