See http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
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all may benefit.

"Jim K" wrote in message
...
I am using Word 2000. While editing a document, Word CRASHED with an
exception fault of some sort and I lost about an hour of editing on the
document.

Two problems appear to be remnants of that crash. When I reopen the
document
(no auto-recovery takes place) the document is locked by another user
(me).
Rebooting my Win 2K system seems to clear up this problem.

The second problem is that the Normal.dot file is also locked in some
bewildering fashion.

If I start Word, open a new blank file, and merely say "FileExit" I get
the
message "This file is in use by another application or user:
C:\...\Normal.dot". My only option is "OK" and the "FileSaveAs" dialog
box
come up in the Templates directory and asks me if I want to save it there.
Of
course there is already a Normal.dot file present so I say cancel and the
dialog goes away.

Trying "FileExit" again gets a message "Changes have been made that
affect
the global template, Normal.dot. Do you want to save those changes?"

Since I like the existing Normal.dot I click "No". Now I get yet another
message "Word cannot save this vile because it is already open elsewhere
(C:\...\Normal.dot.

Clicking on OK, Word finally exits. How can I get out of this mess of
messages?

Thanks for your help