Troubleshooting Office Kernel32.dll errors under Windows 98

This article contains information about troubleshooting and eliminating invalid page faults that occur in module Kernel32.dll when you work with a Microsoft Office program under Microsoft Windows 98. A Kernel32.dll message will be similar to the following: where Program name is the name of the Microsoft Office program you are using.

For additional information about troubleshooting Microsoft Office Kernel32.dll issues under Microsoft Windows 95, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

When an invalid page fault occurs, an unexpected event occurs in the Microsoft Windows operating system. An invalid page fault indicates that a program improperly attempted to use random access memory (for example, when a program or a Windows component reads or writes to a memory location that is not allocated to it). When this occurs, the program can potentially overwrite and corrupt other program code in that area of memory.

An invalid page fault may occur when parameters are passed between programs and the Windows 98 operating system. An invalid parameter may cause a program to run invalid instructions, which results in an invalid page fault. This behavior usually occurs because a program incorrectly passes data that Windows or a Windows-based program cannot interpret.

IMPORTANT: Follow the steps in each of the sections in this article in the order in which they are presented. Because invalid page faults are typically caused when two or more programs interact, skipping steps may increase the time it take to identify the problem.

Determine If the Problem Is Documented

Many Kernel32.dll errors are already documented in the Microsoft Knowledge Base and have solutions. For more information, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: NOTE: It may be helpful to add the program name in which the problem occurs at the end of the query to narrow your search. For additional information on related Kernel32.dll error messages, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Do Not Install ClipArt, Binder, and Find Fast

On some systems, cancellation of the installation of ClipArt, Binder, and Find Fast will resolve this problem during Setup.

These components are installed with a Typical or Custom installation. You must perform a Custom installation and choose not to install these components. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Quit all programs.
2. On the Start menu, click Run.
3. Type the following to start Setup:
   Drive:\Setup
   where Drive is the drive letter that you are installing from. If you are installing from a CD-ROM drive (typically, drive D), the command will resemble the following:
   D:\Setup
4. Proceed through Setup as you normally would, but select Custom as the type of installation.
5. Click Office Tools, and then click Change Option.
6. Click to clear the ClipArt Gallery, Popular ClipArt and Find Fast check boxes, and then click OK.
7. Click to clear the Microsoft Binder check box. Click Continue. Proceed through the rest of Microsoft Office 97 Setup as you normally would.
   
   If the Setup program runs to completion without error, you can install ClipArt, Binder, and Find Fast by running Setup in maintenance mode.

NOTE: The availability of these components and the steps to remove these components may vary in the products listed at the beginning of this article.

Check for a Valid Temporary Folder and Excess Temporary Files

There should be at least 10 megabytes (MB) of free space on the hard disk drive that contains the temporary folder. To check for a temporary folder and to delete excess files from that folder, follow these steps:

1. Restart your computer. Hold down CTRL until the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu appears.
2. On the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu menu, type the number for Command prompt only, and then press ENTER.
3. Type set, and then press ENTER. Note the location of the TEMP variable.
4. Change to the folder that you noted in step 3. For example, if TEMP is set to C:\WINDOWS\TEMP, type the following line, and then press ENTER:
   cd\windows\temp
   If the folder that you noted in step 3 does not exist, create the folder. To create the folder, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   md c:\windows\temp
5. Delete any temporary files in this folder. Temporary files have a .tmp file name extension. To delete these files, type the following line, and then press ENTER:
   del *.tmp
   NOTE: Do not delete these files from within the Windows 98 graphical user interface (that is, when you are running Windows 98) because Windows 98 or a Windows program may be using one of these files.

Start Windows in Safe Mode

Windows 98 has a built-in troubleshooting mode called Safe mode. It bypasses startup files and uses only basic system drivers, including basic networking. When you start Windows in Safe mode, Windows uses only the mouse, keyboard, and standard video graphics adapter (VGA) device drivers. This makes Safe mode useful for isolating and resolving error conditions that are caused by both real-mode and Windows-based drivers. Windows 98 also has troubleshooting features that may help you identify the problem. To start Windows 98 in Safe mode and make the additional troubleshooting features available, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Shut Down. Click Restart and then click OK.
2. Hold down CTRL until the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu appears.
3. On the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu menu, type the number for Safe mode, and then press ENTER.
   
   Windows starts in Safe mode.
4. Perform the same operation that caused the error.
   
   When you use Safe mode or when you disable 32-bit protected-mode disk drivers, Windows 98 does not process protected-mode drivers (the Autoexec.bat file, and the Config.sys file). Therefore, the CD-ROM drive is not available. To use Safe mode with CD-ROM drive support, determine if Windows 98 uses protected-mode drivers for the CD-ROM drive. If Windows 98 is using protected mode drivers, install the real-mode (MS- DOS) drivers for the CD-ROM drive on the computer. The real-mode drivers are usually located on a disk that is shipped with the CD-ROM drive or with the computer. The drivers are installed in the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files.

For additional information about determining if Windows 98 is using protected-mode drivers, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For additional information about installing real-mode drivers for the CD-ROM drive, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Check the Hard Disk for Disk Errors and Fragmentation

Use the ScanDisk program to check the hard disk drive for lost clusters and other file allocation table (FAT) errors and test the hard disk drive integrity. You can also use the ScanDisk program to repair any of these problems. To run ScanDisk, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click ScanDisk.
2. Click the hard disk drive that you want to check for errors, and then click Start.

Hard disk drives that are very fragmented can affect the performance and reliability of Microsoft Office programs and other tasks in Windows 98. To resolve this problem, run Disk Defragmenter to defragment the hard disk drive. To run Disk Defragmenter, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
2. Click the hard disk drive that you want to defragment in the Which drive do you want to defragment? list, and then click OK.

Disable the CD-ROM Drive Cache

If the error message appears while you are reading from a CD-ROM drive, try disabling the CD-ROM drive cache. This may make the drive more reliable but reduces performance. To disable the CD-ROM drive cache, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, double-click the System icon.
3. Click the Performance tab, and then click File System.
4. On the CD-ROM tab, click No Read-Ahead in the Optimize access pattern for list.
5. Drag the Supplemental Cache Size slider to the left position (the Small setting), and then click OK.

If you are using real-mode CD-ROM drive drivers, the drive may be cached by the Smartdrv.exe program. If this is the case, the Smartdrv.exe program needs to be disabled in the Autoexec.bat file. To disable the Smartdrv.exe program in the Autoexec.bat file, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information.
2. On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility.
3. Click the Autoexec.bat tab.
4. Click to clear the check box that contains Smartdrv, and then click OK.
5. When prompted to restart the computer for the change to take effect, click Yes.

Verify That the Compact Disc Is Clean and Unscratched

If the error message appears while you are installing from a compact disc, verify that the compact disc you are using is clean. You can wipe the compact disc with a soft, lint-free cloth. Also ensure that there are no large scratches on the compact disc. If the compact disc is damaged and unreadable, error messages may appear during installation.

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

Check for a Corrupted Swap File

The Kernel32.dll error may also appear if your Windows swap file is corrupted. To create a new swap file, restart the computer in MS-DOS mode, delete the Win386.swp file in the Windows folder, and then restart the computer. To create a new swap file, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Shut Down.
2. In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, click Restart in MS-DOS Mode, and then click OK.
3. At the MS-DOS prompt, change to the Windows folder by typing the following command
   cd drive:\Windows
   where drive is the drive letter that contains the Windows folder. (Typically, drive is C).
   
   NOTE: The swap file exists in the Windows folder if Windows manages virtual memory settings on your computer. If you chose to manage virtual memory settings on the computer, the swap file exists at the root level of the hard disk. To determine whether Windows manages virtual memory settings, right-click My Computer, click Properties, click Performance, and then click Virtual Memory.
4. To delete the swap file, type the following:
   del Win386.swp
5. After you delete the swap file, restart the computer.

Corrupted Custom Profile

Corrupted custom profiles have also been known to cause Kernel32.dll errors. Deleting and re-creating the profile can possibly resolve this problem.

If you are using the Microsoft Office 97 system policy templates that are included in the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit, you must use the version of the System Policy Editor that is included in the Microsoft Office 97 Resource Kit or the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit. Use the Office 97 Templates for Windows 95 for Microsoft Windows 98.

NOTE: You can download Policy.exe, a self-extracting executable file containing Poledit.exe, from online services. Download this file from the following Microsoft World Wide Web site:

Remove and Reinstall the Program

If the problem occurs after you run the Setup program, some of the dynamic link library (DLL) files may be damaged or corrupted. To troubleshoot this problem, completely remove the program. For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: After you completely remove the program, reinstall the program.

Check for Software Updates

Outdated and incompatible software may also cause error messages to appear. Check with the manufacturer of the computer for various software updates, such as BIOS updates, OEM Windows updates, and hardware driver updates (such as CD-ROM drive drivers). If you are using third-party partitioning software (for example, EZDrive, or Ontrack Disk Manager), verify that you have the most recent versions of these products.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.
For more information about hardware and software vendor contact information, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Scan the Computer for Viruses

If a virus is present on your computer and has damaged some files, Kernel32.dll error messages may appear when you use a program. Scan the hard disk drive and floppy disks with a virus detector. If the virus detector finds a virus on your computer, remove the virus before you run the Office program again. If a virus is found on your Setup disk, you must obtain a new set of disks.

NOTE: Do not run a virus detector terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program while you run any of the Microsoft Office programs, including the Setup program. Run a virus detector before you run the Setup program, and then disable it.

If you determine that you have a Setup disk that was damaged by a virus, you can order a new set of disks. IMPORTANT: Microsoft Office 97 Service Release CD-ROMs and replacement CD-ROMs are no longer available from Microsoft. For more information about obtaining the Microsoft Office 97 Service Release 1 (SR-1) and Microsoft Office 97 Service Release 2 (SR-2), click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Check for Registry Corruption

When you start Windows 98 in Safe mode, Windows does not read the entire registry. Therefore, damage to the registry may not be evident when you run Windows in this mode. It may be necessary to replace the existing registry (System.dat) with a backup to determine whether the problem is caused by a damaged registry. Use one of the following methods to troubleshoot a damaged registry.

Method 1: Use Registry Checker

Windows 98 includes a tool called Registry Checker that can scan your registry for corruption, and, if necessary, restore a backup of the registry. Follow these steps to use Registry Checker to scan your registry:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information.
   
   Microsoft System Information starts.
2. On the Tools menu, click Registry Checker.
   
   You may receive the following error message:
   Windows encountered an error accessing the system registry. Windows will restart the computer and repair the system registry for you.
   If you received this error message, proceed to step 3.
   
   If you do not receive the error message, then your registry is OK.
3. To restart your computer, click OK.
4. Press ENTER when the Windows 98 Startup menu appears.
5. At the command prompt, type Scanreg, and then press ENTER.
6. Press ENTER in the Check Your Registry dialog box. You should receive the following message:
   Windows found an error in your system files and restores a recent backup of the files to fix the problem.
7. Press ENTER to restart your computer.

Windows 98 stores five backups of your registry. If the registry has been damaged for a long period of time, then you may need to use "Method 2: Restore the System.1st File" to determine whether or not your registry is damaged.

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

Method 2 - Restore the System.1st File

To restore your System.1st file, follow these steps:

1. Restart your computer. Hold down CTRL until the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu appears.
2. On the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu menu, select the option for Command prompt only, and then press ENTER.
3. To remove the file attributes from the backup of the registry, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   c:\windows\command\attrib -h -s -r c:\system.1st
4. To remove the file attributes from the current registry, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   c:\windows\command\attrib -h -s -r c:\windows\system.dat
5. To rename the registry, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   ren c:\windows\system.dat *.dax
6. To copy the backup file to the current registry, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   copy c:\system.1st c:\windows\system.dat
7. Restart the computer. If the Windows 95 Startup Menu appears, select Safe Mode, or Safe Mode With Network Support if you need network connectivity.

NOTE: The System.1st file is a backup of the registry that is created during the final stage of a Microsoft Windows 98 installation. When you restart your computer, Windows 98 Setup starts at the "Setting up hardware and finalizing settings" phase of setup.

If replacing the System.dat file with the System.1st file resolves the issue, the problem may be related to registry damage. Note that you may have to reinstall programs and device drivers that you installed after you installed Windows 98 to update the new registry.

If the issue is not resolved, restore the original registry. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Restart your computer. Hold down CTRL until the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu appears.
2. On the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu menu, select the option for Command prompt only, and then press ENTER.
3. Type the following commands:
   c:\windows\command\attrib -s -h -r c:\windows\system.dat
   
   copy c:\windows\system.dax c:\windows\system.dat
   Press Y and then press ENTER when you are asked to overwrite the existing System.dat file.
   
   
4. Restart the computer.

Disable DMA for the CD-ROM During Installation

There are unconfirmed reports that disabling Direct Memory Access in Device Manager for some CD-ROM drives may prevent Kernel32.dll errors.

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

Reinstall Windows in a New Folder

Use this method only after you have tried all of the troubleshooting steps in this article. If you reinstall Windows in a new folder, you must reinstall all Windows-based programs under the new Windows 98 installation.

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

Disable Enhanced BIOS Features

Most computers have several enhanced settings that allow the computer to fully use the computer hardware. These high-speed settings can cause the system to become unstable; disabling these features may make the computer more stable. Contact your computer manufacturer for information about entering the basic input/output system (BIOS) and changing the BIOS settings. You can enter the BIOS on most systems immediately after turning on the power. Usually a keystroke (such as DEL) is required to enter the BIOS. Below are the common features that can interfere with Microsoft Office programs: Newer chipsets may have more advanced features (such as memory wait states) that may cause errors. Most BIOS installation programs have an option to load the BIOS default settings. This option usually disables all advanced features.

WARNING: Incorrectly altering hardware BIOS settings can cause serious problems that may cause your computer to fail to start or function properly. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems that result from the incorrect setting of hardware BIOS options can be solved. Alter the hardware BIOS settings at your own risk.

Check Hardware

If you exhaust all other troubleshooting steps and you are still receiving error messages, it is possible that one or more pieces of your hardware are incompatible with Windows 98 or are damaged. To identify a problem with your computer hardware, contact your computer vendor.

Badly seated memory or bad memory has been reported to cause Kernel32.dll error messages. Switching memory around in the motherboard memory banks has been known to correct some of these issues.