Err Msg: Unable to Determine or Construct a Path for the Program Files Folder (183387)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 1.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.01 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.x for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.01 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows NT 4.0
This article was previously published under Q183387
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

When you are installing Internet Explorer, you may receive the following error message:
Error, Installation failed: Unable to determine or construct a path for the Program Files folder
In Internet Explorer 4.0 or 4.01, components may not be installed, and you may see a red X next to the affected components in the component list.

CAUSE

This error message can occur for any of the following reasons:

  • The Program Files folder has been renamed. Internet Explorer Setup checks the

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ ProgramFilesDir

    registry key for the correct name of the Program Files folder.
  • When Windows 95 was installed there was already a folder named Program or Programs. This caused the Program Files folder to have a short file name other than Progra~1.
  • Long file names have been damaged.
  • In Windows 95, the value NameNumericTail has been added to the

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

    registry key with a value of 0.
  • In Windows NT 4.0, the value NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation has been added to the

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

    registry key with a value of 1.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

To resolve this issue, use the appropriate method:

  • Check the following registry key:

    Hkey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ ProgramFilesDir

    By default, this key contains a path similar to C:\Program Files. Make sure this folder exists.

    NOTE: You can change this key to match the folder you are actually using in the root folder for the Program Files folder.
  • Rename the Program folder to something else and then reinstall Windows 95 to fix the registry information.
  • Reinstall Windows 95 to restore the long file names.
  • Delete the "NameNumericTale=0" value from the following Windows 95 registry key:

    Hkey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

    Then, using Windows Explorer or My Computer, rename the Program Files folder to Programs.fld. Then, rename the Programs.fld folder to Program Files. Renaming the folder forces a new short name for the folder to be generated.
  • Change the value of the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation key to 0 (zero) in the following Windows NT registry key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

    Then, using Windows Explorer or My Computer, rename the Program Files folder to Programs.fld. Then, rename the Programs.fld folder to Program Files. Renaming the folder forces a new short name for the folder to be generated.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

148594 "NameNumericTail=0" Value Causes Problems for Some Programs

Various tools and components installed in the Program Files folder may use short file names internally or during installation. If the short name for the Program Files folder is different from the short name expected by a tool or component, the problems described in this article may occur. This problem can affect any program installed in the Program Files folder.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:3/16/2005
Keywords:kbenv kberrmsg kbprb kbsetup KB183387
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