MS Works Spreadsheet Problem

[hartwith]

My customer has recently bought a new win xp pro system. It came with MS Works v8.0 preinstalled. All seems to be o.k apart from the following very strange problems:

1.At the top left of the works spreadsheet window are two small fields. One is for selecting a font and the other to change font size. All that appears in each box are a series of small,black,vertical lines. If he clicks into the font box he can see all the fonts available(similar the sizes) but cannot edit the fonts in the spreadsheet cells.

2.When he saves a spreadsheet the filename is curtailed. e.g Current Accounts is saved as C

I uninstalled the Works package and reinstalled it. Same problem!

Very anxious to get some ideas as to why this should be happening. No evidence of a virus. Incidentally I have checked to make sure files are not read-only.

[Anne Troy]

I'd first try deleting Works from the registry, and THEN reinstall. This sounds weird. I assume it's a newer version, not something 10 years old?

[exrcizn]

Does this happen with other software or just in Works?

[hartwith]

Thanks all for your suggestions. My customer rang me on Saturday to tell me that he had been advised by the pc manufacturer to completely reinstall WinXP and then Works. Apparently all is now ok.

Just one of those little mysteries that make IT such fun!!!