MacPPT: System Error or Hang When You Start PowerPoint (183483)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 2001 for Mac
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 98 Macintosh Edition
This article was previously published under Q183483

SYMPTOMS

When you start Microsoft PowerPoint, you may receive one of the following messages in the status bar:
PowerPoint is opening the file PowerPoint temp 0

-or-

The application "Microsoft PowerPoint" has unexpectedly quit, because an error of type 2 occurred. You should save your work in the other open applications and restart the computer.
But your system stops responding (hangs) and you have to restart your computer.

CAUSE

The error messages can be caused by a damaged PowerPoint AutoRecovery file or a damaged PowerPoint preferences file. All of these files are available in the following location:

Macintosh HD:System Folder:Preferences

WORKAROUND

To locate and remove all PowerPoint AutoRecovery files from the System Folder, follow these steps:
  1. Open the Macintosh HD:System Folder:Preferences folder.
  2. Look for PowerPoint AutoRecovery files, which will have names similar to the following

    PowerPoint Temp X

    where X is a valid number stating at zero (0).
  3. If you find only one file, move it to the trash and empty the trash. If you find more than one file, follow these steps:
    1. Create a new folder on the desktop called Temp.
    2. Move all AutoRecovery files to the Temp folder that you created in step "a".
    3. Attempt to open each file from the Temp folder. If PowerPoint displays an error message, the AutoRecovery file that you attempted to open is corrupted. If PowerPoint opens the file, you can save the file under a new name, by clicking Save As on the File menu.

      NOTE: You should open each file individually because one of the files may contain unsaved data.

    4. Move the corrupted file to the trash and empty the trash.
  4. Start PowerPoint. If you still receive the system error Type 2, proceed with step 5.
  5. Locate the following two files in Macintosh HD:System Folder:Preferences, and place them in the Trash:

    Embedding Preferences
    PPC Registration Database

  6. Start PowerPoint. If you still receive the system error Type 2, proceed with step 7.
  7. If PowerPoint has re-created the two files from step 5, place them in the Trash.
  8. For PowerPoint 2001, look in Macintosh HD:System Folder:Preferences:Microsoft, and place the following files into the Trash:

    PowerPoint Settings (9)
    PowerPoint Toolbars (9)

    For PowerPoint 98, look in Macintosh HD:System Folder:Preferences, and place the following files into the Trash:

    PowerPoint Settings (8)
    PowerPoint Toolbars (8)

  9. Start PowerPoint.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:2/20/2004
Keywords:kberrmsg kbgpf kbprb KB183483
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.