KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q192480: WD97: Frequently Asked Questions About "Allow Fast Saves"

Article: Q192480
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbdta word97
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SUMMARY
=======

This article answers some of the most frequently asked questions about the Allow
Fast Saves option in Microsoft Word 97 for Windows.

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

1. Q: What is the difference between a fast saved file and a full saved file?

  A: A fast saved file is a Word document in which the physical order of
  characters stored in the file does not match the logical order of characters
  in the document that the file represents. In other words, changes to the file
  are appended to the end of the file.

  A full saved file is a Word document in which the physical order of characters
  stored in the file is identical to the logical order of characters in the
  document that the file represents. In other words, changes to the file are
  incorporated into the contents of the file in the specific location where the
  change was made.

2. Q: When will Word perform a fast save?

  A: When the Allow Fast Saves option is selected, Word may perform a fast save
  when you save changes to your document. When you click Save (or on the File
  menu, click Save), Word may perform a fast save or a full save of your
  document.

3. Q: When will Word perform a full save?

  A: Word will perform a full save of a document when any of the following
  events occur:

   - On the fifteenth (15th) fast save of a document. Word will normally
     perform fourteen (14) fast save operations before it performs a full save.

  -or-

   - When you click Save and there are many edits performed in the document.

     NOTE: There is no way to determine or change the number of edits in a
     document. As changes are appended to the end of the physical document
     file, it will reach a point where the physical document needs to be
     re-written so that once again the changes to the file can be incorporated
     back into the contents of the file in the specific location where the
     changes were made.

  -or-

   - When you click Save and the Allow Fast Saves option is disabled (turned
     off).

  -or-

   - When you save the document in another format such as Rich Text Format
     (RTF).

4. Q: Why should I let Word do a fast save?

  A: If you select the Allow Fast Saves option, Word saves only the changes to
  the document. The Allow Fast Save option takes less time to than a full save
  of the document. When you are working on a very large document, you may want
  to select the Allow Fast Saves option.

5. Q: When should I not use the Allow Fast Saves option?

  A: If you are going to be sharing a document containing sensitive information
  that has been deleted. You should "force" Word to do a full save of your
  document. To "force" Word to do a full save, turn the Allow Fast Saves option
  off, and then click Save.

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

  Q190733 WD97: Opening Word Document in Text Editor Displays Deleted Text

6. Q: When I am working on a document from a network location, why does Word
  seem to take the same amount of time to save the document, regardless of how
  I have the Allow Fast Saves option set?

  A: This functionality is by design. Fast saves cannot be performed over a
  network. If the Allow Fast Saves option is turned on, Word will ignore this
  option when you save a document over a network.

7. Q: How do I change the setting of the Allow Fast Saves option?

  A: On the Tools menu, click Options. Then, on the Save tab, click to select or
  clear the Allow Fast Saves check box, and then click OK.

  NOTE: The Allow Fast Saves option is selected (turned on) by default in
  Microsoft Word 97 for Windows; however, this option is disabled (turned off)
  by default in Microsoft Word 97 for Windows, Service Release 1 (SR-1) and
  Service Release 2 (SR-2).

8. Q: When I select the "Always create backup copy" option, why is the Allow
  Fast Saves option turned off?

  A: A backup copy of a document cannot be saved (created) when Word fast saves
  a document. When you click to select the "Always create backup copy" option,
  Word automatically disables (turns off) the Allow Fast Saves option.
  Consequently, when you select Allow Fast Saves, Word will automatically
  disable the "Always create backup copy" if it is selected.

9. Q: What is the "Allow background saves" option?

  A: This option saves documents in the background, so you can continue working
  in Word while you save (full save or fast save) a document. A pulsing disk
  icon appears in the status bar when Word is performing either a full save or
  a fast save in the background.

  NOTE: The Allow Background Saves option is selected (turned on) by default in
  Microsoft Word 97 for Windows, Service Release 1 (SR-1) and Service Release 2
  (SR-2); however, this option is disabled (turned off) by default in Microsoft
  Word 97 for Windows.

REFERENCES
==========

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

  Q71999 WD97: How to Disable the Fast Save Option in Word for Windows

  Q108456 WD: Word Displays Error Message or Hangs When Formatting Table

  Q111277 WD: Change in Document File Size Is More or Less Than Expected

  Q170406 WD97: Allow Fast Save Option Not Selected by Default

  Q173683 WD97: Error Message: "Word Cannot Give a Document the Same Name"

  Q174162 WD97: Windows NT 4.0: Saving the AutoRecovery File Is Postponed

  Q176284 WD: Word Does Not "Fast Save" Document

Additional query words: fastsave fast-save append

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

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.