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Q167112: WD97: Cannot Save Changes to Normal.dot in Second Word Session

Article: Q167112
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): word97
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you quit Word after making changes to the Normal template, you may receive
the following messages:

  Normal.dot (Normal) was being edited by another Word session. If you save
  this document with the original name, you will overwrite any changes made in
  the other session.

  Do you want to save the document using the original name anyway?

When you click Yes, the following message is displayed:

  This file is read-only.
  (C:\PROGRAM FILES\...\NORMAL.DOT)

NOTE: The path to your Normal template may be different from the one listed here.

CAUSE
=====

You have two Word sessions open at the same time. The second session of Word was
attached to a read-only copy of your Normal.dot template. Any changes that
affect the Normal.dot template, made in the second session of Word, cannot be
saved to a read-only copy of Normal.dot.

WORKAROUND
==========

Save the file using a name other than Normal.dot (for example: NewFile.dot). If
you want to use this file as your new Normal.dot, you will have to rename your
existing Normal.dot first, and then rename NewFile.dot to Normal.dot.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at
the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The Normal.dot template remains read-only even after you exit the first session
of Word. This way of handling Normal.dot is different from the way Normal.dot is
handled in Word for Windows, version 6.0.

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q134896 Cannot Rename Normal.dot If Word Mail Is Running

  Q153789 No Prompt to Save Normal Template If WordMail Is Running

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : word97 
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbbug

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