Lost spellcheck files




I'm having trouble with the spellcheck function in Microsoft Works 4.0. Whenever I try to use this function I get a message: "Works can't find the spellcheck files. Please run setup to install them." Even though I've tried this several times, I still can't run spellcheck. What should I do to re-enable this function?
- Jurien Dekter


The file you are missing is called Mssp232.dll. You may also be missing the dictionary itself which is called Mssp2_en.lex. When I delete the later file, a reinstall fixes the problem. But for the first file a reinstall does not work. Do a search for the file on your computer as it may just be in the wrong location. It should normally be located in the directory C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Proof\ and you may be able to fix the problem by moving the file to this location. If not, you may need to extract it manually from the .CAB files on the original disks. You do this with a command line utility call EXTRACT.EXE located in your Windows 95\Command directory. I found Mssp232.dll on Disk 7.
After extracting the file Works may now be able to spell check, but if not then you will need to edit the Registry so that Works knows where to look. You will need to make an entry under [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Shared Tools \ Proofing Tools \ Spelling \ 2057 \ Normal]. After replicating your error I found that this existed but contained only the entry Dictionary with the value C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Proof\MSSP2_EN.LEX. I had to add a value called Engine with the data C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Proof\MSSP232.DLL.
For a simpler solution try reinstalling the software. But before you do, completely remove it. Often if a setup has become corrupted, installing over the top will maintain the corrupted setup information. A clean install may work where a reinstall will not.
- Roy Chambers


Category: Word processing
Issue: Feb 1997
Pages: 159

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