I thought this was only a problem on my Gateway laptop, but now I have a new Dell and it's doing the same thing. When I use the "insert comment" function on either computer, the tag which indicates a comment shows up, but not the highlighting on the word. I usually will highlight one particular word and then "insert comment" but in my copy, whether editing or reading someone else's editor comments, the highlighting is missing. That makes it more difficult to find the comments because they blend into the text. I can READ the comments by clicking "view comments" but then I have to hunt them down inside the doc.

This isn't a problem on my desktop computer. The highlighting is precisely where it should be when I read or edit. When I got both laptops (the Gateway five years ago, the Dell in April), neither one had MS Office installed, so I did it myself. It's not only the same version as the one on my desktop (2000), it's from the exact same disk. When the Dell arrived, I sat down with it next to my desktop, opened the options in Word on both, and matched them up so the same things are checked and unchecked. All three machines are running Windows XP (Pro on the desktop and Gateway, Home on the Dell). Since I do a great deal of editing work, this has become a major irritation when I'm away from home, as I was for the past three weeks.

Thanks for any help you can offer. Small words and simple instructions are best. I can build a CPU, but getting the programs to run right usually ends up as someone else's job.

If you have updated your version/s of office. It's quite possible you have a corrupt version of office. Are you licensed for 3 copies? If not, the fact you have 3 identical copies using one license, has possibly caused one or more versions to be corrupt.

If you are not licensed for 3 copies. We unfortunately will not be able to assist you with your problem. As that would violate one of the forum rules. That being the one that states: "No subject matter will be allowed whose purpose is to defeat existing copyright or security measures. If a user persists and/or the activity is obviously illegal the staff reserves the right to remove such content and/or ban the user. This would also mean encouraging the use or continued use of pirated software is not permitted, and subject to the same consequences."

My copy of Office was obtained through my college with my student discount quite a number of years ago. It's not pirated, it's an open-ended license, as is my copy of WindowsXP which was obtained the same way. I've used this disk to install Office on various computers, including at least five times on the same desktop because of multiple system crashes, as well as on my son's desktop earlier this year. All copies have worked just fine up until I put it on the laptops.

I can understand your not being able to help because you don't know what the problem is, but I'm a bit disturbed that you would immediately assume I'm using pirated software. If I was (which I'm not and never would), I would be foolish to ask for help on a public board.

Thank you for your input on the possible corruption of my copy of Office. Since I haven't updated my version of Office, perhaps the disk is just getting old. I guess I'll keep any other questions I have to myself for now.

You may be disturbed if you wish. This is your prerogative. However, it is my duty to point out the rules for this forum for you and others, when I do not have clear cut indications of your software licensing permissions. You indicated 3 copies using one disk. How was I to absolutely know that you were licensed in such a manner? I was only pointing out we are not able to assist if you were not. In this case you are, so my statements do not apply.

Excuse me, for doing my job to indicate when we can help and when we cannot. I never accused you of using pirated software. I only asked if you were licensed. Which you are.

It may be that you would not ask for help using pirated software. But how do I know that? It's been asked for numerous times, on these forums. If I was accusing you of pirating I would have locked the thread and said you're pirating. I did not do that. I asked questions to find out what you didn't advise us of in the first place. I being a forum administrator am being proactive in ascertaining if we are in a position to help.