Microsoft has 'Microsoft Office Starter Edition' free sort of light edition, word/excell/something else .. search that 8 you probably can find it. Make a portable one click install too, otherwise you will have some extra errors in your error logs. I got rid of word & installed Kingsoft Office 2012 .. its free edition. Which is much smaller & less intrusive than the others.... which is OK for me.

Problem fixed. I still don't know the why's or wherefores but I set the default programmes to IE and all is well.

Be default, I use the Print Layout view. I tried changing the views, but the document ends up resetting the pager numbers no matter what view I use. Thank you.

I have never seen Open Office offered in firefox install has anyone? I have seen it offered in some other updates like java and flash in the past. also make sure when you do firefox updates and the browser reopens to a new page other than your homepage to close it and reopen it again because it only does that the first time to let you know that it did update properly it does not change the homepage the next time you reopen it will be to your usual home page. It will do the same thing if you had any updates for your add-ons it will open to that page to let you know the update was successful. If you did install Open office it will be listed in your add remove programs list in control panel.