How to change the max document size in Word

[Beyond X]

For years I have used MS Word V 6.0 for a document to which I
continuously add new data. Today when I attempted to save the document,
an error message popped up saying "the file is too large to save. Delete
some text and try again." When I try to highlight a part of the document
and try to delete the selection, I found that all commands, including
CUT, COPY and PASTE, are all grayed out and I cannot edit the document
in any way. The document size is presently about 36MB. There is
two-thirds memory left unused in my computer.

I did not know that document sizes are limited in Word.
Is there any way to change the allowable file size? Or atleast how can I
save the current document?

N.B. I have used the old Word V.6.0 because it carries convenient
feature which are no longer available in newer Winwords.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The limit on file size has not changed from the version you're using to Word
2007 AFAIK: it's still 32 MB of text (graphics are not included). That is a
huge size for a text-only document, however. So you might review the
following (some of which may not apply to your version):

There are a number of reasons for excessive file size, including:

1. Fast Saves: Disable this at on the Save tab of Tools | Options.

2. Preview Picture: Clear the check box on the Summary tab of File |
Properties.

3. Versions (File | Versions): Make sure "Automatically save version on
close" is not turned on.

4. Revisions (Tools | Track Changes):
Highlight Changes: Make sure "Highlight changes on screen" is turned on
(or that "Final Showing Markup" is displayed).
Accept/Reject Changes: If "Accept All" or "Reject All" is available then
revisions are present; accept or reject all changes, then turn Track Changes
off.

5. Keep track of formatting (Tools | Options | Edit). This is reportedly a
major cause of file bloat in Word 2002 and above.

6. Embedded True Type fonts (Tools | Options | Save); embedding fonts should
be avoided wherever possible.

7. Embedded linguistic data (Tools | Options | Save).

8. Embedded graphics: When feasible, it is preferable to link the graphics.
That is, when you insert the graphic, click the arrow beside Insert in the
Picture dialog and choose Link to File rather than Insert or Insert and
Link.

9. Embedded objects: These are even worse than ordinary graphics saved with
the document. If you see an { EMBED } code when you press Alt+F9, the
graphic is an OLE object. Unless you need to be able to edit the object in
place, unlink it using Ctrl+Shift+F9.

10. File format: Make sure you are saving as a Word document; in some cases
..rtf (Rich Text Format) files are significantly larger than .doc files.

11. Document corruption: See
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/AppErrors/CorruptDoc.htm.

 

[Beyond X]

Dear Suzannes,
Thank you very much for your generous response and for the time it took
you.
Perhaps my explanation of the problem was not clear enough, but my
situation is: all comands in the top menue items (File, Edit, View,
etc.) are all grayed out and all commands in the pop-up menue (like Cut,
Copy and Paste) displayed by clicking the right button of the mouse are
grayed out, too. In other words, none of the editing commands are
functioning. So none of your suggestions for possible solution can be
carried out. Moreover, all keyboard commands such as direction keys and
Pg/up and Pg/down as well as alphabets and numbers are disconnected from
Word (do nothing). Namely, Word is crushed or brain-dead. Strangely, the
pointer (cursor) in the text can still be moved or select a portion of
the text by the mouse and I can move the page up or down if I use the
mouse (but not by keys). To be sure, other programs are working normally
in the same computer, indicating that this problem is "an internal crush
" uniquely transpiring in Word.

Under these circumstances I wonder if there is any way to interfere with
the brain-dead Word from outside so that the document can be saved or at
least that Word commands such as Cut can be restored.


The only thing I want under the circumstances is to save the document
before I force the computer to switch off. It seems that I h

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

There may be no way to save your changes, but you should be able to open the
document in Notepad or WordPad and copy/paste portions of it into separate
documents.

 

[Beyond X]

Dear Syzanne,
If you try to open the document from the folder where it is normally
saved into Wordpad, you will get the error message:the file is being
used by another application and cannot be accessed.
It was possible however to open the document from the folder into
Notebook, but this is the one saved before the revision shown in the
currently running (and crushed) Word. So it is no use in terms of saving
the currently running document.
I am not too familiar about how the program works in the operating
system, but I imagine that the document currently being edited in Word
is floating somewhere in the memory system (or on the hard drive) as a
temporarily stored file with which Word interacts by modifying it as I
edit it until Save command is executed. My question is whether or not
this temporary file can somehow be accessed from outside and saved
without going through the Save command of Word.