Missing COMM.DRV

  • Thread starter Thread starter JT Stephens
  • Start date Start date
J

JT Stephens

When I try to load a 16 bit program, I get a message
telling me to "please re-install the following module to
your system 32 directory: COMM.DRV" the title bar
is "NTVDM Kernel: missing 16 bit system module". I have
tried a google search and had no luck, any help would be
just nifty.

E-Mail Address: (e-mail address removed)

Thanks in advance.
 
A search of the Windows/System32 folder doesn't turn up a comm.drv file?

- carl
 
I have the same problem. The file is not exist in Windows/system32. could the missing file be copies n restored from a CD or another XP computer to solve the problem?

----- Vagabond Software wrote: -----

A search of the Windows/System32 folder doesn't turn up a comm.drv file?

- carl
 
Ernest said:
I have the same problem. The file is not exist in Windows/system32.
could the missing file be copies n restored from a CD or another XP
computer to solve the problem?

----- Vagabond Software wrote: -----

A search of the Windows/System32 folder doesn't turn up a
comm.drv file?

- carl
Click to expand...

I don't know why you said you couldn't find anything on Google. Using
the search term "comm.drv" brings up loads of links. Apparently this
file is related to serial port libraries. My suspicion is that your
older DOS program is looking for libraries that only existed in older
operating systems. Windows XP (and no other NT-based operating system)
is not built on DOS and so would not have those libraries natively. It
isn't that *your* particular XP installation is missing them. Also,
your DOS program may need to access the serial port directly, and XP
does not allow direct access to hardware. The answer is to 1) try
running your DOS program in compatibility mode (check XP's Help &
Support for "compatibility mode"); or 2) contact the software mftr. and
see if they've created an updated program and/or workaround for XP; or
3) keep an older computer around running DOS or Win9x for your program.

HTH,

Malke
 
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