WD97: Error Message: "The Wrong Wwintl32.dll Has Been Loaded" When You Start Word After Patch Update (172765)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows Service Release 1 (SR-1)
This article was previously published under Q172765

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to start Microsoft Word after you have run the Microsoft Office 97 Service Release 1 (SR-1) Patch, you may receive the following error message:
The wrong WWINTL32.DLL has been loaded.

CAUSE

This error message occurs when the versions of the Winword.exe file and the Wwintl32.dll file are not the same.

NOTE: It is not sufficient to check the file version information that is displayed when you right-click the program icon and click Properties on the shortcut menu.

This problem may also occur if a wwintl32.dll file is located in the Windows\System directory.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. Click Add/Remove Programs.
  2. Select Microsoft Office and click Change (in Microsoft Windows 2000) or click Add/Remove (in Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98).
  3. When prompted to put in the Office CD, do so, and then click OK.
  4. Click Add/Remove. Click to clear Microsoft Word.

    This will remove Microsoft Word only.
  5. Click OK on the message that you have selected XXX components to remove.
  6. Using Windows Explorer, search for and manually delete any instances of WINWORD.EXE.
  7. Search for and delete any instances of the Wwintl32.dll file located in a folder other than the \Office folder.
  8. Disable all terminate-and-stay-resident programs (TSRs), virus checkers, or utility programs such as Clean Sweep or First Aid.
  9. Reinstall Microsoft Word 97 from the original media.
  10. If the system restarts successfully, ensure that all TSRs in are still disabled, and reinstall the patch.
If the preceding steps do not work, you may need to completely remove Office. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Click Add/Remove Programs.
  3. Select Microsoft Office and click Change (in Microsoft Windows 2000) or click Add/Remove (in Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98).
  4. When prompted to put in the Office CD, do so and then click OK.
  5. Click Remove All.
  6. Using Windows Explorer, search for and manually delete any instances of WINWORD.EXE.
  7. Search for and delete any instances of the Wwintl32.dll file located in a folder other than the \Office folder.
  8. Disable all terminate-and-stay-resident programs (TSRs), virus checkers, or utility programs such as Clean Sweep or First Aid.
  9. Reinstall Microsoft Office 97 from the original media.
  10. If the system restarts successfully, ensure that all TSRs in are still disabled, and reinstall the patch.

STATUS

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

MORE INFORMATION

When you install the SR-1 Patch, the Winword.exe or the Wwintl32.dll files are not properly updated. The following table shows the file size and date of the Winword.exe file installed by Word 97 or the Word 97 SR-1 Patch. 
   Version                  File size           Date
   -------------------------------------------------

   Word 97                  5194 KB           11/17/96
   Word 97 SR-1 Patch       5200 KB            7/11/97
The default location for the Winword.exe is the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder.

The following table shows the file size, date and location of the Wwintl32.dll file installed by Word 97 and the Word 97 SR-1 Patch. 
   Version                  File size           Date
   -------------------------------------------------

   Word 97                  1131 KB           11/17/96
   Word 97 SR-1 Patch       1132 KB            7/11/97
The default location for the Wwintl32.dll file is the following:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office

REFERENCES

For more information about the Office 97 SR-1 Patch, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 172387 OFF97: Files Installed and Updated in MS Office 97 SR-1 Patch

172475 OFF97: How to Obtain and Install MS Office 97 SR-1

172504 OFF97: Cannot Install Patch If MS Office 97 Is Not Located

172516 OFF97: Unable to Run Patch After Upgrading from Trial Version

172399 OFF97: Setup Switches for Microsoft Office 97 SR-1 Patch
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/11/2006
Keywords:kbbug kbpending KB172765
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