When you try to print a document to a PostScript printer in an application, the application exits unexpectedly, or you find that an invalid PDF file is created from the incorrect data in the PostScript file

You have a PostScript printer driver that is installed on a computer that is running Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, or Windows Server 2008. In an application, you try to print a document to the PostScript printer, or you print the document to a file through the PostScript printer driver. However, the application may exit unexpectedly (crash) when the content is converting to a PostScript (.ps) file.

The following applications are known to experience the crash:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Power Point
• Adobe applications such as Adobe Frame Maker 8.0

Under certain circumstances, some sections in a document may be lost. For example, you have a document that contains section 1, section 2, and section 3. After you convert the document to a .ps file, and then you convert the .ps file to a Portable Document Format (PDF) file, section 2 is lost.

Note In this example, both section 1 and section 3 are in font A, although section 2 is in font B.

The generation of a PDF document requires a PostScript (.ps) file that is created from the source document, such as a Word document. Then, the PostScript file is converted to a PDF document.

When the operating system detects low virtual memory as defined by a specific threshold (This threshold is internal to the operating system), certain fonts are unloaded from the memory. When the sections that have these unloaded fonts are parsed by the PostScript printer driver, the application that uses the PostScript printer driver may crash, or the font data may not be parsed to make a valid PostScript (.ps) file. Therefore, the PostScript file may contain corrupted data, and you may obtain an invalid PDF document.

Hotfix information

Windows XP

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, submit a request to Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must have Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows XP Service Pack 3 installed on the computer.

Restart requirement

You have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other previously released hotfixes.

Registry information

To use this hotfix, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows XP with SP2, x86-based versionsWindows XP with SP3, x86-based versions

Windows Server 2003

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must have Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 installed on the computer.

Restart requirement

You have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other previously released hotfixes.

Registry information

To use this hotfix, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Server 2003 with SP1, x86-based versionsWindows Server 2003 with SP2, x86-based versionsWindows Server 2003 with SP1, x64-based versionsWindows Server 2003 with SP2, x64-based versionsWindows Server 2003 with SP1, Itanium-based versionsWindows Server 2003 with SP2, Itanium-based versions

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, the computer must run one of the following:

• Windows Vista
• Windows Vista Service Pack 1
• Windows Server 2008

Restart requirement

You have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other previously released hotfixes.

Registry information

To use this hotfix, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Vista, 32-bit versionsWindows Vista with SP1 and Windows Server 2008, 32-bit versionsWindows Vista, 64-bit versionsWindows Vista with SP1 and Windows Server 2008, 64-bit versionsWindows Vista with SP1 and Windows Server 2008, Itanium-based versions

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

You can examine the PostScript document and identify the corrupted text by using a text editor. The corrupted text is usually after the "VM?" text in the PostScript (.ps) file.

The following example shows that a word is missing in the PDF document and a text string is corrupted in the PostScript (.ps) file.

In this example, the original text is "abuse or dependence". After the PostScript (.ps) file is converted to a PDF document, the word �or� is missing in the final PDF document. When you open the PostScript (.ps) file in a hexadecimal editor, you see the following text.Notice that line "1771 3840 M (abuse )[34 27 38 22 23 0]xS" correctly shows the word "abuse." However, line "1935 3840 M <010203>[38 27 0]xS" shows the word "or" as "<010203>."

Also, line "2021 3840 M (dependence )[34 23 32 22 37 34 22 38 24 23 0]xS" correctly shows the word "dependence."

Note Line "1935 3840 M <010203>[38 27 0]xS" comes after line "27000 VM?." In this case, this shows that the system makes a virtual memory check. The section after the "27000 VM?" line shows that the certain fonts are unloaded.

You experience this problem more frequently when the size of the Fntcache.dat file is large. By default, this file is in the windows\system32 folder.

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.