Nor does uninstall/reinstall fix problems with this file.
When you delete or rename the normal.dot, a default file is created when you open Word. The blank document you see when you open Word is based on the normal.dot. With Word 2003, this file is hidden until you make a valid change to the file -- such as adding an AutoText entry, change a toolbar, add a formatted AutoCorrect entry, change the default font, and various other changes that result in the prompt to save.
What changes are you making that won't stick?