WD2000: Part 1: Troubleshooting Invalid Page Faults (IPFs) and Exception Errors

ID: Q236319

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word 2000

SUMMARY

This article is part 1 of a series of three Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that present a systematic approach to eliminating exception error messages in Microsoft Word 2000 running under Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98.

For more troubleshooting steps to resolve invalid page faults and exception errors, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q236383 WD2000: Part 2: Troubleshooting Invalid Page Faults (IPFs) and Exception Errors
Q236423 WD2000: Part 3: Troubleshooting Invalid Page Faults (IPFs) and Exception Errors


MORE INFORMATION

The following topics are covered in part 1 of this article:

What are the types of errors that may appear?

Getting clues from the error message.

Getting clues from when the error occurs.


What are the types of errors that may appear?

There are three general types of error messages you may encounter when working with Microsoft Word 2000. They are:
Exception errors

Illegal operation errors

Kernel errors

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What are exception errors?

An exception error signifies that something unexpected has happened within the Windows environment, typically an improper memory access. For example, an application or a Windows component might read or write to a memory location that has not been allocated to it (memory that it does not "own"), potentially overwriting and corrupting other program code in that area of memory.

Fatal exception errors are typically of the form:
A fatal exception <XY> has occurred at xxxx:xxxxxxxx
Fatal exception errors are codes returned by a program in the following cases:
  • Access to an illegal instruction has been encountered.
  • Invalid data or code has been accessed.
  • The privilege level of an operation is invalid.
When any of these occurs, the processor returns an exception to the operating system, which in turn is handled as a fatal exception error. In many cases the exception is non-recoverable, and the system must be restarted or shut down, depending on the severity of the error.

In the following example of a fatal exception error:
A fatal exception <XY> has occurred at xxxx:xxxxxxxx
the <XY> represents the actual processor exception from 00 to 0F. The xxxx:xxxxxxxx represents the <code segment pointer>:<actual address where the exception occurred>.

For additional information about fatal exception errors, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q150314 What Are Windows 95/98 Fatal Exception Errors
Back to Types of Errors

What are illegal operation errors?

With Microsoft Word 2000, the most common error message you get if the program "crashes" is an invalid page fault (IPF). The error message is similar to:
This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.
If you click Details, the following error message appears:
WINWORD caused an invalid page fault in module <module name> at <address>.
After you click OK, the program is shut down.

When an invalid page fault occurs, an unexpected event occurs in Windows. An invalid page fault typically indicates that a program improperly attempted to use random access memory; for example, when a program or a Windows component reads or writes to a memory location that is not allocated to it. When this occurs, the program can potentially overwrite and corrupt other program code in that area of memory.

For additional information about illegal operation errors, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q82710 Causes of General Protection Faults
Back to Types of Errors

What are kernel errors?

Kernel errors are also invalid page faults that occur between an application (for example, Microsoft Word) and Windows. A typical error message is similar to the following example:

This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.
If you click Details, you receive the following error message:
WINWORD caused an invalid page fault in module Kernel32.dll at <address>.
After you click OK, the program is shut down.

For additional information about troubleshooting kernel errors, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q218853 OFF2000: Troubleshooting Office Kernel32.dll Errors Under Win 98
Q218873 OFF2000: Troubleshooting Office Kernel32.dll Errors Under Win 95
Back to Types of Errors


Getting clues from the error message

The first clue to the cause of an IPF is in the IPF error message that is displayed. The error message is similar to:
This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.
If you click Details, the following error message appears:
WINWORD caused an invalid page fault in module <module name> at <address>
After you click OK, the program is shut down.

Note the module name that is listed. If the module name is Winword.exe, then you must continue searching for the cause. Sometimes, however, the module name is a printer driver file, a video driver file, or some other non-Word component. If you can gather clues about the component that is causing the IPF, then you can target the specific cause of the problem.

If the module name is something that sounds familiar to you, such as a printer driver or a video driver, see the "Troubleshooting IPFs That Occur While Printing or Formatting the Document" section of this article, in part 2:
Q236383 WD2000: Part 2: Troubleshooting Invalid Page Faults (IPFs) and Exception Errors
If the module name does not sound familiar or if you are unsure which component it is a part of, you can query in the Microsoft Knowledge Base on the module name. You can search the Microsoft Support Web site from the following Web address:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/search/c.asp
After you get to the Search Support page, use query parameters specific to your error message. For example, if you received an invalid page fault in module WINWORD.EXE, use the following parameters to query for information:
  1. My search is about: Word 2000


  2. I want to search by: Keywords


  3. My question is: ipf module winword.exe


NOTE: Step 2 is unavailable if you are in Basic Support Search.

For additional information about searching for information in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q129725 Obtaining Knowledge Base Articles on the World Wide Web
Sometimes, removing and reinstalling the file mentioned in the IPF corrects the problem. If this does not correct the problem, or if you aren't sure how to remove and reinstall the file, continue the troubleshooting steps listed in this article, or contact Microsoft Technical Support for assistance.

For information about contacting Microsoft Technical Support, please see the "Microsoft Support Options" section in part 3 of this article:
Q236423 WD2000: Part 3: Troubleshooting Invalid Page Faults (IPFs) and Exception Errors
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Getting clues from when the error occurs

Sometimes, noting when the error occurs can help determine the cause of the problem. For example, if the error occurs when printing the document, you can skip to the "Is the Printer Driver Damaged?" section of this article and try those steps first. If the error occurs when you start Word, skip to the "Troubleshooting IPFs That Occur During Startup" section. Otherwise, continue troubleshooting.

If the error is not resolved after you try those steps, continue troubleshooting at the beginning of this article and work through the steps systematically. The goal is to find clues to the cause of the problem and resolve it quickly by trying the most likely solutions first.

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Determining the Scope of the Problem

A key part of troubleshooting IPFs is to determine how widespread the problem is. Try to answer the following questions:
Is the problem reproducible (can you make it happen whenever you want), or does it occur at random?

Does the problem only occur in Word or in other applications as well?

Are there specific, known issues about Word that describe your problem?

Does the problem only happen with a particular document (or collection of documents)?

Does the problem only occur at a particular time, such as when starting Word or printing?

The following sections discuss each question and possible resolutions.


Is the Problem Reproducible?

Can you make the error occurr again in a reasonable amount of time? To solve an IPF, try a solution and then attempt to make the IPF occur again. If the error goes away, you can assume you have solved the problem. If the error still occurs, you need to continue troubleshooting the problem.

If the error is not easily reproducible, try each solution one at a time. After you try one solution, go back to Word and work with the program for a while until you feel comfortable that the problem has been solved.

If the problem has not been solved, try another possible solution. Along the way, keep track of the solutions you have tried and their results. Remember, if the IPF occurs when you do specific things in Word or the document, you may get some clues about which solutions to try first.

Back to Determining the Scope



Does the Problem Occur in Other Applications?

If the problem occurs in other applications besides Word, most likely the problem is not with Word but with Windows, a component of Windows, or a piece of software that is running in the background. Although some of the troubleshooting tips and possible solutions in this article may help, the focus of this article is to resolve IPFs that are specific to Word.

For more information about troubleshooting errors that are not specific to Word, please see the "Windows 95 Support" section of this article.

Back to Determining the Scope



Are There Specific, Known Issues Causing This Problem?

Some known issues with Word 2000 may cause IPFs under specific circumstances. For more information about specific causes of IPFs in Word 2000, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Word 2000 IPF
For additional information about finding articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, please see the following article:
Q129725 Obtaining Knowledge Base Articles on the World Wide Web
If none of the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base describes your problem, please continue troubleshooting your problem using the information in this article.

Back to Determining the Scope



Does the Problem Only Affect a Certain Document?

If the IPF is specific to a certain document, the document may be damaged. To test this, try creating a new empty document based on Normal.dot and reproducing the error in the new document.

To create a new document based on Normal.dot, do the following steps:
  1. On the File menu, click New.


  2. On the General tab, click to select Blank Document and click OK.


If the error also occurs in the new document, then the problem is not related to a damaged document. Skip to the next section of this article to continue troubleshooting the problem.

If the error does not occur in a new document, the original document may be damaged. Damaged documents often exhibit behavior that is not part of the program's design (for example, infinite repagination, incorrect document layout and formatting, unreadable characters on the screen, error messages during processing, system stops responding or crashes when you load or view the file, or any other unusual behavior that cannot be attributed to the normal operation of the program). Some of this behavior can be caused by factors other than document corruption.

To help rule out other factors, use the following troubleshooting steps:
  • Check for similar behavior in other documents.
  • Check for similar behavior in other programs.
  • Take the document in question to another computer and attempt to duplicate the behavior.
For additional information about troubleshooting damaged documents, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q211634 WD2000: Troubleshooting Damaged Documents
Back to Determining the Scope


Does the problem only occur at a particular time?

For example, does the problem occur when you start Word or does the problem occur when you print or work with a document?

Start Word with the defaults:

During startup, two of the events that occur are the loading of the Registry Data key and the Normal.dot global template. If either of these items is damaged, Word may fail to start. You can temporarily bypass these items by starting Word with the /a switch. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start and click Run.


  2. Click Browse.


  3. Locate the folder where the Winword.exe file is located.

    NOTE: The default location is as follows:


    4. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office
  4. Click to select the Winword.exe file and click Open.


  5. Click into the Open box and press the END key on the keyboard to move the insertion point AFTER the closing quotes surrounding the path and file name.


  6. Type a space followed by "/a" (without the quotation marks), so that the command line looks like the following example:


    7. "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\WinWord.exe" /a
  7. Click OK.


If Word starts correctly, the problem is with a damaged Registry Data key or a Normal.dot global template. Follow the steps in the next section of this article, "Reset Word Back to Default Settings."

If Word fails to start correctly, continue to start Word with the /a switch where indicated, skip the "Reset Word Back to Default Settings" section, and continue troubleshooting.


Reset Word Back to Default Settings:

The following three items need to be done in order to reset Word back to its default state:
Delete the Word Data key.

Rename the Global template (Normal.dot).

Clear the Startup folder.


  • Delete the Word Data key.

    NOTE: Deleting the Data key resets several options back to their default settings, including the File menu MRU (most recently used) list, and many settings in the Options dialog boxes.


    1. Quit all Microsoft Office applications.


    2. On the Windows taskbar, click Start and click Run.


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


    4. Go to the following registry key by double-clicking (or clicking the plus-sign [+] to the left of the folder) to expand the appropriate folders:


      5. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Data
    5. With the Data folder on the left selected, press DELETE on the keyboard to delete the Data registry key.


    6. When you are prompted with the following message, click Yes to confirm the deletion:


      7. Are you sure you want to delete this key?
    7. On the Registry menu, click Exit to quit the Registry Editor.


    8. Start Word the way you normally do. When you start Word, messages similar to the following appear:


      9. Preparing to install...
      Followed by:
      Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft Office 2000.
      -or-

      Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft Word 2000.
      If Word starts and functions correctly, you have resolved the problem. The problem was a damaged Windows registry key. Please note, you may need to change a few settings to restore your favorite options in Word.

      If Word fails to start or function correctly, you may have a damaged Global template (Normal.dot). Follow the steps in the next section of this article, "Rename the Global template (Normal.dot)."

    Back to Default Settings



  • Rename the Global template (Normal.dot).


    • NOTE: Renaming the Normal.dot template resets several options back to their default settings, including custom styles, custom toolbars, macros, and AutoText entries. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that you rename the Normal.dot file rather than deleting it.

    Certain installations may yield more than one legitimate Normal.dot file. These situations include multiple versions of Word running on the same computer or several workstation installations on the same computer. In these situations, pay special attention so that you rename the correct copy of Normal.dot.

    The default location for the Global template (Normal.dot) is in the following location:
    Windows 95/98:
    C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
    Windows 95/98 with Profiles enabled:
    C:\Windows\Profiles\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Template
    Use the following steps to rename the Normal.dot template:

    1. Quit all Microsoft Office applications.


    2. On the Windows taskbar, click Start, point to Find, and click Files Or Folders.


    3. In the Named box, type "Normal.dot" (without the quotation marks).


    4. Set the Look in box to your local hard disk drive (or to an alternate template location if you are running Word from a network server).


    5. Click Find Now to search for the file.


    6. For each occurrence of Normal.dot that appears in the Find dialog box, right-click the file. Click Rename on the shortcut menu. Type a new file name (for example, OldNormal.dot) and press ENTER.


    7. Quit Find and restart Word the way you normally do (without using the /a switch).


    If Word starts correctly, you have resolved the problem. The problem was a damaged Normal.dot template. You may need to change a few settings to restore your favorite options. If the Normal.dot file you renamed contained customizations such as styles, macros, or AutoText entries that cannot be easily recreated, you may be able to copy those customizations from the old Normal.dot file to the new Normal.dot file using the Organizer.

    For more information about using the Organizer, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type using the Organizer in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

    If Word fails to start correctly, continue troubleshooting using the steps in the following section of this article.

    Back to Default Settings

  • Clear the Startup Folders


    • Word has the ability to automatically load templates, WLLs (Word libraries), and COM add-ins at startup. These files give Word added functionality. If one of these files is damaged, it can cause an IPF when you start Word. To correct this problem, follow these steps:

    1. Quit all Microsoft Office applications.


    2. Using the Windows Explorer or My Computer, go to the Office Startup folder and the Word Startup folder.

      The default location for the Office Startup folder is:


      3. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Startup
      The default location for the Word Startup folder is:
      C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
    3. Drag the contents of this folder to another location, such as your desktop.


    4. Start Word as you normally do (without using the /a switch) and try to reproduce the problem.


    If Word starts correctly, you know that one of the files you took out of the Startup folder is damaged or conflicts with Microsoft Word 2000. Add the files back to the Startup folder one at a time until you determine which file is damaged or has the conflict.

    If Word fails to start correctly, continue troubleshooting using the steps in part 2 of this article.
For additional information about troubleshooting invalid page faults in Word 2000, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q236383 WD2000: Part 2: Troubleshooting Invalid Page Faults (IPFs) and Other Errors
Back to Default Settings

Additional query words: tshoot

Keywords : kbdta wd2000
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: September 13, 1999
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