When you start Microsoft PowerPoint, it does not make sure that all the keys it writes to the Windows Registry are correct. Many of the PowerPoint keys can be missing or corrupted, and PowerPoint will not automatically correct them. This behavior is different from versions of PowerPoint earlier than PowerPoint 2000 and is intended to improve the performance of PowerPoint.

To make sure that PowerPoint is registered correctly, run the Microsoft PowerPoint or Microsoft Office XP Setup program.

If you have trouble opening files that have a .ppt extension (in PowerPoint), or inserting a PowerPoint Slide or PowerPoint Presentation into other programs, PowerPoint may not be registered correctly in the Windows registry. For example, after you install the 32-bit Viewer for PowerPoint version 7.0, you may need to re-register PowerPoint.

To re-register PowerPoint, run Powerpnt.exe with the /regserver command-line switch. To do this, use the appropriate method for your operating system.

Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 2000

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Click Browse.
3. Navigate to the folder that contains Powerpnt.exe. By default, this is the following folder:
   C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office
4. Select the Powerpnt.exe file and then click Open.
5. In the Run dialog box, click at the end of the command line; type a space, and then type /regserver, so that the command line appears similar to the following:
   "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Powerpnt.exe" /regserver
6. Click OK.

The PowerPoint splash screen appears for a moment, and then disappears. PowerPoint is now registered correctly.

Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me)

Windows Me does not support the /regserver switch. To correctly register PowerPoint under Windows Me, use either of the following methods:

• On the Help menu, click Detect and Repair.
  
  -or-
• Reinstall PowerPoint.

PowerPoint 2007

The Detect and Repair feature that was included together with Microsoft Office 2003 has been replaced in the 2007 Microsoft Office system with Microsoft Office Diagnostics. This new tool provides more comprehensive testing and repair capabilities. To repair PowerPoint 2007, follow these steps:

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click PowerPoint Options.
2. Click Resources.
3. Click Diagnose, click Continue, and then click Start Diagnostics.