Knowledge Base

No TCP/IP Name Resolution with Win.com File in Root

Article ID: 162811

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q162811

SYMPTOMS

When you are using the TCP/IP protocol, you may be unable to access network resources using a domain name. You can access the resource using an IP address.

Or, when you try to ping a host name, you receive the error message "Bad IP address."

CAUSE

There is a Win.com file in the root folder of the boot drive.

RESOLUTION

Rename or delete the Win.com file in the root folder of the boot drive.

MORE INFORMATION

Windows 95 cannot use WINS, DNS, or Hosts files for name resolution when there is a Win.com file in the root folder of the boot drive. When there is a Win.com file in the root folder of the boot drive, the Windows folder becomes the root folder, rather than the Windir folder. When this occurs, Windows 95 cannot locate files in the System folder.

This issue can occur if the Win.com file is located in any folder listed before the Windows folder in the PATH environment variable.

For additional information about how to determine which folder Windows is installed in, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

305792 How to Determine Which Folder Windows Is Installed In

Additional query words: friendly hostname ping winsock

Keywords: kbenv kbnetwork kbprb KB162811