"LEX Formats Incompatible" Error During Administrative Setup

  kbnetwork

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Office for Windows, version 4.2c, 4.3c

SYMPTOMS

On a network, if you perform an Administrative Installation (Setup /A) to upgrade from Word 6.0 for Windows to Word 6.0a or 6.0c for Windows, the following error message may occurring during Setup:

   Setup cannot update the proofing tools in the shared
   location because the LEX formats are incompatible.

CAUSE

This error occurs when you run the Word 6.0a or 6.0c Administrative Installation if the MSSPEL2.DLL file installed by Word 6.0 still resides in the shared proofing tools subdirectory in your Windows program directory (by default, this directory is WINDOWS\MSAPPS\PROOF). For example, this happens if you did not delete the shared proofing tools subdirectory before you ran the Word 6.0a or 6.0c Setup program.

This error only occurs when you perform an Administrative Installation (Setup /A) of Word 6.0a or 6.0c.

RESOLUTION

Rename or delete the Word 6.0 MSSPEL2.DLL file in the shared proofing tools subdirectory (WINDOWS\MSAPPS\PROOF) before you install Word 6.0a.

MORE INFORMATION

Word 6.0a or 6.0c upgrades your OLE 2.0 DLLs, including MSSPEL2.DLL. For more information about installing Word on a network workstation or server, see Appendix B in the "Microsoft Word User's Guide" or query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   workstation and network and setup and install* and  and server

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, pages 767-775