16 Bit Subsystem Error

[leemer]

I am trying to run a couple of older programs that reside
on our server in XP pro and they work when I am logged in
as an administrator or give the user rights to the c:\Windows directory. When I make the user account
limited I get the error message:
16 bit windows subsystem c:\docume~1\USer~1\locals~1\temp\. A temporary file needed for initialization could not be created or could not be written to. Make sure that the directory path exists, and disk space is available.

We have already replaced both the config.nt and autoexec.nt files and both look fine. We also get the same error when running command.com. We are in the process of rolling out XP Pc's to various office's and have had no problems in the first three offices XP's were put in. The XP build going to this office should be the same as the prior ones.

 

[erikhertzel]

Try running the Autoexec.nt fix from the following:

http://www.sabethacomputing.com/downloads/xp_fix.exe

Let us know,

Erik

 

[leemer]

Yes, we have pretty much tried all suggestions listed on here and anywhere else we could find information. It seems to be wanting to create data in the C:\WINDOWS directory but we cannot find any files created when the program is running under admin mode in either the TEMP directory under My docs or the Windows directory.

Lee

 

[linney]

DOS database no longer runs in Windows XP Pro
thread779-1120677

Are there any Disk Quotas in use?

SMS: Err Msg: "A Temporary File Needed for Initialization Could Not Be Created"

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;213289&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

As these programs seem to run with administrator privileges have you looked at Greg Palmer's wrapper program?

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk/main.asp?content=runasuser

 

[leemer]

The program in question is not a DOS based program. It is a old Windows 16-bit program. We already tried all the steps in the linked thread.

Also just doing Start->Run Command.com also causes the same error.

If it was an issue with XP not working with an old program then granting rights to the Windows directory would not resolve the issue.

Lee

 

[leemer]

I'll check on the disk quota's but I am pretty sure they were not used in the XP build that was sent out.

Lee

 

[linney]

Did you consider Greg Palmer's program?

Do you get the same error in Safe Mode?

 

[xwb]

Analysis:

The older systems used smaller disks. Your db is probably getting the disk size as a -ve number.

What you can do about it:
I normally create a 2 GB partition for such programs but that is before I install XP. I don't know what you can do once XP has been installed.