Troubleshooting "Cannot Save or Create File" Error Messages

ID: Q107144

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article describes the troubleshooting procedure you should use if the following error message occurs in Word for Windows:

   Error: Cannot save or create the file. Make sure the disk
   is not full or write protected.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use the following steps:

1. On the File menu, click Save As.

2. From the Save File As Type list, select Rich Text Format, and choose OK.

TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS

Below is a list that contains possible causes for this error message and resolutions or workarounds for each cause.

 1. Cause: You have not restarted your computer since installing Word,
    so the SHARE settings in your AUTOEXEC.BAT (or CONFIG.SYS file, if
    you are running MS-DOS version 4.01) file may be correct, but the
    settings have not yet taken effect.

    Resolution 1: Exit Word, exit Windows and restart your computer so
    the correct SHARE settings can take effect. Microsoft recommends
    that you use the following SHARE parameters:

       /L:500 /F:5100

    For example the complete statement would read:

       C:\DOS\SHARE.EXE /L:500 /F:5100

    For more information on the SHARE settings you should use with
    Word, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

       share.exe and 6.0 and word and windows and setup

    Resolution 2: Update to Word for Windows 6.0c or later

    If you are using Word 6.0a and operating Windows in the 386 Enhanced
    mode, VSHARE.386 replaces the need to load the MS-DOS SHARE utility. To
    obtain Word version 6.0a see the section below titled, "How to Obtain
    the Word 6.0a Patch."

 2. Cause: You may actually have insufficient disk space to save
    the file.

    Resolution: Check the drive where you want to save the file to be
    sure it is not full. While you are checking for available disk
    space, you should also check for and delete any extraneous
    temporary (.TMP) files.

 3. Cause: You are running MasterWord or other third-party add-in
    programs that conflict with Word. There are two versions of
    MasterWord. MasterWord 2.0 causes this problem. For more information on
    updating MasterWord query: "Alki Software MasterWord available" in the
    Microsoft Knowledge Base.

    Workaround: Exit Word, then restart with the /a switch. For more
    information on this switch, see the "Starting Word Without Loading
    Global Items" section at the end of Chapter 10 in the "Microsoft Word
    User's Guide."

 4. Cause: The TEMP setting in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file points to an
    invalid location or to a drive with less than 6 to 8 MB available
    disk space.

    Resolution: Modify the SET TEMP line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT so it
    defines a valid location with at least 6 to 8 MB available disk
    space.

 5. Cause: Microsoft has received several reports that older versions
    of Adobe Type Manager (ATM) conflict with Word 6.0.

    Workaround: To rule out this cause, exit Word, turn off ATM,
    and then exit and restart Windows. If the error message does not
    recur when you run Word, your older version of ATM may be causing
    the "Cannot Save File" error message. Phone ATM technical support
    for more information.

 6. Cause: You loaded SHARE.EXE in the upper memory area using an upper
    memory manager (such as QEMM) other than the MS-DOS EMM386.EXE.

    Note: You should not have a problem running SHARE in upper memory
    when you use the MS-DOS EMM386.EXE upper memory manager and the
    MS-DOS LOADHIGH command.

    Workaround: Microsoft has received several reports that the "Cannot
    Save File" error message no longer occurs if you load SHARE in
    conventional memory instead of upper memory. To do this, remove
    "LOADHIGH" or "LH" from the SHARE.EXE line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT
    file. For example, change this line:

       LOADHIGH C:\DOS\SHARE.EXE /L:500 /F: 5100

    to the following:

       C:\DOS\SHARE.EXE /L:500 /F: 5100

    Note: Microsoft does not support the mixing of load high methods.
    You should not use the MS-DOS LOADHIGH command when you run a
    third-party upper memory manager such as QEMM.

 7. Cause: Your EMM386.EXE settings are incorrect.

    Resolution: Make sure you are using correct EMM386.EXE settings.
    For example, change "EMM386.EXE RAM 2048" to "EMM386.EXE NOEMS".
    For information about EMM386.EXE settings, refer to your MS-DOS
    documentation.

 8. Cause: You have more than one SHARE line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT
    or CONFIG.SYS.

    -or-

    You have a SHARE line in both your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS
    file.

    Resolution: Remove all but one SHARE line from your AUTOEXEC.BAT
    or CONFIG.SYS file.

 9. Cause: The FILES or BUFFERS settings in your CONFIG.SYS file may be
    too low.

    Resolution: Set FILES=60 in your CONFIG.SYS file unless you
    have a software application that requires a higher setting. Set
    BUFFERS=10 in your CONFIG.SYS file if you use SMARTDRV.EXE. Using a
    high number of buffers with SMARTDRV will decrease efficiency. If you
    are not using SMARTDRV, set BUFFERS=30. More buffers may improve disk
    access times but will use more conventional memory. See your MS-DOS
    documentation for more information on the correct FILES and BUFFERS
    settings for your computer.

10. Cause: Your root directory contains too many file/directory entries.
    This problem occurs when all 512 root directory entries have been used.
    This problem can also occur with fewer than 512 files and folder in the
    root directory on a Windows 95 machine, because Windows 95 uses
    additional directory entries to store long file names.

    Resolution: Move some files or folder out of the root directory.

    For more information about errors when the root directory contains too
    many files, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge
    Base:

    ARTICLE-ID: Q120138
    TITLE     : Errors Creating Files or Folders in the Root Directory

STATUS

We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

You can check the status of SHARE by typing the following command at the MS-DOS prompt (you should exit Windows first instead of using the MS-DOS Prompt icon in Program Manager):

MS-DOS Version 6.0 or Later

   mem/m share

MS-DOS Version 5.0 and Earlier

   mem/c | more

This command reports the address and memory usage of SHARE. If you are using the SHARE parameters set by Word Setup, the memory usage is 17,904 bytes.

The ATM and QEMM memory manager products included here are manufactured by Adobe Systems, Inc., and Quarterdeck Office Systems, respectively, vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.

How to Obtain the Word 6.0a Patch

The following table lists the available versions of the Word 6.0a Patch. These files are available for download from the Microsoft Software Library.

   File name      Snumber     Description
   -----------------------------------------------------------------------

 ~ WORD60A.EXE (size: 757601 bytes) 
                  S14572      US/English version of Word
 ~ UK60A.EXE (size: 738470 bytes) 
                  S14613      UK/English version of Word
 ~ AUSWRD6A.EXE (size: 734472 bytes) 
                  S14614      Australian/English version of Word
 ~ AUSOFF6A.EXE (size: 737306 bytes) 
                  S14648      Australian/English Office version of Word
 ~ CANW60A.EXE (size: 988394 bytes) 
                  S14672      Canadian/English version of Word

For more information about downloading files from the Microsoft Software Library, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

For additional information about downloading, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online
               Services

  • If you can't access the 6.0a Patch by any of the methods above, call the Microsoft Order Desk at (800) 360-7561 and request the Word for Windows 6.0a Patch.

    If you are outside the United States, contact your local subsidiary. To locate your subsidiary, see the Microsoft World Wide Offices Web site at:

          http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/default.htm
    

    KBCategory: kbusage kbtshoot KBSubcategory: Additional query words: 6.0 tshoot size winword custsales word6 6.0a 6.0c

    Version           : 6.0 6.0a 6.0c
    Platform          : WINDOWS

    Last Reviewed: February 5, 1998