WINHLP32 Causes Invalid Page Fault Running Help

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft IntelliMouse, version 2.0

SYMPTOMS

When you use Help in the product versions listed earlier in this article running on Windows 95, you may receive the following error message:

   This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.

   If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

   WINHLP32 caused an Invalid Page Fault in module WHLP16T.DLL
   at 0001:<address>.

CAUSE

The Microsoft IntelliMouse installs a terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program that starts when Microsoft Windows 95 is started. This program interferes with the "Examples and Demos" portion of Help.

WORKAROUND

Method 1: Uninstall the Microsoft IntelliMouse software

1. On the Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs. On the Install/Uninstall tab, select Microsoft IntelliPoint 2.0.

3. Click the Add/Remove button.

   This will start the Microsoft IntelliPoint 2.0 Uninstall program.

4. Click Finish.

Method 2: Modify the Windows 95 Registry

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

Remove the Registry key that loads Point32.exe when Windows 95 starts by doing the following:

1. Quit all applications.

2. Click the Windows Start button, and then click Run.

3. In the Open box, type "regedit" (without the quotation marks), and then click OK.

4. Find the following Registry key:

         HKey_LocalMachine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
   

   The Status bar will display the following:

         My Computer\HKey_LocalMachine\Software\Microsoft\Windows
         \CurrentVersion\Run
   

5. Click the POINTER value to select it.

6. On the Registry menu, click Export Registry File, type a file name, and then click Save.

7. On the Edit menu, click Delete.

8. Close the Registry.

STATUS

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