WD6: Internet Assistant, GPF in IFFGIF.DLL Downloading URL File

• Microsoft Internet Assistant for Word, version 1.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft PowerPoint, versions 4.0, 4.0a, 4.0c

SYMPTOMS

You may receive the following general protection (GP) fault while browsing with Internet Assistant or viewing graphics with PowerPoint:

   Winword caused a General Protection Fault in module IFFGIF.DLL
   at 0004:0683.

CAUSE

Some GIFs, created with older versions of graphic packages, contain information that is not converted by the filters shipped with Internet Assistant.

Internet Assistant's GIF filter, IFFGIF.DLL, replaces any other versions of that file already on the system. PowerPoint uses a different version of this file, and you may get the same error message viewing GIF images after Internet Assistant is installed.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Internet Assistant for Word, version 1.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

RESOLUTION

If you received a GP fault, you should quit Windows, restart Windows, and then restart Word or PowerPoint.

To avoid the GP fault when opening a URL containing an older GIF, don't load the URL with pictures. To do this, before opening the URL, choose Load Images [on] from the View menu. The menu command will toggle to Load Images [off]. When the URL document loads, it will not download the pictures.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft has identified the following sites as containing bad GIF images:

- http://sunsite.unc.edu/cisco/cisco-home.html

- http://www.novell.com, then hyperlink to one of the documents

- http://www.ziff.com/~pcmag/