Command prompt problem.

[Norman Beasley]

While testing the functionality of Windows XP Pro...
Starting/Opening a command prompt window and then switching it into full screen mode (ALT+ENTER) causes the system to halt.

Has anyone else experienced this. I've checked the XP knowledge base and found nothing on this problem.

More detail: Screen goes blank (no command prompt text), can't switch back to GUI mode (using the ALT+ENTER key sequence).

I've tested for this anomaly on the same hardware using different versions of the Windows' operating system (Win 98SE, Win ME, Win 2K Pro, Win 2K Server, Win 2K Advanced Server, Win XP Home and Win XP Pro) and the only ones that cause this problem are Win XP Home and Win XP Pro. The only option I have is to cold boot the system.

Any and all feedback and insight into the problem will be very much appreciated.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Norman.

I use the Command prompt window in WinXP Pro several times a day. It never
causes my system to halt. Are you using the 16-bit version (Command.com) or
the 32-bit version (Cmd.exe) of the Command prompt? I almost always use the
32-bit version in what I call a "DOS" window, being careful to enclose "DOS"
in quotes to clarify that it is an MS-DOS emulator, rather than true MS-DOS.

The Properties screen for the .com or .exe file and/or your shortcut for it
can be customized in many ways, as I'm sure you know. Mine is set to begin
Cmd.exe as Full screen. Once the "DOS" window is open, I can use Alt+Enter
to switch to/from a Normal window. I can Alt+Tab to/from any of the several
GUI and/or other "DOS" windows that may be open at the time.

The only anomaly I see is that after I exit Edit.com, my "DOS" window
blinks - until I Alt+Tab to another window and back again. Only the Edit
program causes this.

About the only MS-DOS program that I use a shortcut for is the Calendar from
the old WordPerfect Office Library . This also runs in a full-screen "DOS"
window; it can be toggled to a small "Normal" window using Alt+Enter.

What kind of hardware are you using? Mine was assembled by me, using an
EPoX 8K3A+ mainboard, AMD Athlon XP 2000+ CPU, 512 MB RAM; it has 3 HDs
(SCSI & 2 IDE), and an ATI AIW Radeon 9000 Pro graphics card. I've never
had a server or network, but I've used just about every client or standalone
version of Windows, including PDC Longhorn (and Win2K3 Server, just for
curiosity).

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP

While testing the functionality of Windows XP Pro...
Starting/Opening a command prompt window and then switching it into full

screen mode (ALT+ENTER) causes the system to halt.

Has anyone else experienced this. I've checked the XP knowledge base and found nothing on this problem.

More detail: Screen goes blank (no command prompt text), can't switch

back to GUI mode (using the ALT+ENTER key sequence).

I've tested for this anomaly on the same hardware using different versions

of the Windows' operating system (Win 98SE, Win ME, Win 2K Pro, Win 2K
Server, Win 2K Advanced Server, Win XP Home and Win XP Pro) and the only
ones that cause this problem are Win XP Home and Win XP Pro. The only
option I have is to cold boot the system.

 

[Norman Beasley]

Hi, Norman.

I use the Command prompt window in WinXP Pro several times a day. It never
causes my system to halt. Are you using the 16-bit version (Command.com) or
the 32-bit version (Cmd.exe) of the Command prompt? I almost always use the
32-bit version in what I call a "DOS" window, being careful to enclose "DOS"
in quotes to clarify that it is an MS-DOS emulator, rather than true MS-DOS.

Thank you R. C. for responding...
I too use the command prompt extensively when working with many of the
system commands etc. I'm testing the functionality of XP before I decide
whether or not to commit and main stream computing to this version of
Windows. So just to cover all the bases... I did test this with both the
16-bit and 32-bit versions. In fact when I try to run a DOS mode app that
starts and immediately switches the video into full screen text mode the
system halts. I'm beginning to think the XP video drivers may the problem,
because when I start the system in SAFE mode the video mode switching
of the command prompt window to full screen and back to the GUI mode
works, (no lockup/system halt).

More testing completed:
I also found that when I configure the video to run in 16 color 640 x 480
mode, the same thing happens, (system halts).

The Properties screen for the .com or .exe file and/or your shortcut for it
can be customized in many ways, as I'm sure you know. Mine is set to begin
Cmd.exe as Full screen. Once the "DOS" window is open, I can use Alt+Enter
to switch to/from a Normal window. I can Alt+Tab to/from any of the several
GUI and/or other "DOS" windows that may be open at the time.

The only anomaly I see is that after I exit Edit.com, my "DOS" window
blinks - until I Alt+Tab to another window and back again. Only the Edit
program causes this.

About the only MS-DOS program that I use a shortcut for is the Calendar from
the old WordPerfect Office Library . This also runs in a full-screen "DOS"
window; it can be toggled to a small "Normal" window using Alt+Enter.

What kind of hardware are you using? Mine was assembled by me, using an
EPoX 8K3A+ mainboard, AMD Athlon XP 2000+ CPU, 512 MB RAM; it has 3 HDs
(SCSI & 2 IDE), and an ATI AIW Radeon 9000 Pro graphics card. I've never
had a server or network, but I've used just about every client or standalone
version of Windows, including PDC Longhorn (and Win2K3 Server, just for
curiosity).

The hardware in a nutshell is: ECS K7S5A Pro mainboard,
AMD Athlon XP 2400+ CPU, 256 MB RAM, 1 HDD, 2 CD's,
Diamond Multimedia Monster Fusion 16MB PCI video card.

 

[Sharon F]

I'm beginning to think the XP video drivers may the problem,
because when I start the system in SAFE mode the video mode switching
of the command prompt window to full screen and back to the GUI mode
works, (no lockup/system halt).

More testing completed:
I also found that when I configure the video to run in 16 color 640 x 480
mode, the same thing happens, (system halts).

Have you tried any of the compatibility settings yet? Create a shortcut to
the DOS program. Right click for Properties. Look on the Compatibility
sheet for these display settings: use 256 colors, use 640x480, and disable
themes. Experiment to see if any of them help.

 

[Norman Beasley]

Have you tried any of the compatibility settings yet? Create a shortcut to
the DOS program. Right click for Properties. Look on the Compatibility
sheet for these display settings: use 256 colors, use 640x480, and disable
themes. Experiment to see if any of them help.

Hello Sharon thanks for the reply.

Yes I have tried that... But (from my previous posted info) it's not the
DOS application that is the problem it is the Windows Command Prompt
that is the problem. The mention of the DOS app was just non significant
additional info to illustrate that manually and automatically switching into
full screen mode generates the same result. Note, when you're in the text
mode of a command prompt window the color level is 16, (similar to EGA)
that is also why I mentioned the results of running the windows video mode
at 16 colors 640 x 480.

As I mentioned, the video drivers supplied with the Windows XP install
seem to be the problem. I will have to try the video drivers that came
with the card and also try and fine more updated drivers from the vendors
web site, (that may be difficult since the buy out of Diamond Multimedia
and lack of driver support for many of their older products).


....More info I found before I sent this message out:

The only drivers on the video adapter's install CD are for win98 and win95.
Looking on the web site I found drivers for winNT-SP3 but noting for
win2K or later. Oh, well I will have to wait until I get another (more up to
date) video card before I can finish testing this aspect of Windows XP.

As it stands, XP and none of the other Windows Operating Systems has
this problem.