"There is not enough memory or disk space to run word" error message when you start Word 2000 (839367)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 2000
Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

This article describes the steps that you can use if Microsoft Word 2000 does not start, or if you receive an error message when you try to start Word 2000.

SYMPTOMS

When you start Microsoft Word 2000, you receive error messages that are similar to the following:
there is not enough memory or disk space to run word
winword caused a GPF in module user.exe

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, 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. Therefore, Microsoft strongly recommends that you rename the Normal.dot template instead of deleting it.

Certain installations may yield more than one legitimate Normal.dot file. These situations include multiple versions of Microsoft Word that are 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 the following, depending on your operating system.

For Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, and Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me):

C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

For Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Millennium Edition (Me) with profiles turned on:

C:\Windows\Profiles\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Template

For Microsoft Windows 2000 and Microsoft Windows XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

To rename the Normal.dot global template, follow these steps.

Windows 95, Windows 98, and Microsoft Windows NT 4.0

  1. Quit all Microsoft Office programs.
  2. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
  3. In the Named list, type Normal.dot.

    In the Look in list, select My Computer.
  4. Click Find Now.
  5. In the Find results list, right-click each Normal.dot Microsoft Word template, and then click Rename.
  6. Type a new name (for example, OldNormal.dot), and then press ENTER.
  7. Close the Find: All Files window.
  8. Start Word the way that you typically do (without using the /a switch).

Windows Millennium Edition (Me) and Windows 2000

  1. Quit all Office programs.
  2. Click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files or Folders.
  3. In the Search for files or folders named box, type Normal.dot.
  4. In the Look in list, select My Computer, and then click Search Now.
  5. Under Search Results, right-click each Normal.dot Microsoft Word template in the right pane, and then click Rename.
  6. Type a new name (for example, OldNormal.dot), and then press ENTER.
  7. Close the Search Results window.
  8. Start Word the way that you typically do (without using the /a switch).

Windows XP

  1. Quit all Office programs.
  2. Click Start, and then click Search.
  3. Under What do you want to search for?, click All files and folders.
  4. In the All or part of the file name box, type Normal.dot.

    In the Look in list, select My Computer.
  5. Click Search.
  6. In the right pane, right-click each Normal.dot Microsoft Word template, and then click Rename.
  7. Type a new name (for example, OldNormal.dot), and then press ENTER.
  8. Close the Search Results window.
  9. Start Word the way that you typically do (without using the /a switch).
If renaming the global template (Normal.dot) does not resolve the behavior that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section, do either of the following:
  • Empty the Startup folder.
  • Rename the Data and Options keys in the Windows Registry.

Empty the Startup folder

When you start Word, Word automatically loads templates and add-ins that are located in the Startup folder. Errors in Word may be the result of conflicts or problems with an add-in. To determine whether an item in a Startup folder is causing the problem, you can temporarily empty the folder.

Word 2000 loads items from the Office Startup folder and from the Word Startup folder. To remove items from the Startup folder, follow these steps:
  1. Quit all instances of Word. If you use Word as your e-mail editor, make sure to quit Microsoft Outlook also.
  2. On the desktop, double-click My Computer, and then locate the Office Startup folder. The default location for the Office Startup folder is:

    C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Startup

  3. Drag each item from the Office Startup folder to the desktop. (Or create a new folder on the desktop, and drag each item to this folder)

    Note To create a new folder on the desktop, right-click a blank area on the desktop, point to New, and then click Folder.
  4. Locate the Word Startup folder. The following locations are the default locations for the Word Startup folder, depending on your operating system:

    For Windows XP and Windows 2000

    C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\Startup

    For Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Millennium Edition (Me) without profiles enabled

    C:\windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\Startup

    For Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition (Me) with profiles enabled, and Windows NT 4.0

    C:\windows\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\Startup

    Drag each item from the Word Startup folder to the desktop. (Or create a new folder on the desktop, and then drag each item to this folder.)
  5. Start Word.

Rename the Data and Options keys in the Windows Registry

Rename the Data registry key

Note Renaming the Data registry key resets several options back to the default settings, including the Most Recently Used (MRU) file list on the File menu and many settings that you customize when you click Options on the Tools menu. Word rebuilds the Data registry key by using built-in default settings the next time that you start Word.

To rename the Data registry key, follow these steps:

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  1. Quit all Windows programs.
  2. Click Start, and then click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  4. Locate and then click the following registry key:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Data

  5. On the Edit menu, click Rename.
  6. Type a new name for the Data registry key (for example, OldData), and then press ENTER.
  7. To close Registry Editor, click Exit on the File menu.
  8. Start Word the way that you typically do (without using the /a switch).

Rename the Options registry key

The Options registry key stores the options that you can set from Word, either by changing menu options or by running the RegOptions macro.

To rename the Options registry key, follow these steps:

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  1. Quit all Windows programs.
  2. Click Start, and then click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  4. Locate and then click the following registry key:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Word\Options

  5. On the Edit menu, click Rename.
  6. Type a new name for the Options registry key (for example, OldOptions), and then press ENTER.
  7. To close Registry Editor, click Exit on the File menu.
  8. Start Word the way that you typically do (without using the /a switch).
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:4/28/2004
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb KB839367 kbAudEndUser kbAudITPRO
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