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Article ID: 172502 - Last Review: January 20, 2007 - Revision: 1.6

WD97: How to Troubleshoot Setup for the Web AutoUpdate Feature

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IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/EN-US/ ) Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

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SUMMARY

This article discusses the following topics:
  • Reasons for messages you may receive during the Web AutoUpdate process.
  • Troubleshooting measures to help you resolve issues that may occur with the Web AutoUpdate.
  • How to remove the Web AutoUpdate.
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Messages You May Receive During the Web AutoUpdate Process

Could Not Update the Web Authoring Tools

Symptoms:

You receive the following message:
Could not update the Web Authoring Tools. Return to the Office Free Stuff web site for troubleshooting tips. Or if you run Word directly from a network, ask your system administrator for assistance.
After the standard error message, the name of the component that caused the update to fail is given in square brackets, for example "[STYLES]." For more detailed information about these components, see the "More Information" section later in this article.

Cause:

This error message may occur when any of the following conditions are true:

  • You do not have Microsoft Word 97, or a later version installed. This is necessary for updating the Web Authoring Tools.

    -or-

  • Word 97 has been set up to run from CD-ROM. Web AutoUpdate requires that Word is run from the hard disk, because the update replaces some existing files.

    -or-

  • The optional Web Page Authoring features were not installed when you installed Word, or certain Web Page Authoring components or directories have been removed.

    -or-

  • The HTML Converter is not installed.
Workaround:

To install the Web Page Authoring (HTML) features, follow these steps:

  1. Run Word Setup and choose to Add/Remove components.
  2. In the Maintenance dialog box, click to select the Web Page Authoring (HTML) check box in the Options list.
  3. Click Continue.
To install the HTML converter, follow these steps:
  1. Run Word Setup and choose to Add/Remove components.
  2. In the Maintenance dialog box, click to select Converters and Filters in the Options list, and then click Change Option.
  3. In the Option list, click to select Text Converters, and then click Change Option.
  4. In the Options list, click to select HTML Converter.
  5. Click OK twice, and then click Continue.
More Information:

If you are familiar with working with registry settings, you may want to verify that the settings appear as they are listed in the following table. This table includes the components that Word looks for in the registry. The components are checked in the following order. Word must be able to create and write to the listed directories.

NOTE: The paths for the default directories may vary depending on where you set up Microsoft Office. 
   Component     Registry Location/Default Directory
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   [STYLES]      Registry Location:

                 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\8.0\ 
                 Word\HTML\LocalPageStyles

                 Default Directory:

                 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Web Page
                 Templates\Styles

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   [MSOFFICE]    Registry Location:

                 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\8.0\ 
                 Word\Options\PROGRAMDIR

                 Default Directory:

                 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   [CONTENT]     Registry Location:

                 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\8.0\ 
                 Word\HTML\LocalContent

                 Default Directory:

                 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Web Page
                 Templates\Content

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   [WEBART]      Registry Location:

                 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\8.0\ 
                 Word\HTML\WebArt-Path

                 Default Directory:

                 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Clipart

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   [BULLETS]     Registry Location:

                 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\8.0\ 
                 Word\HTML\Bullet-Path

                 Default Directory:

                 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Clipart\Bullets

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   [LINES]       Registry Location:

                 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\8.0\ 
                 Word\HTML\HorizontalLine-Path

                 Default Directory:

                 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Clipart\Lines

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   [TEMPLATES]   Registry Location:

                 HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\8.0\ 
                 Common\FileNew\LocalTemplates

                 Default Directory:

                 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   [TEXTCONV]    Registry Location:

                 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools
                 Location\TEXTCONV

                 Default Directory:

                 C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Textconv
The following components are checked in the following order. Word must be able to create and write to these directories. 
   Component   Default Directory
   -----------------------------------------------------------

   [HTML]       C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Html
   [DIALOGS]    C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Html\Dialogs
   [BACKGROUND] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\ClipArt\Backgrounds
   [MACROS]     C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Macros
   [WEBPAGES]   C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\Web Pages
   [AU_SETUP]   C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Html\AU_Setup
   [AUREMOVE]   C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Html\AURemove
Because the [STYLES] key is checked first, the installation program typically gives this error message when failing. This problem may occur if Microsoft Office 97 is not correctly installed, if the "Web Page Authoring" component is missing, or if you have a read-only installation.

Under some circumstances, Setup will successfully extract the files from the package, and then stop without giving any error message. This normally indicates an unusual partial installation, or a problem determining the shared tools directory.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Some Useful Tips:

You must restart after Setup. Delaying the restart is not harmful, but the new features won't be available until you restart. The "What's New" document reiterates this.

You can tell whether the new tools were installed with a few easy tests:
  • When editing an HTML document, if the File menu includes "Publish to Web" above "Web Page Preview," the new Html.dot file is installed.
  • Insert a table and choose Table Properties on the Table menu. If there is a check box labeled "Center table horizontally" under the three picture buttons, the new WLL is installed.
  • Create a Word document and type "Hello," press ENTER twice, and then type "world." Save the document in HTML format. If the empty paragraph is removed when the document is saved as HTML (it will look the same because of HTML built-in space before and after each paragraph), the new converter is installed.

AutoUpdate Could Not Download a Newer Version

Symptoms:

You receive the following message:
AutoUpdate could not download a newer version. Word could not connect to the Internet, or the Internet connection returned an error. To retry the update, click AutoUpdate on the Tools menu.
Cause:

This error message may occur when any of the following conditions are true:

  • Word cannot connect to an existing Internet connection.

    -or-

  • The Internet connection returns an error.

    -or-

  • Word could not find Web Page Authoring Tools on the Microsoft Web site.

Workaround:

Visit the following Microsoft Web address to download and install the update:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=BCD87655-7513-4330-B234-49B89706078D (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=BCD87655-7513-4330-B234-49B89706078D)

You Already Have the Latest Version of the Web Page Authoring Tools

Symptoms:

You receive the following message:
You Already Have the Latest Version of the Web Page Authoring Tools
Cause:

You may receive this message if you already have the latest version of the Web Page Authoring Tools installed on your computer. A later version of the tools is not currently available.

Workaround:

You may want to try the update again in a month.

AutoUpdate Could Not Check for a Later Version

Symptoms:

You receive the following error message
AutoUpdate could not check for a newer version
followed by an explanation, and the following message:
Choose AutoUpdate from the Tools menu to attempt the download again.
Cause:

This error message may occur when any of the following conditions are true:

  • The Internet connection timed out.

    -or-

  • The Internet connection could not be established.

    -or-

  • The Internet connection returned an error.
Workaround:

To work around this problem, wait and try the connection again later.

Word Can Automatically Check the Internet...

Symptoms:

You receive the following message:
Word can automatically check the Internet for new versions of the Word Internet Tools. Dial up and check for a newer version now?
Cause:

Web Page Authoring Tools has a registry key called AutoUpdate. If the current date is greater than or equal to the date in the AutoUpdate key, you are prompted to have Word check the Microsoft World Wide Web site for a later version of the Authoring Tools. Click Yes to allow Word to check for an update.

Would You Like to Access the Internet...

Symptoms:

You receive the following message:
Would you like to access the Internet to check for a new version of Web page authoring tools?
If you want to perform the update check, click Yes.

Cause:

This message is displayed after you click AutoUpdate on the Tools menu.

Workaround:

If you click to select the Don't ask me again check box, Word will not present this dialog box again.

A New Version of the Web Page Authoring Tools Is Available

Symptoms:

You receive the following message:
A new version of the Web page authoring tools is available. Do you wish to update Word now?
Cause:

When you perform the AutoUpdate, if there is a later version of the Web Page Authoring Tools available, Word prompts you with this message.

Click Yes to continue the upgrade. If you click No, or click the Don't Ask Me Again and Disable Word AutoUpdate check box, Word will no longer automatically check for new versions. However, if you do a manual check for an update, Word begins to check for updates again automatically.
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Web AutoUpdate Troubleshooting Measures

Symptoms:

AutoUpdate does not appear on the Tools menu.

Cause:

This problem may occur when any of the following conditions are true:

  • You do not have an HTML document open, or the HTML document is not the active document in Word.

    -or-

  • Your current version of Word is earlier than Word 97.

    -or-

  • The optional Web Page Authoring features were not installed when you in stalled Word. To install the optional Web Page Authoring (HTML) features:

    1. Run Word Setup and choose to Add/Remove components.
    2. In the Maintenance dialog box, click to select the Web Page Authoring (HTML) check box in the Options list.
    3. Click Continue.
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How to Remove the Web AutoUpdate

To revert back to the Web features you had prior to the update, follow these steps:
  1. Quit Word if it is running.
  2. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  3. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
  4. In the program list, select Word 97 Web Authoring Tools Update and click Add/Remove.
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MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the Web Page Authoring Tools, click Contents and Index on the Help menu, click the Index tab in Microsoft Word Help, type the following text
web pages, authoring tools
and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Learn about installing and using Web page authoring tools" topic. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.

For additional information, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
163299  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/163299/EN-US/ ) WD97: Web Page Authoring Tools AutoUpdate
173146  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/173146/EN-US/ ) WD97: Run from Network Installation for Web Authoring AutoUpdate
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APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition
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Keywords: 
kbdownload kbenv kbfaq kbinfo KB172502
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Retired KB ArticleRetired 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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