16 bit apps no longer loading properly...

[lupini]

In one of my Win2K machines, no 16 bit app will load correctly without ignoring a .pif file causing a registry error in System\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers. It says the Virtual Device Driver format in the registry is invalid. In that registry location there is a default value and one put there by symantec (NAV 2002 I assume).

As the main POS/Inventory software is 16 bit DOS run in Windows, this functionality is critical. Advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[muthabored]

Have you tried selecting the 'Ignore' option? This should allow the program to run correctly, but if it doesnt and at each startup of the program the error message is produced, this could mean that there is a value in the registry that has become corrupted. Microsoft's solution is to run the Registry Editor. Refer to Microsoft's Support Page Article ID: Q254914. According to them (Microsoft) this is an Operating System error.

 

[lupini]

Ignore does work as you suggest. And the error msg. states that the Virtual Device Driver format in the registry is invalid. I'd like to know how to restore that registry entry to validity. The system is otherwise not entirely stable and I'm hoping this fix could rectify that as well.

Thanks for your consideration.

 

[muthabored]

If your system is unstable, you may very well need to repair Windows 2000 via the Recovery Console. This may take care of the error message that you are receiving with taht 16-bit app as well. The Recovery Console is a part of Windows 2000 but doesn't come "installed" already (it takes up to 75MB of space to install). To install the Recovery Console, you can either install it directly through the Windows 2000 GUI or if your system has crashed already, you can install the Recovery Console by booting from the four Windows 2000 startup disks and following the prompts.

The GUI install instructions are:

1.Close any open programs and open a Command Prompt window.
2.Insert your Windows 2000 CD and navigate to the I386 directory. Type in:

 WINNT32 /CMDCONS

If the system has already been damaged, boot your computer from the first setup disk. If you don't have these disks, you can easily create them on any PC by using the disk images stored on the Windows 2000 CD.
Once your system boots, follow the prompts as if you're installing Windows 2000 until you reach the point at which where Setup asks if you want to repair an existing installation. Enter "R" to begin the repair process.


You'll be asked if you prefer to use the Recovery Console or the emergency repair disk. Select the Recovery Console option and continue to follow the prompts to install the Recovery Console. 
Once you've installed the Recovery Console, you can access it by rebooting your PC and selecting the Recovery Console command from the boot menu. As I mentioned earlier, you'll have to enter the Administrator password before you'll be able to use the Recovery Console (there is a totally seperate Microsoft Knowledge Base article for instances where people either can't remember the Admin password or the one that they have doesn't work). Once the Recovery Console loads, you'll be presented with a standard DOS screen.

 

[lupini]

Windows came OEM and we weren't given installation or recovery discs (IBM is sending them). Can the recovery console be run from the ERD? What does it do to effect the system repair you suggest? I understand I could also try sfc.exe (if I had the discs) but that it could misread some application installation changes as corrupted system issues. I would be more apt to try that route if I knew which system files are likely most needing replacement. There is also this suggestion which I may try as well as it responds directly to the error msg I get (tho perhaps not to the general instability issue):

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;254914

Thanks so much for your assistance.