Word could not create the work file. Check the temp environment

[Victor Kam]

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I am getting a error while opening Microsoft Word. The error is Word could not create the work file. Check the temp environment variable. This is not constant but appear a few time when I open Word. Sometime it works fine. But it is a bit annoying to get that error when I am working. It appears on the screen and Word crashes.

[rasena]

Looks like some issue with Word template. You have to create a new one or you can find out the one from web also. Basically Word opens with normal template that is global but it can be recreated. You can also try to run Word in safe mode and then check back. In safe mode a number of add-ins will be stopped and it will work fine. Whenever I face error I basically disable all the addons and then use Word. It works fine.

[johnsimmons]

Hi to everyone....Nice post about the MS Office Support......sometime
then it will lock up or not save - how can I check the temp environment
variable?...Thanks for posting....

[diben805]

in vista, go to classic view of the control panel then:
system>>advanced settings >> environmental variables . . . .

same problem! here are the details:

I am running vista business, and Office 2007 on an acer 2gb laptop. Starting this morning, when I opened Word and Outlook I get the following message: "Word {{or Outlook, depending on what I opened}} could not create the work file. Check temp environment." Also, I am not able to save my word files - which I am assuming is the same issue. The "Save As" box appears, but nothing happens when I click save. When I click cancel (or "no," if its the Do You Want to Save dialogue box that comes up when exiting word) the box is closed normally. Weirdly enough, I am also getting "there is not enough space on your hard drive" messages in seemingly separate instances. For example, when opening Excel or downloading another program. I have plenty of space on my C and D drives (22.8 of 72.8 GB and 71 of 72 free respectively). And by the way, Word starts fine in SAFE mode, but once I save something, and open that file, it cannot be saved again. I plugged in a non-vista compatible external storage device this weekend which I think may have triggered this. But I have uninstalled it and the problem persists. . . This is the troubleshooting I have done so far, based on other recommendations, to no avail!
-Deleted all temp files
-Deleted unknown add-ons in both outlook and word
-Checked Temp location
-In environmental variables in System Properties, I ensured the directory to the c:\windows\temp folder was pointed correctly

Your help is greatly appreciated!!!

[cmvoyles]

Try this go to your internet options in the control panel and make sure your settings are no higher than just plain old medium. Should help a co-worker helped me with this and it seemed to work.

Check out my response towards the bottom...it may help you out.

[Saphire]

There can be two things that fix the issue. First run a diagnostic. You can go in Help and run Diagnostic to find out any problem with word and if that also does not work then you can simply perform a repair setup which is much more helpful in many ways. Running a repair is much more easier and if there are problem related to crashing or file issue repair setup is quiet nice alternative.

[vijay1700]

Hi...I have done as you said above but didnt work...I have created temp in multiple folders and I have tried giving their respective paths...but under "system variable" only 2 entries used to come.
1. TEMP = C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
2. TMP = C:\WINDOWS\TMP
Then I deleted 2nd one and checked then also I got the same error...I reinstalled the Office itself! then also I am getting the same ****in error...please suggest..

[Steffycxox]

FOR WINDOWS 7 AND MICROSOFT 2007

Check the TEMP Folder
An invalid TEMP environment variable can cause errors with the Office Setup program. This section describes how to verify that your temporary folders are correctly set up.

First, you must determine the location of your Windows TEMP folder and verify the validity of your TEMP environment variables. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start and then click Control Panel.

2. If you are using Classic View, in Control Panel, double-click the System icon. If you are using Category View, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click the System icon. When the System Properties dialog box appears, click Environment Variables on the Advanced tab.

3. In the Environment Variables dialog box, look under User variables for user name for the columns Variable and Value. The TMP and TEMP environmental settings appear under these columns.

Examples of valid settings are as follows:

TEMP = C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
-or-
TMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP

If a TEMP (or TMP) variable entry is not listed, follow these steps:
1. Click New. The New User Variable dialog box appears.
2. In the Variable Name box, type TEMP.
3. Press the TAB key to move to the Variable Value box, and then type C:\WINDOWS\TEMP (or any other valid path and folder name).
4. Click Set or OK to add these values to the User variables for user name box.

4. Click OK to close the Environment Variables dialog box, click OK to close the System Properties dialog box, and then close Control Panel.

Hope you all get it! :)

Received these steps from: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309191