problems installing certain software

[Guest]

most of the time, I have no trouble installing new software, but there is one
or two that the following message comes up, and then I'm done. It is in a
smaller window labeled "16 bit windows subsystem", and the message is
"C:\winnt\subsystem32\autoexec.nt. The system file is not suitable for
running ms-dos and Microsoft Windows applications." What does this mean, and
what do I do to fix it so that the program will install?

 

[Nepatsfan]

You might want to take a look at this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324767

Quoting from the article, here's the easiest approach:

1. Click Start, click Run, type c:\windows\repair, and then
click OK.
2. Right-click autoexec.nt, and then click Copy.
3. Click Start, click Run, type c:\windows\system32, and
then click OK.
4. Right-click anywhere in that folder, and then click
Paste.
5. Right-click the Autoexec.nt file that you just copied,
and then click Properties.
6. Click to select Read-Only, and then click OK.

Note You must enable Read-Only permissions or the file will be
removed after you restart Windows.

You can also try the following:

With your XP installation in your CD drive, open up a command
prompt window by going to Start -> Run and entering cmd.exe in
the Open box.
Click OK.
Enter the following at the command prompt:

expand X:\i386\autoexec.nt_ C:\windows\system32\autoexec.nt

Replace X with the appropriate letter of your CD drive. Also,
leave a space between _ and C.
Hit Enter.

From what I can gather, this problem is becoming a common
occurrence. It looks as if some sort of spyware/malware may be at
the root of the problem. For that reason, you might want to run a
scan with an updated antivirus program. You should also download,
install, update and run the following antispyware programs:

AdAware
http://www.spychecker.com/program/adaware.html

Spybot S & D
http://www.spychecker.com/program/spybot.html

Good luck

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Lora,

The simplest method to resolve this common problem is to copy autoexec.nt
from C:\Windows\repair to C:\Windows\system32 and overwrite the one that is
currently there.

Alternately, you can create a new autoexec.nt file and save it to the
\windows\system32 folder to overwrite the corrupted one. Click start/run and
type notepad, then click ok. Copy/paste the below code into it (instead of
typing it in to prevent errors), then click file/"save as". Navigate to the
C:\Windows\system32 folder, change the "save as file" type to "all types"
and name the file autoexec.nt, then click save (if prompted to overwrite the
existing one, do so).

@echo off
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\mscdexnt.exe
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\redir
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\dosx
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 P330 T3

Reboot when finished. This usually fixes it, but you will find further steps
here if it doesn't:

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

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