How to Prevent Windows NT from Appending the MS-DOS Path (102054)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
This article was previously published under Q102054

SUMMARY

On a system using NT Flexboot to boot both MS-DOS and Windows NT, Windows NT appends the path setting found in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to the default command environment. This is done so that you can run MS-DOS-based applications that are currently installed on your system without modifying Windows NT.

If the you do not want the MS-DOS path appended to the default Windows NT environment, do the following:

  1. Create a batch file (for example, DOSPATH.BAT) with the PATH statement from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
  2. Remove the PATH statement from AUTOEXEC.BAT.
  3. Use the CALL command to call the other batch file. For example:

    call c:\dospath.bat

When you boot Windows NT, it does not find a PATH statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. However, when you boot MS-DOS, the AUTOEXEC.BAT file runs DOSPATH.BAT and sets your path.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/28/2003
Keywords:kbenv KB102054
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.