"Newer Speller Already Installed" Running Word 6.0c Setup

 Last reviewed: March 26, 1997
Article ID: Q121448
4.20c WINDOWS kbsetup kberrmsg

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office for Windows, version 4.2c
  • Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0c

SYMPTOMS

If you run Setup to install Word 6.0c over Word 6.0a or to install Microsoft Office version 4.2c over Microsoft Office version 4.2a, the following error message may occur: 

   Setup has detected an existing Spelling Checker which is newer and
   incompatible with the version Setup wanted to install. Please contact a
   Microsoft Subsidiary to obtain newer copies of the following
   dictionaries: US English and British.
By contrast, this error does not occur if you install Word 6.0c over Word 6.0 for Windows.

CAUSE

This error occurs when Setup attempts to install the proofing tools if all three of the following conditions are true:

  1. The existing MSSPEL2.DLL file on your system is version 1.63.0000, with a file date of 1/11/94, 1/17/94, or 1/28/94. The MSSPEL2.DLL file dated 1/11/94 was shipped with the retail packages of Word 6.0a, and the file dated 1/28/94 was shipped with the Word 6.0a Patch.

  2. The [Microsoft Word] section of your WINWORD6.INI file contains incorrect path specifications for the Spelling files.

    -or-

    The [MS Proofing Tools] section of your WIN.INI file does not specify a Spelling path or it specifies an invalid path or file.

  3. The PROOF statement in the [MSAPPS] section of your WIN.INI file specifies the correct location of the Word 6.0a MSSPEL2.DLL file.

This error does not occur if the [Microsoft Word] section of your WINWORD6.INI specifies the correct path for Spelling files and the [MS Proofing Tools] section of your WIN.INI specifies a correct Spelling path. Setup looks for the Spelling path in the WINWORD6.INI file location first, followed by the Spelling path of the WIN.INI file, so if the path it finds a valid setting, it does not continue looking in the [MSAPPS] section of WIN.INI.

STATUS

We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

WORKAROUNDS

Method 1: Choose OK from the error message dialog box. This will preserve 

          the latest version of MSSPELL2.DLL on the hard drive and will not
          install the earlier version of MSSPELL2.DLL from the floppy disk.
Method 2: Before you run Word 6.0c Setup, rename your MSSPEL2.DLL file to 
          MSSPEL2.OLD. When you run Word 6.0c Setup, it will not find a
          valid MSSPEL2.DLL file, so it will install the new version of the
          file, and this error does not occur.
Method 3: Change the Spelling path in the [Microsoft Word] section of the 
          WINWORD6.INI and the [MS Proofing Tools] section of your WIN.INI
          file so that they point to the correct location of the current
          MSSPEL2.DLL file.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word Quick Results," version 6.0, pages 1-13

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, page 2

KBCategory: kbsetup kberrmsg
KBSubcategory: kbproof

Additional reference words: 4.20c 6.00 6.00a 6.00c winword word6 older
dictionary spell incompatible
Keywords : kbproof kberrmsg kbsetup
Version : 4.20c
Platform : WINDOWS

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: March 26, 1997
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.