16-bit dos error

[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

 

[Spildoop]

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

 

[Richard G. Harper]

Vista does not support older, 16-bit programs. You should run these in a
virtual machine for proper support.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/virtualpc/default.mspx

--
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[Rick Rogers]

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

 

[Andrew McLaren]

Vista does not support older, 16-bit programs. You should run these in a
virtual machine for proper support.

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.