Off-Topic, Sorry - Hidden Console of WOW VDM

Aaron Rainwater aar at cypress.com
Tue Aug 3 20:01:40 GMT 1999


I know this is an email that should not be on this list,
but I really need to get in touch with some people who
might have encountered this problem before (and hopefully
fixed it).  I apologize for sending this to the list, and
please, if you decide to help me, reply to me personally,
so that I won't be the cause of any more list litter than
I am already going to be guilty of.

---
I've started getting this error windows when
I run some DOS apps and some setup programs from
my shell scripts.

Window Title:   "16 bit Windows Subsystem"
Window Message:
        Hidden Console of WOW VDM
        %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\CONFIG.NT.  The system file is
        not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows
        applications or the user's home directory is not
        configured correctly.  Choose 'Close' to terminate the
        application.
Window Choices: "Close" & "Ignore"

Some ways I've tried to run the Setup programs in my scripts:

        Z:\Dir\Setup.exe
        start "" /wait Z:\Dir\Setup.exe
        start Z:\Dir\Setup.exe
        activate /T "NULL_TITLE" Z:\Dir\Setup.exe
        ### activate is freeware program starter
        (I've tried the "start" command with a variety of
        options set.)

As I said, it does this with some DOS apps (command line programs
like "sleep" & "newpause").  But it also does it with standard
windows setup programs ("setup.exe"'s).  Also, I have no problem
running the setup programs by double-clicking the icons.  And,
as long as I run the DOS programs from a command prompt window
(and before my first "16 bit..." error occurs), I experience no
problems with them either.

I changed %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\Config.NT by REM'ing
the lines shown below:

        REM dos=high, umb
        REM device=%SystemRoot%\system32\himem.sys
        REM files=50
        REM shell=%SystemRoot%\system32\command.com /e:2048

This change allows me to start the "setup" programs
from the scripts with no problem (at least so far), but
the DOS apps are still not being nice.

Also, I've scanned for viruses, and none are to be found.
And, I did not used to get the error I'm describing, but
now, it seems to start appearing right after I first install
the system.  Even after adding the latest service pack for
WinNT 4.0 TS.

This problem is very frustrating, and what's even more frustrating
is that it is probably such a simple thing to fix, which would
explain why there is no help for the problem on any net resources
I can find.

Help?  :(

-- 
Aaron Rainwater
CADC Intern


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