Word 2007: Misaligned Printing on 3x5 Cards

[Clueless in Seattle]

I was given an old PC running Windows 7 that has Word 2007 installed on it.

I tried to install my old licensed version of 2003, but got a message saying that I had used up all my allotted number of installs. So I tried to use Word 2007 print a .doc file for a 3x5 card that I had created on my previous computer using Word 2003. The card came out of the printer with only the the last line of text printed across the top edge of the card.

In order to get the cards to print correctly I've had to resort to using a failing laptop on my network running Word 2003. I send the .doc file for the 3x5 card across the network to the printer that's hooked up to the PC. Then the card prints out fine. So it seems that the configuration between that PC and my old HP Laserjet printer is ok.

The problem seems to somewhere in the setup of the Word 2007 installed on that PC. I tried creating a 3x5 card using Word 2007 on the PC, but when I tried printing it, it came out the same as the files created in 2003, i.e. only the bottom line from the file appeared at the top of the card.

I'm an old guy with physical and cognitive disabilities that make it very difficult for me to try to solve problems like this anymore. I'd be grateful for some advice on where to begin troubleshooting this problem.

Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"

P.S. Every time I try to run Word 2007 (and Excel 2007 also) I get a bunch of annoying messages that tell me that it is reconfiguring; itself of some such thing, and it takes forever to even get the program up and running. Could this be the source of my printing problem?

[Charles Kenyon]

Addressing the reconfiguring only, that comes from running multiple versions of the software on the same computer. See the registry hack at Toolbars and Word 2007/2010 - dual version registry hack.

On the spacing of the .doc file that works in Word 2003, take a look (in Word 2003) at the document template dialog under the Tools > Templates and Add-Ins. Is the box to update styles from the template checked? If so, that may be the source of your problem; uncheck it and then try in Word 2007. What happens when I send my document to someone else? Will Word mess up my formatting?

Note, though, that even if it is the same printer, different operating systems have different drivers and can produced different results.

[Clueless in Seattle]

Thanks, Mr. Kenyon, for that speedy response to my query!

You suggested that I may be "running multiple versions of the software on the same computer."

But as far as I know there is only one version of Office 2007 installed on this PC. And it was already installed on the PC when I received it.

I just looked in the Control Panel under "Programs and Features" and the only version of Office that shows up in the list is: Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007" installed 3/29/2012

Is there another way I can check to see if I have one or more other versions of Office hiding somewhere on this machine?

Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"

P.S. I'd like to be able to insert screenshots of what I see when Word 2007 boots up. But the "Insert Image" button doesn't seem to work for me. I uploaded the screenshots to Photobucket, and then tried to link to them with the "Insert Image" button. But when I click "Preview Post" the images don't show up in the preview.