Knowledge Base

WD: Word Does Not "Fast Save" Document

Article ID: 176284

Article Last Modified on 8/17/2005

APPLIES TO

This article was previously published under Q176284

SYMPTOMS

Word will not do a fast save of your document, even when the Allow Fast Saves option is selected.

CAUSE

This functionality is by design. The following are some reasons why Word will not perform a fast save of your document:

  • When you save a document for the first time, Word performs a full (normal) save to write the file to the disk.
  • When your document is located on a network server or remote volume, the Allow Fast Saves option is ignored, because Word only performs a fast save to a local volume, such as your local hard disk or a floppy disk.
  • When you click Save As and save the document under a new name, in a different location, or in a different file format.
  • Word has reached the limit of how much information it can save using the Allow Fast Saves option. In this case, Word performs a full (normal) Save, and the Allow Fast Saves option is ignored. The Allow Fast Saves option is again available the next time you save the document following a full save.
  • When you select the Make Backup option in the Save As dialog box, Word must do a full (normal) save, so the Allow Fast Saves option is ignored.
  • The Allow Fast Saves option is unavailable (not selected).

MORE INFORMATION

When you select the Allow Fast Saves check box, Word appends only the changes to the document. This takes less time than a full save, in which Word saves the complete, revised document.

When Should You Do a Full Save?

  • Before you share a document with other people.
  • When you finish working on a document and save it for the last time.
  • Before you begin a task that uses a lot of memory, such as searching for text or compiling an index.
  • Before you transfer the document text to another program.
  • Before you convert the document to a different file format.

To Set (or Clear) the Allow Fast Saves Option

Word 98 Macintosh Edition:

On the Tools menu, click Preferences. On the Save tab, click to select (or clear) the Allow Fast Saves check box.

Word 7.0 for Windows 95, and Word 6.x (both platforms):

On the Tools menu, click Options. On the Save tab, click to select (or clear) the Allow Fast Saves check box.

For more information about fast saves, click the Office Assistant, type "fast saves", click Search, and then click to view "The difference between a fast save and a full save".

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Microsoft Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

120802 Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office Program or Component

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, pages 484-85.

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