Microsoft KB Archive/203488

= WD97: File Corruption Error Message When Starting Multiple Instances of Word Rapidly =

Article ID: 203488

Article Last Modified on 1/23/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q203488



SYMPTOMS
When you start multiple instances of Microsoft Word 97 rapidly in succession, the following error message may appear:

Word encountered file corruption while opening c:\Program Files\...Normal.dot. Part of this document may be recoverable. Attempt recovery now?

You can click NO to start Word. The Normal template (Normal.dot) is not damaged.



CAUSE
This error message appears because the first instance of Word has not fully initialized when the second instance of Word is started.

When you start Word, an entry is written to the Windows registry indicating that the program has started. After Word is fully initialized, the registry entry is removed. Word uses this registry entry to determine whether the initialization process failed or succeeded. If the entry exists in the registry, Word determines that the initialization of the first instance of Word failed and displays the error message. If the entry does not exist, Word determines that the initialization process succeeded, and no error message appears.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, wait until the first instance of Word has finished initializing before starting the second instance.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words: boot booting launch launching initiated corrupt corrupting corrupted damaging bad invalid

Keywords: kbbug KB203488

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