Cannot Run MS-DOS Apps When Booting from Jaz Drive

Last reviewed: October 30, 1997
Article ID: Q161408
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

If an Iomega Jaz drive is configured as the boot device, and you attempt to run an MS-DOS 16-bit application, you get the following error:

   Config.nt The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and
   Microsoft Windows Applications.

If you ignore the error, you are returned to the DOS prompt.

CAUSE

The pagefile cannot reside on a removable drive. This is by design. Regardless of how the drive is configured in the SCSI controllers BIOS, the system still knows that the drive is removable.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, relocate the pagefile to a fixed disk. If no fixed disk is available, the application cannot be run; the system cannot be made to run 16-bit MS-DOS applications.

For more information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q142026
   TITLE     : PRB: Hidden Console of WOWVDM Error Running 16-Bit
               Application

   ARTICLE-ID: Q165796
   TITLE     : Windows NT Does Not Fully Support Booting From Removable
               Media

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce

Configure the Jaz drive as the boot drive by setting it to SCSI ID: 0. Install Windows NT onto the Jaz drive. Try to run DOS EDIT or any other MS- DOS 16-bit application under Windows NT.


Additional query words: err msg errmsg removable syquest
Keywords : NTSrvWkst kbenv kbsetup
Version : WinNT:4.0
Platform : winnt


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Last reviewed: October 30, 1997
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