WD2000: Invalid Page Fault When Normal.dot Is a Document (211541)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 2000
This article was previously published under Q211541

SYMPTOMS

After a document named Normal.dot is placed in the User templates (or Workgroup templates) folder and you try to start Microsoft Word 2000, you may receive the following error message:

This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.

If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.
When you click Details (on Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, press ALT+D), you receive the following message:
WINWORD caused an invalid page fault in WINWORD.EXE at 015f:30215216.
NOTE: The actual memory address may vary.

CAUSE

This error may occur when the global template (Normal.dot) is actually a Word document named Normal.dot. When Word attempts to use it as its default global template, the error message listed in the "Symptoms" section of this article appears.

Word documents have a specific file format that is different from the Word template file format.

RESOLUTION

Use one of the following methods to correct this problem.

Method 1: Rename the Document

  1. Right-click Start on the Windows taskbar, and then click Explore.
  2. In Windows Explorer, find and select the Normal.dot document.
  3. On the Edit menu, click Rename.
  4. Type a new file name for the document, and then press ENTER.

    For example, type Normal.doc.

Method 2: Move the Document to a Different Folder

  1. Right-click Start on the Windows taskbar, and then click Explore.
  2. In Windows Explorer, find and select the Normal.dot document.
  3. Right-click and drag the Normal.dot document to a different folder. For example, drag the Normal.dot document to the My Documents folder.
  4. After you drag the Normal.dot document to the different folder, click Move on the shortcut menu.

Method 3: Save the Document as a Template

After you use Method 1 to rename the document, follow these steps:
  1. Start Word.
  2. On the File menu, click Open.
  3. Locate and select the file that you renamed in Method 1.
  4. Click Open.
  5. On the File menu, click Save As.
  6. In the Save as type box, select Document Template (*.dot).
  7. In the File name box, type a new name for the file.

    NOTE: If you want to use the file as the global template, type Normal. Word automatically applies the .dot extension.
  8. Click Save.

MORE INFORMATION

By default, Word looks for its global template (Normal.dot) in the following folder:

C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

If you do not know where the global template (or the file named Normal.dot) is located, follow these steps:
  • Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0:

    1. Click Start on the Windows taskbar, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
    2. In the Named box, type Normal.dot.
    3. Change the Look in box to the root of your drive.

      For example, change the Look in box to Drive (C:).
    4. Make sure the Include subfolders check box is selected and then click Find Now.
    -or-
  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) or Microsoft Windows 2000:
    1. Click Start on the Windows taskbar, point to Search, and then click For Files or Folders.
    2. In the Search for files or folders named box, type Normal.dot.
    3. Change the Look in box to the root of your drive.

      For example, change the Look in box to Drive (C:).
    4. Click Search Now.
NOTE: If a Normal.dot file does not exist, a new Normal.dot is automatically created the next time you start and then close Word.

REFERENCES

For more information about templates, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type templates in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:3/8/2001
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb kbtemplate KB211541
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.