WD98: Word Doesn't Start After Booting System with Disk Tools Disk (184341)

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to start Word 98 Macintosh Edition after starting your computer using the Disk Tools disk, Word does not start and one of the following error messages appear:

Microsoft Word is unable to locate support files which are required to run. Please reinstall Microsoft Word.

-or-

Word cannot launch the First Run Installer. There may not be enough free memory to launch the installer, the installer may have been moved, or your startup disk may be write-protected. Try the following:

Quit any other programs that are running to free memory. If Virtual Memory is off, turn it on and restart your computer.
Reinstall Word to make sure that all files needed to run Word are installed correctly.
Reboot from an unlocked startup disk and restart Word.

-or-

The application "Microsoft Word" cannot be opened because an unexpected error occurred.

CAUSE

When you start the Macintosh using the Disk Tools disk, the active System Folder is changed. The System Folder it uses is located on the floppy disk rather than on the hard disk. The System Folder on the floppy disk does not contain all the necessary system resources and files that Word needs to run. As a result, Word does not start and you receive one of the error messages described in the "Symptoms" section of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

The Disk Tools disk is intended for emergency disk access, to allow you to repair a damaged hard disk and to install or reinstall the operating system. Many system resources are removed to allow the operating system to fit on the floppy disk. In addition, the System Folder on the floppy disk does not contain the OLE files that Word needs to access when it starts.

Rather than starting your computer from the Disk Tools disk, you can try alternative testing methods. For example, you can try starting the computer with extensions off or you can reinstall the system files to a new System folder.

To start your Macintosh computer with the extensions off (if you are using the Macintosh Operating System Software version 7 or 8), press and hold the SHIFT key while starting or restarting your computer.

For information about how to start your Macintosh from the System CD, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

176226 WD98: How to Start Word After Starting Macintosh from System CD