When I tried to print or request print preview for a Works document (which I have printed many times before) I get this error response from Microsoft Works: Out of memory, save or close any open files or applications. Rebooting does not help. Any ideas?
Possible File or Program Corruption
Since rebooting and freeing up memory doesn’t work and the file previously printed, two ideas come to mind: file corruption or program corruption. Computer data files and the files that make up a program or the operating system can go bad. Usually a file goes bad when something unexpected happens while it is in use such as a power outage causing the computer to shut down unexpectedly.
To determine if the problem lies with the document or the Works program, see if you can print any other Works document. If Works crashes every time you try to print any document, then we can rule out a problem with the document itself and can work on repairing Works. If Works prints other documents properly, then we’ll need to see if we can recover the document.
Repairing Microsoft Works
Since the issue is specific to printing, there’s a good chance that a DLL file is missing or damaged. DLL files are files of pre-coded computer code for common functions such as printing used by computer programmers. If the underlying DLL for printing is missing, an error like yours is possible. If you recently uninstalled a program or installed a new one, the DLL could have been removed or replaced. One way to get it back is by using System Restore if you have a restore point from before the uninstall or install. Go to Start> Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore and pick a point in time before the problem began. This rolls your system back in time and does not affect your data. You would then need to reinstall or uninstall any programs or updates made since then.
You could also try uninstalling and reinstalling Works if you have the original installation disc. Another thing to try is updating Works in case the error is a bug that Microsoft has since fixed with an update. Do this by going to the Help menu and clicking Check for Updates.
Recovering Bad Works Document
If the document itself has gone bad, you can try recovering it directly from within Works. Open a blank Works document and click on File > Open. Browse to your document but DON’T click the Open button just yet. Instead, where it says, “Files of Type” click on the down arrow and choose Recover Text From Any File (*.*). Works will try to recover your text. You may lose your formatting and any images that may have been included, but the bulk of your data should appear.
