Windows Err Msg: Attempt to Load Duplicate...(PC Tools/Norton) (79527)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows 3.0
- Microsoft Windows 3.1
- Microsoft Windows 3.11
This article was previously published under Q79527 SYMPTOMS
The following message may appear when you attempt to start Windows in
enhanced mode:
Attempt to load duplicate device file that may be needed to run
Windows in 386 enhanced mode; run Setup again.
c:\windows\system\vdmadx.386
CAUSE
This error is due to a conflict between PC Tools (versions 7.0 and later)
and Norton Desktop for Windows (version 1.0), both of which are adding
their own virtual device drivers (VxDs) to the [386Enh] section of the
SYSTEM.INI file.
PC Tools installs:
DEVICE=VDMAD.386 (Virtual DMA-REPLACES "device=*vdmad")
DEVICE=VFD.386 (Virtual Floppy Disk-REPLACES "device=*vfd")
Norton Desktop for Windows installs:
DEVICE=VFINTD.386 (Virtual Floppy Interrupt)
DEVICE=VDMADX.386 (Virtual DMA-REPLACES "device=*vdmad")
DEVICE=VNSS.386 (Virtual Screen Saver)
The PC Tools VDMAD.386 file and the Norton VDMADX.386 file BOTH replace
the Windows internal device *vdmad. PC Tools installs VDMAD.386 at the
beginning of the [386Enh] section, and Norton Desktop installs VDMADX.386
at the end of the [386Enh] section. When Windows is loading, it loads the
PC Tools device driver first and then tries to load the duplicate driver
VDMADX.386, which produces the error message.
WORKAROUND
Remark the Norton Desktop DEVICE=VDMADX.386 line in the [386Enh] section
of SYSTEM.INI. Remarking both device lines will cause Windows to exit to
the MS-DOS command line when Windows tries to load in enhanced mode. If
you need to remark both lines, place the line
in the [386Enh] section of SYSTEM.INI.
Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 7/19/2005 |
---|
Keywords: | KB79527 |
---|
|