Cannot Start Converter with Both WinWord and NTWord Installed

Q122449

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

On a system that has both Word for Windows and Word for Windows NT installed, you may receive the following error when you try to convert a foreign file format in Word for Windows

Word cannot start the converter <Filename.ext>.
where <filename.ext> represents a converter, such as WPFT532.CNV.


CAUSE

If Windows and Windows NT are installed in the same directory, the text converters for both Word for Windows and Word for Windows NT are stored in the same location but have different filenames.

When converting a document, Word for Windows attempts to automatically register any converter that it doesn't already know about. All of the 32- bit text converters included with Word for Windows NT fall into this category.

When Word for Windows tries to register a 32-bit converter, the above error message results.


WORKAROUND

There are two workarounds available to correct this problem:

Method 1

Make Word for Windows aware of the converters by adding them to the text converter listing in the WIN.INI file. This will force Word for Windows to not attempt the auto-registration of those converters.

Open the WIN.INI file using a text editor, such as Notepad, and add the following lines to the [MS Text Converters] section: 

NTCONV1=CONV1,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\DOSWRD32.CNV,
NTCONV2=CONV2,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\EXCEL32.CNV,
NTCONV3=CONV3,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\MACWRD32.CNV,
NTCONV4=CONV4,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\RFTDCA32.CNV,
NTCONV5=CONV5,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\WNWRD232.CNV,
NTCONV6=CONV6,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\WPFT532.CNV,
NTCONV7=CONV7,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\WRDSTR32.CNV,
NTCONV8=CONV8,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\WRITE32.CNV,
NOTE: If the TEXTCONV subdirectory is in a location other than C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS, modify the path given in the references above to the appropriate path.

If the supplemental converter kit for Word for Windows NT is also installed, add the following lines to the [MS Text Converter] section as well: 

NTCONV9=CONV9,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\DWRIT32.CNV,
NTCONV10=CONV10,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\MLTMAT32.CNV,
NTCONV11=CONV11,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\TXTLYT32.CNV,
NTCONV12=CONV12,C:\WINDOWS\MSAPPS\TEXTCONV\WPFT432.CNV,

Method 2

Reinstall Windows or Windows NT into a different directory so that the two operating systems are separate from each other. This method also requires that you reinstall the version of Word for that operating system.

Additional query words: 6.00a 6.00c textconv winword ntword wordnt

Keywords : kbconversion
Issue type :
Technology :


Last Reviewed: November 4, 2000
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