When you open a Word 2003 XML document, Word 2003 may stop responding for 10 to 30 minutes

When you open a Microsoft Office Word 2003 XML document, Word 2003 may stop responding for 10 to 30 minutes. This behavior may also occur when you are working in the document.

This issue occurs if the following conditions are true:

• A document, such as a Microsoft Office Excel 2003 workbook, is linked to the Word 2003 XML document.
• The linked document resides on a network share.
• The linked document has been opened by another user.

This issue occurs even when you use the following settings:

• The Update automatic links at Open check box is cleared in the Options dialog box. To view this setting, click Options on the Tools menu. Then, click the General tab.
• The Manual update option is selected in the Links dialog box. To view this setting, right-click the linked document, point to Linked document_type Object, and then click Links.

How to obtain the hotfix

This issue is fixed in the Word 2003 Post-Service Pack 2 Hotfix Package that is dated August 7, 2006. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

How to enable this hotfix

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

1. Exit Word 2003.
2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Options
4. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
5. Type NoActivateOleLinkObjAtOpen, and then press ENTER.
6. Right-click NoActivateOleLinkObjAtOpen, and then click Modify.
7. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
8. On the File menu, click Exit to exit Registry Editor.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.