PUB 97: "Invalid Page Fault in Kernel32.dll" Starting Publisher

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View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q159314

SYMPTOMS

When you start Microsoft Publisher 97 you may receive the following error message:

This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

If you click Details, you receive one of the following error messages:

Mspub executed an invalid instruction in module <unknown>.

Mspub caused an invalid page fault in module Kernel32.dll.

Mspub caused an invalid page fault in module <unknown>.

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This behavior can occur if a newer version of the Msvcrt40.dll file is already installed on your computer when you run Publisher Setup.

Publisher Setup configures Mspub.exe to look for certain functions in Msvcrt40.dll at certain addresses. If the wrong version of Msvcrt40.dll is installed, those addresses are wrong and Publisher does not start.

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WORKAROUND

Rename Mspub.exe and Msvcrt40.dll and Reinstall Publisher 97

Close any open applications.
Rename Mspub.exe and Msvcrt40.dll. To do this:
1. On the Windows Start menu, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
2. In the Named box, type:
  mspub.exe
  In the Look In box, select the drive where you installed Publisher 97. Click to select the Include Subfolders check box.
3. Click Find Now.
4. Right-click Mspub.exe and then click Rename. Change the name to something like Mspub.old.
5. Click New Search. When you receive a message that the current search will be cleared, click OK.
6. In the Named box, type:
  Msvcrt40.dll
7. Click Find Now.
8. Right-click Msvcrt40.dll and then click Rename. Change the name to something like Msvcrt40.old.
  
  NOTE: If you are running any programs that are using the Msvcrt40.dll, you receive this error message:
  Cannot rename Msvcrt40.dll: Access is denied.
  Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.
  
  If you receive this error message, follow these additional steps:
  1. On the Start menu, click Shut Down.
  2. In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, click "Restart in MS-DOS mode" and then click Yes. You should see a blank screen with an MS-DOS prompt similar to this:
    c:\windows>
  3. Type the following:
    cd system
    and then press ENTER.
  4. Type the following:
    ren msvcrt40.dll msvcrt40.old
    and then press ENTER.
  5. Type the following:
    exit
    and then press ENTER. Windows 95 will restart.
  6. If you receive any kind of "error starting program" or "can't find required .dll" error message, click OK to bypass them.
Start Publisher 97 Setup.
Click Reinstall. Follow the instructions on the screen.

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STATUS

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

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APPLIES TO

Microsoft Publisher 97 Standard Edition

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kberrmsg kbfaq kbprb kbsetup KB159314

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Retired KB Content Disclaimer

This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.

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