Office Docs and apps very slow to load from explorer

[Number6]

Win XP Pro workstations (1 x PC + 1 x laptop), fully patched on a 2007 network.

 

If MS Office 2003 Word or Excel files are double-clicked from within explorer or My Computer both the app and the document take almost a minute to open. If, however, the app is opened from the start menu and then the same doc is opened from file > open then both open instantly.

 

I have tried several things to try and alleviate this problem such as:

 

1) editing the file > open settings from the tools > file options of My Computer. I've removed the DDE linkage which in some cases sloves the problem but in other cases just gives rise to other errors such as file permissin errors.

 

2) I've edited out the data and options registry keys for word, this results in the first attempt to open a document working instantly but on all subsequent attempts the problem re-occurs.

 

3) I cleared out all temp files, etc.

 

4) I did a system restore back to a point before the first occurrence of the problem.

 

Nothing works

 

The problem only occurs on these two PC's (out of several hundred) and there's no common ground that might lead me to an explanation.

 

Has anyone had any experience of this? Anyone found a resolution?

Edited April 23, 2009 by Number6