Fixing Microsoft Office 97 applications running slow or producing error messages.

How can I fix Microsoft Office 97 (or Office 95 ver. 7.0 and 7.0a) applications running slow and/or producing error messages?

This is a known problem that can occur with Microsoft Office for Windows 95, versions 7.0 and 7.0a, and Microsoft Office 97 for Windows. First Aid may warn you that system resources have dropped below the specified level.
These problems may occur when one of the following printers is the default printer:
HP DeskJet 660C
HP DeskJet 672c
HP DeskJet 680C
HP DeskJet 694C
HP DeskJet 820
HP DeskJet 820C
HP DeskJet 820CSE
HP DeskJet 870Cse
HP DeskJet 870Cxi
HP LaserJet 6P
This is a known issue with these applications when run with the above printers. The amount of available random access memory in your System and graphics device interface (GDI) memory may drop to a very low level (10% or less) when you run these Microsoft products.
Microsoft suggests that you may be able to reduce the effects of this problem by doing one of the following:
1. Use an earlier version of the printer driver.
2. Before you start Microsoft Excel or any other program in which the problem may occur, set the default printer to a printer that is different from the printers listed above.
3. If you must use one of the printers listed, do not print or view the document in print preview unless it is necessary. Every time you use the printer driver more memory is lost in your System and graphics device interface (GDI) memory.
4. Save your work often.
5. If you start to encounter problems that are related to memory, save your work, quit all open programs, and then restart your computer.