Are working without a word work

I have been struggling with a Microsoft Word problem for a few weeks now. Whenever I opened a document and then began changing it, I occasionally received an error message. Once the error message appeared,all the buttons and options within Word became grayed out. This prevented me from saving my work that I had done up to that point. It became frustrating to say the least.

To find a solution to the problem I turned to the Internet. It appears that this error is quite popular as a search in Google produced many results. I tried many of the solutions, but none seemed to have worked for me. It wasn’t until I decided to look further into the error that I found the solution that appears to have fixed the problem.

Word 2003 Error

Word Icon

While working on a Word document I encountered the following error:

You are working without a Word work file and memory is nearly full. Save your work

The error prevents me from saving my work, contradicting the error message, which means that I lost anything that I changed in the document since the last save. The error is also confusing as I have 2GB of memory in the computer that was running word, and there was plenty of memory available.

When I did a search online, there were many results for that particular error message. Some indicate that the problem was from Word 2000, while others from newer versions. I tried various solutions, but none seemed to work. I decided to look further.

The Solution

While reading some of the solutions I noticed that some had made reference to the Word cache size, which is defaulted to 64. While I couldn’t find where to set this in Word, I decided to see if it can be changed in the Windows registry. Usually settings such as this are located in the registry. I managed to find a site that listed the key to change.

The following steps outline the process to modify the Word cache size:

  1. Close any open Word windows.
  2. Open the Windows registry by running “regedit.exe” from a command prompt.
  3. Once the registry editor is opened, navigate to “HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice11.0WordOptions”.

    This key is for Word 2003, indicated by the 11.0 version. You will need to navigate to the key indicating your Word version.

  4. Click the “Options” key on the left to display all the values within that key. In an empty location on the right, right-click and select “New->DWORD value”.
  5. Type “CACHESIZE” as the value name and press “Enter”.
  6. Double-click the value “CACHESIZE” to open the “Edit DWORD Value” dialog box.
  7. Under “Base”, select “Decimal”. Under “Value Data”, type “512” (without the quotes).
  8. Click the “OK” button to accept your changes and close the dialog.
  9. Close the registry editor.

When I relaunched Word, I never received the error message displayed above. This registry change seemed to have fixed the error. From what I read, you can set the CACHESIZE value to any value that is a multiple of 64 up to a maximum of 1024. While I can’t guarantee that it will solve the problem if you experienced the error, it may just be the fix you need.

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j5scott1


  • #1

Word 2004
OS X 10.3.9
Processor 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4

When I try and open word a message pops up saying «You are working without a
Word work file and memory is nearly full. Save your work.» If I click okay a
new document opens with another message popping up saying «Word cannot open
the existing global template. (Normal)» Then I can’t open or save anything.
When I close word another message comes up and says «Do you want to replace
the existing file «Normal»?» If I click yes I can’t save it, If I click no I
cancel out and then choose don’t save and can exit word. Any thoughts from
anyone? Jamie

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CyberTaz


  • #2

Hi Jamie —

How much RAM does your system have?

How much free disk space is available on your HD?

Does the problem occur even if there are no other programs running? Yes or
No it would likely resolve itself if you upgrade those capacities. It sounds
like you have a shortage of system resources &/or a corrupt Normal template.

Try the suggestions offered on the following page first & see if it makes a
difference with a new Normal template in place:

http://word.mvps.org/mac/MacWordNormal.html

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

mxk


  • #3

Word2004
OS X 10.3.9
Processor 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4

When I try and openworda message pops up saying «You are working without aWordwork file and memory is nearly full. Save your work.» If I click okay a
new document opens with another message popping up saying «Wordcannot open
the existing global template. (Normal)» Then I can’t open or save anything.
When I closewordanother message comes up and says «Do you want to replace
the existing file «Normal»?» If I click yes I can’t save it, If I click no I
cancel out and then choose don’t save and can exitword. Any thoughts from
anyone? Jamie

Hi,

You may try Advanced Word Repair at http://www.datanumen.com/awr/ This
tool is rather useful in salvaging damaged Word documents.

Alan

mxk


  • #4

Word2004
OS X 10.3.9
Processor 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4

When I try and openworda message pops up saying «You are working without aWordwork file and memory is nearly full. Save your work.» If I click okay a
new document opens with another message popping up saying «Wordcannot open
the existing global template. (Normal)» Then I can’t open or save anything.
When I closewordanother message comes up and says «Do you want to replace
the existing file «Normal»?» If I click yes I can’t save it, If I click no I
cancel out and then choose don’t save and can exitword. Any thoughts from
anyone? Jamie

Hi,

You may try Advanced Word Repair at http://www.datanumen.com/awr/ This
tool is rather useful in salvaging damaged Word documents.

Alan

mxk


  • #5

Word2004
OS X 10.3.9
Processor 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4

When I try and openworda message pops up saying «You are working without aWordwork file and memory is nearly full. Save your work.» If I click okay a
new document opens with another message popping up saying «Wordcannot open
the existing global template. (Normal)» Then I can’t open or save anything.
When I closewordanother message comes up and says «Do you want to replace
the existing file «Normal»?» If I click yes I can’t save it, If I click no I
cancel out and then choose don’t save and can exitword. Any thoughts from
anyone? Jamie

Hi,

You may try Advanced Word Repair at http://www.datanumen.com/awr/ This
tool is rather useful in salvaging damaged Word documents.

Alan

mxk


  • #6

Word2004
OS X 10.3.9
Processor 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4

When I try and openworda message pops up saying «You are working without aWordwork file and memory is nearly full. Save your work.» If I click okay a
new document opens with another message popping up saying «Wordcannot open
the existing global template. (Normal)» Then I can’t open or save anything.
When I closewordanother message comes up and says «Do you want to replace
the existing file «Normal»?» If I click yes I can’t save it, If I click no I
cancel out and then choose don’t save and can exitword. Any thoughts from
anyone? Jamie

Hi,

You may try Advanced Word Repair at http://www.datanumen.com/awr/ This
tool is rather useful in salvaging damaged Word documents.

Alan

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mxk


  • #7

Word2004
OS X 10.3.9
Processor 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4

When I try and openworda message pops up saying «You are working without aWordwork file and memory is nearly full. Save your work.» If I click okay a
new document opens with another message popping up saying «Wordcannot open
the existing global template. (Normal)» Then I can’t open or save anything.
When I closewordanother message comes up and says «Do you want to replace
the existing file «Normal»?» If I click yes I can’t save it, If I click no I
cancel out and then choose don’t save and can exitword. Any thoughts from
anyone? Jamie

Hi,

You may try Advanced Word Repair at http://www.datanumen.com/awr/ This
tool is rather useful in salvaging damaged Word documents.

Alan

mxk


  • #8

Word2004
OS X 10.3.9
Processor 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4

When I try and openworda message pops up saying «You are working without aWordwork file and memory is nearly full. Save your work.» If I click okay a
new document opens with another message popping up saying «Wordcannot open
the existing global template. (Normal)» Then I can’t open or save anything.
When I closewordanother message comes up and says «Do you want to replace
the existing file «Normal»?» If I click yes I can’t save it, If I click no I
cancel out and then choose don’t save and can exitword. Any thoughts from
anyone? Jamie

Hi,

You may try Advanced Word Repair at http://www.datanumen.com/awr/ This
tool is rather useful in salvaging damaged Word documents.

Alan

mxk


  • #9

Word2004
OS X 10.3.9
Processor 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4

When I try and openworda message pops up saying «You are working without aWordwork file and memory is nearly full. Save your work.» If I click okay a
new document opens with another message popping up saying «Wordcannot open
the existing global template. (Normal)» Then I can’t open or save anything.
When I closewordanother message comes up and says «Do you want to replace
the existing file «Normal»?» If I click yes I can’t save it, If I click no I
cancel out and then choose don’t save and can exitword. Any thoughts from
anyone? Jamie

Hi,

You may try Advanced Word Repair at http://www.datanumen.com/awr/ This
tool is rather useful in salvaging damaged Word documents.

Alan

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John McGhie


  • #10

Sadly, this cretin is not reading this group, so he doesn’t realise we’re
tipping everything he says straight into the Spam Bucket.

This robot gives you some idea of the quality of the coding involved in
Datanumen products: really bad.

Fortunately, the application runs only on a PC, so it’s not our problem :)

Hi,

You may try Advanced Word Repair at http://www.datanumen.com/awr/ This
tool is rather useful in salvaging damaged Word documents.

Alan


Don’t wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33¡ã53’34.20 E151¡ã14’54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

jimthevetrix


  • #1

«You are working without a word work file and memory is nearly full. Save
your work» I have been receiving this error after doing some editing of a
file or creating a medium to large document. It only happens in word. I
have seen several posts concerning this but none have answered the question
as to how to solve it. I have checked my file locations, Have reinstalled
word, performed some of the suggested corrections but none have solved the
problem. Are their any suggestions? It seems that it should be a relative
simple solution but it sure baffles me. Microsoft doesn’t seem to have any
answers on their site that I can find and that may be my problem but I
certainly can’t afford their prices. Any help graciously accepted.

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$hri…!


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Perform each step below and test. If one works, you can stop.

1. Reset MS Word toolbar template. With Word close, do a search for and rename normal.dot file. Restart Word and new normal.dot file will be created.

Normal.dot is located in C:/Documents and Settings/

/Applicatio

n Data/Microsoft/Templates folder. It is a hidden file, so you have to unhide hidden files. Go to any folder and select Tools > Folders Options > View. Check «Show hidden files and folders». Click OK.

2. Check if an external program running in the background is interfering with Word. Check Firewall, antivirus, antispyware, antispam, and all Norton programs. Disable these programs one at a time.

3. Repair MS Word. With Word open, go to Help > Detect and Repair.

4. If no joy, reinstall MS Word. Go to Add/Remove Programs and highlight Microsoft Office. Click on Install/Uninstall. A menu will pop allowing you to choose repair or reinstall.

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  • “working without Word work file”

    Locked

    by
    terrent
    ·
    about 21 years, 1 month ago

    Have you ever seen an error message stating, “You are working without a Word work file and memory is nearly full. Save your work.”??? The user is using NT 4.0 sp6a with Word 97. The machine is a P-III with 128MB of memory. Any ideas, please? (And what is a Word work file??)
    Thank you!

  • Creator

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    Replies

    • February 26, 2002 at 10:43 pm

      #3432208

      “working without Word work file”

      by
      syscokid
      ·
      about 21 years, 1 month ago

      In reply to “working without Word work file”

      This is just a guess, but I bet under Tools, Options, Save, the Save AutoRecover info every check box or the Always create backup copy check box (or both) are checked, and the machine has no Temp folder in which to create the backup file.

      • February 26, 2002 at 11:32 pm

        #3432180

        “working without Word work file”

        by
        terrent
        ·
        about 21 years, 1 month ago

        In reply to “working without Word work file”

        Ok, great start! This user does have a habit of losing important stuff (“I know I saved it!”), so the Auto-Recovery function is needed. Three options are chosen on this page: Always create backup copy, Allow background saves, and Save auto-recovery every…. There is a temp folder on this machine (C:TEMP), but all the backup files are saved in whatever directory the current document is being saved to. (The user first creates, names, and saves the doc before working on it.) Should I specify where to put these backups? If so, how? (Please respond so I can accept your answer.)
        Thanks again!

    • February 26, 2002 at 11:02 pm

      #3432193

      “working without Word work file”

      by
      dklippert
      ·
      about 21 years, 1 month ago

      In reply to “working without Word work file”

      Here’s an MS article:

      (Type the Q number in the Search box at Support.Microsoft.com)

      Errors Opening File If Low Memory or Low Disk Space

      Q173908

      A “Word work file” is another term for temp files. I would do the regular cleanup actions. Delete any temp files that Word has left around. They start with a Tilde “~” so you can delete ~*.*
      Search for and rename/delete any Normal.dot files. There should be only one.

      • February 26, 2002 at 11:37 pm

        #3432178

        “working without Word work file”

        by
        terrent
        ·
        about 21 years, 1 month ago

        In reply to “working without Word work file”

        The article is close, but not quite. My message states that I’m working without a work file, not that it’s full. I’ve already seen it, in fact. And I do wipe out the temp files regularly.
        Thanks for your help!

      • February 26, 2002 at 11:48 pm

        #3432172

        “working without Word work file”

        by
        dklippert
        ·
        about 21 years, 1 month ago

        In reply to “working without Word work file”

        If ASyscoKid’s answer works for you, you can set the Location by going to Tools>Options>File Locations.
        You still won’t be able to control the location of “regular” tmp file. They go where ever the original document is stored.

    • February 26, 2002 at 11:45 pm

      #3432174

      “working without Word work file”

      by
      syscokid
      ·
      about 21 years, 1 month ago

      In reply to “working without Word work file”

      If the backups are being saved to the current directory, that’s fine, though you can specify a directory under Tools, Options, File Locations, AutoRecovery Files.

      However, make sure you give answer 2 some consideration, it may be more on the mark.

      • March 9, 2002 at 11:10 am

        #3436668

        “working without Word work file”

        by
        terrent
        ·
        about 21 years, 1 month ago

        In reply to “working without Word work file”

        It looks like a combination of these answers is what eventually worked. If only the points could be split.
        Thanks to you both.

    • March 9, 2002 at 11:10 am

      #3436667

      “working without Word work file”

      by
      terrent
      ·
      about 21 years, 1 month ago

      In reply to “working without Word work file”

      This question was closed by the author

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