Troubleshooting "Cannot Save or Create File" Error Messages

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

SUMMARY

This article describes the troubleshooting procedure you should use if the following error message occurs in Word for Windows:

   Error: Cannot save or create the file. Make sure the disk
   is not full or write protected.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use the following steps:

1. On the File menu, click Save As.

2. From the Save File As Type list, select Rich Text Format, and choose OK.

TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS

Below is a list that contains possible causes for this error message and resolutions or workarounds for each cause.

1. Cause: You have not restarted your computer since installing Word, so the SHARE settings in your AUTOEXEC.BAT (or CONFIG.SYS file, if you are running MS-DOS version 4.01) file may be correct, but the settings have not yet taken effect.

   Resolution 1: Exit Word, exit Windows and restart your computer so the correct SHARE settings can take effect. Microsoft recommends that you use the following SHARE parameters:

   /L:500 /F:5100

   For example the complete statement would read:

   C:\DOS\SHARE.EXE /L:500 /F:5100

   For more information on the SHARE settings you should use with Word, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   share.exe and 6.0 and word and windows and setup

   Resolution 2: Update to Word for Windows 6.0c or later

   If you are using Word 6.0a and operating Windows in the 386 Enhanced mode, VSHARE.386 replaces the need to load the MS-DOS SHARE utility. To obtain Word version 6.0a see the section below titled, "How to Obtain the Word 6.0a Patch."

2. Cause: You may actually have insufficient disk space to save the file.

   Resolution: Check the drive where you want to save the file to be sure it is not full. While you are checking for available disk space, you should also check for and delete any extraneous temporary (.TMP) files.

3. Cause: You are running MasterWord or other third-party add-in programs that conflict with Word. There are two versions of MasterWord. MasterWord 2.0 causes this problem. For more information on updating MasterWord query: "Alki Software MasterWord available" in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

   Workaround: Exit Word, then restart with the /a switch. For more information on this switch, see the "Starting Word Without Loading Global Items" section at the end of Chapter 10 in the "Microsoft Word User's Guide."

4. Cause: The TEMP setting in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file points to an invalid location or to a drive with less than 6 to 8 MB available disk space.

   Resolution: Modify the SET TEMP line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT so it defines a valid location with at least 6 to 8 MB available disk space.

5. Cause: Microsoft has received several reports that older versions of Adobe Type Manager (ATM) conflict with Word 6.0.

   Workaround: To rule out this cause, exit Word, turn off ATM, and then exit and restart Windows. If the error message does not recur when you run Word, your older version of ATM may be causing the "Cannot Save File" error message. Phone ATM technical support for more information.

6. Cause: You loaded SHARE.EXE in the upper memory area using an upper memory manager (such as QEMM) other than the MS-DOS EMM386.EXE.

   Note: You should not have a problem running SHARE in upper memory when you use the MS-DOS EMM386.EXE upper memory manager and the MS-DOS LOADHIGH command.

   Workaround: Microsoft has received several reports that the "Cannot Save File" error message no longer occurs if you load SHARE in conventional memory instead of upper memory. To do this, remove "LOADHIGH" or "LH" from the SHARE.EXE line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. For example, change this line:

   LOADHIGH C:\DOS\SHARE.EXE /L:500 /F: 5100

   to the following:

   C:\DOS\SHARE.EXE /L:500 /F: 5100

   Note: Microsoft does not support the mixing of load high methods. You should not use the MS-DOS LOADHIGH command when you run a third-party upper memory manager such as QEMM.

7. Cause: Your EMM386.EXE settings are incorrect.

   Resolution: Make sure you are using correct EMM386.EXE settings. For example, change "EMM386.EXE RAM 2048" to "EMM386.EXE NOEMS". For information about EMM386.EXE settings, refer to your MS-DOS documentation.

8. Cause: You have more than one SHARE line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS.

   -or-

   You have a SHARE line in both your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS file.

   Resolution: Remove all but one SHARE line from your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS file.

9. Cause: The FILES or BUFFERS settings in your CONFIG.SYS file may be too low.

   Resolution: Set FILES=60 in your CONFIG.SYS file unless you have a software application that requires a higher setting. Set BUFFERS=10 in your CONFIG.SYS file if you use SMARTDRV.EXE. Using a high number of buffers with SMARTDRV will decrease efficiency. If you are not using SMARTDRV, set BUFFERS=30. More buffers may improve disk access times but will use more conventional memory. See your MS-DOS documentation for more information on the correct FILES and BUFFERS settings for your computer.

10. Cause: Your root directory contains too many file/directory entries. This problem occurs when all 512 root directory entries have been used. This problem can also occur with fewer than 512 files and folder in the root directory on a Windows 95 machine, because Windows 95 uses additional directory entries to store long file names.

    Resolution: Move some files or folder out of the root directory.

    For more information about errors when the root directory contains too many files, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    ARTICLE-ID: Q120138

        TITLE     : Errors Creating Files or Folders in the Root Directory
    
    

STATUS

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

MORE INFORMATION

You can check the status of SHARE by typing the following command at the MS-DOS prompt (you should exit Windows first instead of using the MS-DOS Prompt icon in Program Manager):

MS-DOS Version 6.0 or Later

   mem/m share

MS-DOS Version 5.0 and Earlier

   mem/c | more

The ATM and QEMM memory manager products included here are manufactured by Adobe Systems, Inc., and Quarterdeck Office Systems, respectively, vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.

How to Obtain the Word 6.0a Patch

The following table lists the available versions of the Word 6.0a Patch. These files are available for download from the Microsoft Software Library.

   File name      Snumber     Description
   -----------------------------------------------------------------------

 ~ WORD60A.EXE (size: 757601 bytes) 
                  S14572      US/English version of Word
 ~ UK60A.EXE (size: 738470 bytes) 
                  S14613      UK/English version of Word
 ~ AUSWRD6A.EXE (size: 734472 bytes) 
                  S14614      Australian/English version of Word
 ~ AUSOFF6A.EXE (size: 737306 bytes) 
                  S14648      Australian/English Office version of Word
 ~ CANW60A.EXE (size: 988394 bytes) 
                  S14672      Canadian/English version of Word

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online
               Services