Windows XP Professional SP2 Dos problem

[Guest]

Hi,
After I installed SP2 on my computer, I noticed that no dos program would
run on my computer and it always says
"C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for
running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to
terminate the application."
Please help as I really need to install a Dos application ASAP.
Thanks a lot.

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

Go to C:\WINDOWS\repair and copy autoexec.nt to the system32 folder.

Go to Add/Remove Programs and search for WinAdtools, if it's there, remove
it, or use
Ad Aware: www.lavasoftusa.com to scan for and remove any instances of it.

If the above fails, check the following Knowledge Base Article:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324767

Note, SP2 as any update of this nature has changed the operating system
environment. If these DOS applications are mission critical you would be
wise to start looking into replacements as it's only a matter of time before
they will no longer work with a Windows operating system. Each update
brings you closer to that day as does each new iteration of Windows.

As a possible alternative, you might try dual booting XP with a version of
Windows with which you know the applications will function and when you need
to use them, boot to that version of Windows. Or, you might simply keep an
older computer around, one with a previous version of Windows in which you
know these apps will run.

It's only a matter of time before you run into a dead end with these
applications.