OFFICE: 16-Bit Application Overwrites 32-Bit Libraries

• Microsoft Office for Windows, versions 4.2, 4.3
• Microsoft Office for Windows NT, version 4.2
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
• Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you install a 16-bit Microsoft Office application, after installing a Windows NT version Office application under Microsoft Windows 95, the 32- bit libraries that Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word use are overwritten by the 16-bit versions of these library files.

For example, when you run Microsoft Excel for Windows NT after installing Microsoft Excel version 5.0c for Windows, you receive the following error message:

   An error occurred initializing the VBA libraries (-25346)

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you install a 32-bit Microsoft Office for Windows NT application, such as Microsoft Excel version 5.0 for Windows NT, and you then install a 16-bit Office application, such as Microsoft PowerPoint version 4.0 for Windows.

This problem occurs because Windows 95 does not have a System32 subdirectory like Windows NT does. When you install a 32-bit Microsoft Windows NT application, the applications library files are normally installed to the System32 subdirectory. If the System32 subdirectory does not exist, the files are installed to the System subdirectory. However, if you then install a 16-bit application, the library files for that application are installed to the System subdirectory, overwriting any 32- bit libraries that have the same name.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about installing or running Microsoft Excel version 5.0 for Windows NT under Windows 95, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q129624
   TITLE     : Error Message: This Setup Is Not Intended for This
               Version

   ARTICLE-ID: Q131299
   TITLE     : XL5: Can't Run 5.0 for NT and Win95 Program on Same Computer