Windows 3.0 and 3.1 Control Panel Files Do Not Work (103927)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
This article was previously published under Q103927
WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause
serious, system-wide problems that may require you to
reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot
guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of
Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own
risk.
SYMPTOMS
Windows 3.0 and 3.1 Control Panel (.CPL) files are not compatible with
Windows NT even though they use the same extension.
While you are using Windows NT, if any Windows 3.0 or 3.1 Control
Panel files are located in either of the WINNT\SYSTEM or SYSTEM32
subdirectories, you may receive the following error message:
The application or DLL DosDevices\C:\winnt\system\filename.cpl is
not a valid Windows NT image. Please check this against your
installation diskette.
The filename of the .CPL file depends on the application that
installed it.
CAUSE
If an application, during its installation, places a .CPL file in the
WINNT\SYSTEM directory and makes its appropriate entries in the
Registry, you will receive the above error message when you try to run
Control Panel. The installation program thinks it is writing its
settings to an .INI file, but these settings are mapped by Windows NT
to the Registry. Therefore, when you try to run Control Panel, Windows
NT uses those mappings to look in the WINNT\SYSTEM directory for the
.CPL file.
For this reason, copying a Windows 3.0 or 3.1 .CPL file into the
WINNT\SYSTEM directory does not generate this error message.
Also, when Control Panel loads, it searches the WINNT\SYSTEM32
directory for any .CPL files. Any Windows 3.0 or 3.1 .CPL file located
in the SYSTEM32 directory also generates the above error message.
RESOLUTION
To avoid this error message, use one of the following workarounds:
- Remove the .CPL file from the WINNT\SYSTEM or SYSTEM32 directory.
-or-
- Remove the appropriate entry from the Registry using the Registry
Editor (REGEDT32.EXE). The location of the entry will vary,
although it should be under the following path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\
CAUTION: Modifying the Registry can harm your system. For details,
query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 4/9/2004 |
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| Keywords: | KB103927 |
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