Error: The Win16 Subsytem was unable to enter...

[Charles Roberts]

I don;t know what caused it, but any 16-bit app (for instance, hp printer
installation) now generates the following error:

The Win16 Subsytem was unable to enter Protected Mode, DOSX.EXE must be in
your AUTOEXEC.NT and present in your path.

I have restored from the Windows XP CD the Windows\System32\AUTOEXEC.NT,
Windows\System32\CONFIG.NT, Windows\System32\DOSX.EXE, and COMMAND.COM
files. They never were missing, but I restored them anyway. I have read
about trojans/malware that removes these files, but they are not being
removed. They are there, and Windows\System32 is in my user and system
paths. Here is a hint: if I run \Windows\System32\Command.com, it will not
execute the three lh commands (mscdexnt.exe, redir.exe, dosx.exe) in
autoexec.nt, showing three File Not Found error messages, and then the shell
prompt, even if I remove the "lh". However, if I then type dosx at the
prompt, I get no error. Any ideas? Could this be a permission problem? I did
recently turn off "Use simple file sharing" as I needed to give full access
to folders I wanted to leave in place to multiple users. HELP!!!

 

[Charles Roberts]

I read and followed the instructions in that article already. I've
exhaustively searched all KB articles at Microsoft as well. That's why I'm
asking here.

 

[Guest]

I am getting basically the same message:
16-bit MS-DOS Subsystem
path to the program that you are trying to start or install
C:\Winnt\System32\config.nt The system file is not suitable for running
MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the
application.

I am not that computer literate and the link was very confusing. There are
several programs that make this error message pop up.

 

[Charles Roberts]

I've put in a support to MS on this problem. We still haven't found found
the source of the problem, but it's NOT the missing/corrupt file (*.nt,
command.com, etc.) problem.
I will post if I find a solution.

 

[Charles Roberts]

After half a dozen back and forth messages with Microsoft support,
Microsoft's only solution was to boot from the XP Cd and repair
( REINSTALL ) XP. My installed programs and settings did remain intact and
the 16bit subsystem was fixed, but I did have to reinstall SP2 and all the
other updates, as my XP CD is SP1. Sorry folks, no other fix.

 

[MAP]

After half a dozen back and forth messages with Microsoft support,
Microsoft's only solution was to boot from the XP Cd and repair
( REINSTALL ) XP. My installed programs and settings did remain
intact and the 16bit subsystem was fixed, but I did have to reinstall
SP2 and all the other updates, as my XP CD is SP1. Sorry folks, no
other fix.