General Troubleshooting Tips: Word for Windows

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a, 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c
• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0 and 3.1

SUMMARY

This article contains troubleshooting information specific to Microsoft Word for Windows. You can use this information in addition to normal software troubleshooting techniques if you have a problem with Word for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

Rename NORMAL.DOT

Word for Windows uses the NORMAL.DOT template file to establish the default styles, macros, key assignments, menus items, tool bar choices, glossaries, and boilerplate text. Because NORMAL.DOT is a global file, it can cause problems in every Word for Windows session and every new file if it is corrupted. If you exit Word for Windows, rename NORMAL.DOT, and restart the program, all default Word settings are restored.

Note: NORMAL.DOT contains many useful settings that must be re-created if the file is corrupted. Be sure to rename the file back to "NORMAL.DOT" if you discover that NORMAL.DOT is not the source of the problem.

Rename WINWORD.INI

Word for Windows uses the WINWORD.INI file to store the most recent settings, such as window size and user information. As with NORMAL.DOT, corruption in WINWORD.INI can affect many aspects of your Word for Windows session. Word rebuilds this file whenever you exit the program; therefore, you do not need to rename the file back to "WINWORD.INI." If this file is deleted, Word opens with the original default settings.

Switch to a Different Printer Driver

Unlike many Windows-based applications, Word for Windows uses the printer driver for numerous tasks because its primary concern is the printed appearance of the document. When you are printing or viewing a document, problems with printer drivers can cause Word for Windows to display the document incorrectly on the screen, generate incorrect printed output, or even hang Word. By using a different printer driver, you can determine if the problem is related to the printer driver.

If your Word for Windows documents print as garbled output, you may need to disable the Fast Printing Direct To Port setting in the Microsoft Windows Control Panel. To do this, choose the Printers icon in Control Panel and choose the Connect button. In the Connect dialog box, clear the Fast Printing Direct To Port check box and choose the OK button. When this option is disabled, Windows version 3.1 prints using standard MS-DOS interrupts instead of printing directly to the port. For more information on the Fast Printing Direct to Port setting, see pages 30, 32, and 426-429 of the "Microsoft Windows Resource Kit for Operating System Version 3.1," or query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ms-dos and directly and fast and printing and port and panel

Switch to a Different Printer Driver in Windows Write

Microsoft Windows Write and Word for Windows use printer drivers similarly. Both applications get most of their information from the printer driver; therefore, Write and Word often produce the same results when the printer driver is causing problems.

Note: Word exploits more features of the printer driver than Write; therefore, Write is not an exhaustive test for all printer driver problems.

Check the File Size and Dates of the OLE DLL Files

DLL files are used by Word for Windows (and other OLE applications) during object linking and embedding. Old, outdated versions of DLL files should not be used with Word for Windows. Reinstall these files if you suspect they are out of date or corrupt. The DLL files that ship with Word for Windows are for use with Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.0. Updated DLL files are available from Windows 3.1.

Check the Following Sections in WIN.INI

• [Microsoft Word 2.0] - versions 2.0, 2.0a, and 2.0a-CD only
• [MS Word Text Converters] - versions 2.0, 2.0a, and 2.0a-CD only
• [MS Word Editable Sections] - versions 2.0, 2.0a, and 2.0a-CD only
• [Microsoft Word] - versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.1a only
• [WWFilters] - versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.1a only

• Refer to pages 396-397 in the "Microsoft Word for Windows User's Reference" for version 1.x.

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• Refer to Appendix B in the "Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide" for version 2.0.

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• Query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        win.ini and documented and winword
  

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide," version 2.0, pages 803-810

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Reference," version 1.x, pages 396-397

"Microsoft Windows Resource Kit for Operating System Version 3.1," pages 30, 32, 426-429