Unable to run legacy programs

[Guest]

I have a dual boot system with Win 98 and Win XP Home. I have been running
one Win 3.1 program (Calendar) and three DOS programs in DOS windows on my
computer in Win XP without problems. All of a sudden they will not run: I get
the following error message with Calendar:
“16 bit Window Subsystem
D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for
running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose ‘Close’ to
terminate the application.â€

With the other programs I get the error:
“16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem
D:\DOCUME~1\DRE~1.PAU\Desktop\(program).pif
D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for
running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose ‘Close’ to
terminate the application.â€

I don’t understand why this has suddenly happened on this computer. How do I
go about troubleshooting it?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Seems to be an epidemic lately....

This can be caused by a trojan.

Get rid of the trojan.

Update your antivirus software and run a full system scan.

Copy the autoexec.nt file from C:\Windows\Repair to C:\Windows\System32.
And set Attributes for autoexec.nt to Read-only.

Read-only
[[Specifies whether this file is read-only, which means that it cannot be
changed or accidentally deleted.]]

1. Right click the file.
2. Properties.
3. Select: Read-only.
4. Click: Apply.
5. Click: OK.

16-bit MS-DOS Subsystem error while installing or running a DOS application
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/16bit.htm

MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows-based program Error Message
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_m.htm#16bit

Error message when you install or start an MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows-based
program
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324767

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your reply Wesley. I have the latest McAfee virus updates on my
computer and it is doing a complete system virus scan per routine as we talk.
I also scanned with Ad-Aware, Spy bot-S&D and SpySubtract earlier this
afternoon and removed the junk that they identified. I will let McAfee finish
its job and retry in the morning. i appreciate your prompt reply.

Seems to be an epidemic lately....

This can be caused by a trojan.

Get rid of the trojan.

Update your antivirus software and run a full system scan.

Copy the autoexec.nt file from C:\Windows\Repair to C:\Windows\System32.
And set Attributes for autoexec.nt to Read-only.

Read-only
[[Specifies whether this file is read-only, which means that it cannot be
changed or accidentally deleted.]]

1. Right click the file.
2. Properties.
3. Select: Â Read-only.
4. Click: Apply.
5. Click: OK.

16-bit MS-DOS Subsystem error while installing or running a DOS application
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/16bit.htm

MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows-based program Error Message
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_m.htm#16bit

Error message when you install or start an MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows-based
program
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324767

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes

In

I have a dual boot system with Win 98 and Win XP Home. I have been
running one Win 3.1 program (Calendar) and three DOS programs in DOS
windows on my computer in Win XP without problems. All of a sudden
they will not run: I get the following error message with Calendar:
“16 bit Window Subsystem
D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for
running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose ‘Close’
to terminate the application.â€Â

With the other programs I get the error:
“16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem
D:\DOCUME~1\DRE~1.PAU\Desktop\(program).pif
D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for
running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose ‘Close’
to terminate the application.â€Â

I don’t understand why this has suddenly happened on this computer.
How do I go about troubleshooting it?

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Error message when you install or start an MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows-based
program
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=324767

This should help resolve this common problem. Basically, you will have to
expand new copies of command.com, autoexec.nt, and config.nt to the system32
folder from the WinXP CD or I386 folder on your hard drive. Sometimes, you
need to create new ones and overwrite the existing ones - the method is
described in the article.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Guest]

thanks for your reply Rick. I will try that in the morning. I appreciate your
help.

 

[Kelly]

Error Message: MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows-based program
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_m.htm#16bit

This installaton program will reinstall the missing or corrupt Windows XP
system files command.com, autoexec.nt and config.nt. The absence or
corruption of one or more of these files causes a "16 Bit Subsystem" error.

XP_Fix.EXE by TRF Systems, Inc.
http://www.visualtour.com/downloads/xp_fix.exe

TrojanDownloader.Win32.Dia.a,
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]

Manual Removal:
http://www.pestpatrol.com/PestInfo/t/trojandownloader_win32_dia_a.asp

More info here:

Error Message: MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows-based program
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_m.htm#16bit

--
All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[Guest]

Kelly: Thank you, thank you, thank you. That solved the problem. I sure do
appreciate you guy's help.

 

[Kelly]

Most welcome, glad to have helped and thanks for the kind words. )

--
All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com