WD97: Invalid Page Fault When Normal.Dot Is a Document

 Last reviewed: July 31, 1997
Article ID: Q166971
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to start Word for Windows the following error occurs: 

   This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
Choosing the Details button displays: 

   WINWORD caused an invalid page fault in module WINWORD.EXE at
   0137:301e403c.

CAUSE

This error occur because the Normal.dot template, the default template in Word for Windows, is actually a document named Normal.dot and has been placed in the templates folder that Word has been configured to look in for its default template.

RESOLUTION

Use one of the following methods to resolve this issue.

Method 1: Rename or Delete the Document

  1. From Windows Explorer, find and select the Normal.dot document.

  2. On the Edit menu, click Rename to rename the document. For example, you could rename the document to Normal.doc.

NOTE: If a Normal.dot file does not exist, a new Normal.dot will be automatically created the next time you start and then close Word.

Method 2: Open and Save the Document as a Template

After using Method 1 to rename the document:

  1. Start Word for Windows.

  2. On the File menu, click Open.

  3. Locate the folder and select the document you renamed in Method 1.

  4. Click OK.

  5. On the File menu, click Save As.

  6. From the Save As Type box, click Document Template(*.dot).

  7. In the File Name box, rename the file.

    If you want to use the document as your default template, rename the file to "Normal" (Word will automatically apply the .dot extension).

  8. Click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

REFERENCES

For more information about the Normal template, click the Office Assistant, type "Normal.dot," click Search, and then click to view "The Normal Template." 

Keywords          : kbhowto kbtemplate word8 word97 kberrmsg kbtshoot
Version           : 97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug

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Last reviewed: July 31, 1997
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