I am trying to run an old application in 16 Bit DOS on a windows XP machine.
However, I get the following error message:

"a temporary file needed for initialization could not be created or could
not be written to. Make sure that the directory path exists, and disk space
is available"

I am running the account as a user(not administrator) on the machine. I have
access rights to the particular folder that the temporary file is writing to
and the disk is not full. I wonder whether there is any configuration problem
I will need to set. I have tried this program on another set of PC with same
user configuration but there seems to be no problem
I wonder why.

I have tried the DOS compatibility mode changes as well as trying to adjust
the XMS and EMS to auto but it still does not work

Appreciate your help!

Make sure CONFIG.NT and AUTOEXEC.NT are in the \system32 directory. If not,
copy them from the \windows\repair directory and try again.

"Water" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:74916681-5DA6-4EFD-B18D-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am trying to run an old application in 16 Bit DOS on a windows XP
>machine.
> However, I get the following error message:
>
> "a temporary file needed for initialization could not be created or could
> not be written to. Make sure that the directory path exists, and disk
> space
> is available"
>
> I am running the account as a user(not administrator) on the machine. I
> have
> access rights to the particular folder that the temporary file is writing
> to
> and the disk is not full. I wonder whether there is any configuration
> problem
> I will need to set. I have tried this program on another set of PC with
> same
> user configuration but there seems to be no problem
> I wonder why.
>
> I have tried the DOS compatibility mode changes as well as trying to
> adjust
> the XMS and EMS to auto but it still does not work
>
> Appreciate your help!
>

I do not really think that could be the problem since I think check the
files... seem to be okay... but i will try your recommendation

Thanks for your help!

"Jerry" wrote:

> Make sure CONFIG.NT and AUTOEXEC.NT are in the \system32 directory. If not,
> copy them from the \windows\repair directory and try again.
>
> "Water" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:74916681-5DA6-4EFD-B18D-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >I am trying to run an old application in 16 Bit DOS on a windows XP
> >machine.
> > However, I get the following error message:
> >
> > "a temporary file needed for initialization could not be created or could
> > not be written to. Make sure that the directory path exists, and disk
> > space
> > is available"
> >
> > I am running the account as a user(not administrator) on the machine. I
> > have
> > access rights to the particular folder that the temporary file is writing
> > to
> > and the disk is not full. I wonder whether there is any configuration
> > problem
> > I will need to set. I have tried this program on another set of PC with
> > same
> > user configuration but there seems to be no problem
> > I wonder why.
> >
> > I have tried the DOS compatibility mode changes as well as trying to
> > adjust
> > the XMS and EMS to auto but it still does not work
> >
> > Appreciate your help!
> >
>
>
>

I keep on getting a similar message, but mine comes up saying "error in 16
bit DOS subsystem" and just asks me to either terminate or ignore it...
however even if i just try to ignore it, the program fails to run... and i
really want the programs on here, as i found it to be quite useful.

is there anything i can do to work around this so all of these types of
applications are able to run?

"Jerry" wrote:

> Make sure CONFIG.NT and AUTOEXEC.NT are in the \system32 directory. If not,
> copy them from the \windows\repair directory and try again.
>
> "Water" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:74916681-5DA6-4EFD-B18D-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >I am trying to run an old application in 16 Bit DOS on a windows XP
> >machine.
> > However, I get the following error message:
> >
> > "a temporary file needed for initialization could not be created or could
> > not be written to. Make sure that the directory path exists, and disk
> > space
> > is available"
> >
> > I am running the account as a user(not administrator) on the machine. I
> > have
> > access rights to the particular folder that the temporary file is writing
> > to
> > and the disk is not full. I wonder whether there is any configuration
> > problem
> > I will need to set. I have tried this program on another set of PC with
> > same
> > user configuration but there seems to be no problem
> > I wonder why.
> >
> > I have tried the DOS compatibility mode changes as well as trying to
> > adjust
> > the XMS and EMS to auto but it still does not work
> >
> > Appreciate your help!
> >
>
>
>

The "autoexec.nt" file in C:\WINDOWS\system32 has been deleted by
syp/malware called "WinAdTools"
go to C:\WINDOWS\repair and copy autoexec.nt back into the system32 folder

Go to Add/Remove Programs and search for WinAdtools and remove it, or use
Ad-ware, www.lavasoftusa.com.


--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

"TC" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:675D1D66-2402-4074-AC28-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I keep on getting a similar message, but mine comes up saying "error in 16
> bit DOS subsystem" and just asks me to either terminate or ignore it...
> however even if i just try to ignore it, the program fails to run... and i
> really want the programs on here, as i found it to be quite useful.
>
> is there anything i can do to work around this so all of these types of
> applications are able to run?
>
> "Jerry" wrote:
>
>> Make sure CONFIG.NT and AUTOEXEC.NT are in the \system32 directory. If
>> not,
>> copy them from the \windows\repair directory and try again.
>>
>> "Water" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:74916681-5DA6-4EFD-B18D-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> >I am trying to run an old application in 16 Bit DOS on a windows XP
>> >machine.
>> > However, I get the following error message:
>> >
>> > "a temporary file needed for initialization could not be created or
>> > could
>> > not be written to. Make sure that the directory path exists, and disk
>> > space
>> > is available"
>> >
>> > I am running the account as a user(not administrator) on the machine. I
>> > have
>> > access rights to the particular folder that the temporary file is
>> > writing
>> > to
>> > and the disk is not full. I wonder whether there is any configuration
>> > problem
>> > I will need to set. I have tried this program on another set of PC with
>> > same
>> > user configuration but there seems to be no problem
>> > I wonder why.
>> >
>> > I have tried the DOS compatibility mode changes as well as trying to
>> > adjust
>> > the XMS and EMS to auto but it still does not work
>> >
>> > Appreciate your help!
>> >
>>
>>
>>

[dano_obrien]

I realize this is a pretty old thread, but I had the exact same problem and just stumbled on a solution:

The %SystemRoot%\Temp folder on my system was not writable to non-admins. Updating the ACL on this folder to allow full update access to Everyone fixed the problem, even though the error message clearly indicates the problem with the user-specific Temp folder: C:\DOCUME~1\user\LOCALS~1\TEMP. (I attribute this to a bug in building the error message itself, i.e., displaying the user's %TEMP% value instead of the actual target pathname).

To reset the permissions, even if you have XP Home:

1. open a cmd window from an account with Admin rights
2. cd %SystemRoot%
3. cacls /e /g Everyone:F