Word 2010 - Recent Files List Empty

[JimmyC]

The day is not off to a good start. Please see the screen print below.

Yesterday, the recent file list was populated---as far as I know no changes were made during the over night hours by the system admins--and this morning the list is empty. The other "odd" behavior is when I try to change the number from 0---the dialog box says the value must be less than zero and that makes no sense. I am still researching with google but so far I found no solution to correct this behavior.

[HansV]

That's weird.
Select File > Options.
In the navigation pane on the left, select Advanced.
Scroll down to the Display section.
I see this (in Word 2016, but it should be similar in Word 2010):

S1153.png

If "Show this number of Recent Documents" is set to 0, change it to a positive number, then click OK.

[JimmyC]

Hans,
Thanks..I found this setting in the Advance tab in 2010 too. I changed the number from 0 to 9...but no luck. See screen print below. When I close Word and re-open it---the number is set back to zero. I confirmed that no system maintenance (i.e., MS Office patches, etc.) where processed last night. I have no 3rd party add-ins, etc.---just plain vanilla MS Word 2010 installed with default settings--and again everything was fine yesterday when I left for the day.

[HansV]

You have lots of add-ins:
- ABBY FineReader
- Nuance PDF
- Acrobat
- HotDocs
- WORLDOX

I would suspect one of these to cause the problem - Acrobat, in particular, is notorious for messing with user settings. You could try disabling the add-ins one by one (if you're allowed to do so) to see if the problem disappears.

[JimmyC]

Hans---I guess I didn't consider these as they are installed by the company in the default Word installation. I erroneously ignored them since I "didn't" install them. I will contact our system admin for some help. Thank you. Jim

[JimmyC]

Hans--you already know this, but you are a genius!! Guess what? The system admins updated the Worldox Word template last night and there is a "bug" that eliminates the most recently used file list in Word. Wow, I am truly grateful for all of your help. Jim

[DaveA]

This one good reason not to depend on the Recent list, as you have found out it can disappear at a blink of the eye.

I have a client that I help with his machine. He insists that the Nick Name list in Outlook is his Contacts.
And when names drop off he is in a world of hurt. Same goes for his Recent list within Word and Excel, which is "his" index to all of his files.

Yes, it is a nice tool, but I have never gotten in using it, it is better if one learns how and where one's files are.

[HansV]

This one good reason not to depend on the Recent list, as you have found out it can disappear at a blink of the eye.

I have been using Microsoft Word for over 20 years now, and the list of recently opened files disappearing has happened only once to me, and that was my own fault: the first time I used CCleaner I inadvertently let it "clean" Microsoft Office. I then cleared CCleaner's check box for Microsoft Office, and the recently opened files list have never been cleared again.

[JimmyC]

DaveA---I don't disagree with what you are saying--but it sure is nice and convenient to have the list of recent files open available.

The system admins still are not sure what has happened--but when she removes Worldox from my Word set-up---and I do what Hans mentioned in his first reply in this thread, the recent list begins to populate again. When Worldox is re-installed, the recent file list is erased again. So we know "what" the problem is, but not the cure.

Again, a special thank you to Hans for your great advice to me and all members that count this forum as "home"......Jim

[Jay Freedman]

If you or your admin can examine the macro code in the Worldox template, especially the AutoExec macro if there is one, look for something that touches the registry entry named Max Display in the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Word\File MRU. It could be setting that to zero, which would clear the list.

[JimmyC]

Jay---thank you! I have passed your advice our system admin as we still don't why this is happening---but it is definitely the Worldox template. Again, thank you. Jim