16-bit dos error

  • Thread starter Thread starter Spildoop
  • Start date Start date
S

Spildoop

My home pc (vista home premium) has recently started having trouble with 16
bit dos exe files. everytime i boot the computer i get 20 or so error
messages saying things like
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\*******.exe. The system file is not suitable for running
MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the
application.

i have read many discussion boards but all references to this problem are
about windows XP.

Can someone please enlighten me on how to fix this problem

Thanks Heaps
 
an addition to the above. it also says
NTVDM CPU has performed an illegal operation......close to continue
 
Hi,

No 16-bit files should be loading at boot, and the system files are all
32-bit. You need to isolate what process is trying to launch these files.
Run msconfig from the start/search line and check the startup tab, uncheck
anything other than AV and system processes.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Richard G. Harper said:
Vista does not support older, 16-bit programs. You should run these in a
virtual machine for proper support.
Click to expand...

With respect, Richard, that is not correct.

32-bit Vista can run 16-bit DOS and Win 3.x applications in the NTVDM.EXE,
exactly the same as XP, Windows 2000, NT 4.0 and NT 3.x. This is fully
supported by Microsoft.

Specific 16-bit applications might encounter compatibility problems, if they
try to improperly access the hardware or call forbidden interrupts; but as a
general principal, 16-bit aps should run fine on 32-bit Vista.

For 16 -bit applications which do encounter compatibility problems, then
your advice is correct: a Virtual Machine environment like Virtual PC is the
best solution.

However, the error which Slipdoop is reporting does not suggest that this is
a compatibility problem. It sounds more like a variation on the same problem
which can be seen on XP.

Slipdoop, the XP articles which you saw are also applicable to Vista. In
particular, look at these KB articles:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/324767
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314106/

Obviously, you cannot run 16-bit applications on 64-bit Vista; they just
can't run. However in this case, you would see a different and pretty clear
error message, to that effect.

Hope it helps, let us know how you get on.
 
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