retexan599

Often when I open an existing Word 2007 or Excel 2007 document, two document windows open. One is the desired document. The other is a blank and untitled window perhaps better termed an ‘empty’ window with a pale blue color. None of the elements in the Ribbon are active (grayed out, or dimly ‘blued out’). It is like a phantom window alongside the desired window. Nothing can be typed into the phantom. The phantom can be closed and the desired document remains. Also, the desired document can be closed and the phantom remains.

This only happens when I am opening by double left clicking on a file from within a Windows folder. If I open the file by right clicking and ‘Open’, I do not get the extra document. The behavior is inconsistent; after a few various Office documents are opened, the behavior ceases and only the desired window appears. Behavior is confined to Word and Excel; double clicking on other types of documents, such as text, Acrobat, or photo files does not give this problem.

I also looked at this problem in Task Manager.
When I open a file by right-click + Open, I see one application task in T.M. that begins with the normal Word 2007 file icon on the left: a small W with a few tiny lines (within the icon) under the W. Then Filename - Microsoft Word non-commercial use; then under Status is shown Running. This is the desired file. When I open a file by double-clicking with the left mouse, two application tasks show up in T.M. Neither of these tasks has the normal Word 2007 icon on the left; instead there is a (slightly) different icon where the W is slightly canted to the right and has no lines under it. I think this is the icon for the program itself instead of the icon for the file? The line that indicates the desired task goes on with Filename - Microsoft Word non-commercial use; then under Status is shown as Running. The line that indicates the ‘phantom’ task has that (program?) icon followed with only Microsoft Word non-commercial use (that is without a Filename); it also shows its status as Running.

So, to recap, the phantom task does show up in Task Manager along with the desired file, but has no Filename shown.

Just for interest:
In Task Manager, there are two instances of WINWORD.EXE that are shown in Processes, when I use the double click method.
Excel openings are similar to Word openings; both the desired and phantom files show up in Task Manager Applications and two instances of EXCEL.EXE in Processes.

I have posted this problem in various Word or Office newsgroups, but no solution yet. Any thoughts appreciated.