"Unable to Find STF File in WIN.INI" Running Word 6.0a Patch

ID: Q119512

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0a

SYMPTOMS

The following error message may occur when you run the Word 6.0a for Windows upgrade patch (UPGRADE.EXE):

Unable to Find the STF in the Win.Ini

CAUSE

The patch setup looks for one of two entries in the [MS Setup (ACME) Table Files] section of the WIN.INI file:


   WINWORD.EXE@v6.0.0.2226(1033)=C:\WINWORD\SETUP\SETUP.STF


   MSOFFICE.EXE@v1.0.0.000(1033)=C:\MSOFFICE\SETUP\SETUP.STF

If neither of these two lines exist, or if they are not specified exactly as above, the error message will occur.

There are four common scenarios where this may occur:

You have already upgraded your Word 6.0 installation to Word 6.0a or 6.0c. In other words, Word 6.0a or 6.0c is already installed on your computer, so you do not need to run UPGRADE.EXE. If you have already upgraded to Word 6.0a the line will read:
```
       WINWORD.EXE@v6.0.0.2513(1033)=C:\WINWORD\SETUP\SETUP.STF 
```
The Word 6.0c will read:
```
       WINWORD.EXE@v6.0.0.3015(1033)=C:\WINWORD\SETUP\SETUP.STF 
```
NOTE: The retail version of Microsoft Office 4.2 for Windows installs Word 6.0a. If you have Office 4.2, you have already installed Word 6.0a, so you do not need to run the UPGRADE.EXE patch on your system.

If you have installed the Canadian version of US/English Word 6.0 for Windows. In this case, the following line may appear in the [MS Setup (ACME) Table Files] section of the WIN.INI:
```
        WINWORD.EXE@v6.0.0.2226(1033A)=C:\WINWORD\SETUP\SETUP.STF 
```
This line is nearly identical to the correct line. The only difference is the addition of the "A" in the (1033) identifier. The US Word 6.0a patch is completely compatible with the Canadian English version of Word 6.0 for Windows, so temporarily removing the "A" from this line, running the patch, then reinserting the "A" after completing the upgrade is acceptable.

The above Word 6.0a for Windows patch error may occur if you have Microsoft Office version 4.2 for Windows on your computer if you installed it in the following specific sequence:
1. You installed the full retail Office 4.0 package--not the Office 4.0 upgrade package.
2. You installed the Office 4.2 upgrade--not the full retail Office 4.2 package.
3. Then you tried to upgrade to Word 6.0a for Windows using the Word 6.0a Patch.

You have an installed verison of Word 6.0c and you attempted to install the Word 6.0a Patch.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q113483 Word 6.0a Patch Fails After Installing Office 4.2

WORKAROUND

If you have already installed Word 6.0a for Windows on your system there is no need to run the UPGRADE.EXE patch.

If you have the Canadian version installed simply temporarily remove the "A" from the following line in the [MS Setup (ACME) Table Files] in the WIN.INI (always backup WIN.INI before making any modifications to it):
```
    WINWORD.EXE@v6.0.0.2226(1033A)=C:\WINWORD\SETUP\SETUP.STF 
```
so that it looks like this:
```
    WINWORD.EXE@v6.0.0.2226(1033)=C:\WINWORD\SETUP\SETUP.STF 
```
Run the UPGRADE.EXE patch. After upgrading to Word 6.0a, reopen the WIN.INI file, replace the "A" in the above line, then save and close the WIN.INI file.

If you upgraded to Microsoft Office 4.2 by following the steps listed above under CAUSE you must do the following in order to run the Word 6.0a patch:
1. Rename the SETUP.STF file installed by the Office 4.2 upgrade (for example, rename the file to SETUP.OLD).
2. Reinstall Office 4.0, but choose to only install Word 6.0. You do not need to reinstall Microsoft Excel or PowerPoint if you have already upgraded to Microsoft Excel 5.0 and PowerPoint 4.0. This restores the SETUP.STF file that contains Word 6.0 information.
3. Run the Word 6.0a Patch again.
4. Upgrade to Office 4.2.

MORE INFORMATION

In some cases it may be necessary to reinstall Word 6.0 for Windows then rerun UPGRADE.EXE.

To determine what version of Word is installed, choose About Microsoft Word from the Help menu of Word for Windows.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q111765 Word 6.0a Patch Cover Letter and Troubleshooting Guide

Additional query words: winword update upgrading updated updating word6

Keywords : kbinterop kbsetup officeinterop w4woffice
Version : WINDOWS:6.0a
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :