"16 Bit MS-DOS Subsystem" Error Message When You Install a Program (314452)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
This article was previously published under Q314452
For a Microsoft Windows 2000 version of this article, see 254914.

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

After you install a program on your computer, you may receive one of the following error messages when you attempt to run any 16-bit program:
16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem
drive:\program path
XXXX. An installable Virtual Device Driver failed DLL initialization. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

-or-

16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem
drive:\program path
SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers. VDD. Virtual Device Driver format in the registry is invalid. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.
In some cases, when you click Ignore, the program runs properly, but you continue to receive the error message when you start 16-bit programs.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the following registry value is corrupted:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD

This behavior can occur after you install a 16-bit program or a program that uses a 16-bit installation program that is not Windows XP-compliant. This behavior can also occur if the Command.com file that is installed on your computer is damaged or is the incorrect version.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue:
  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe or Regedit.exe).

    NOTE: In Windows XP, Regedit.exe and Regedt32.exe have been integrated into a single program that combines the features of the two registry editors in Windows 2000.
  2. Locate and select the following value:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD

  3. On the Edit menu, click Delete.
  4. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Multi-string Value.
  5. Type VDD in the Value Name box, and then press ENTER.
  6. Quit Registry Editor.
If the issue continues to occur, verify that the proper version of the Command.com file is installed in the systemroot/System32 folder on your computer.

The Windows XP version of the Command.com file has attributes similar to the following: 
   Size    Date         Time
   ------------------------------
   50620   08-23-2001   4:00 A.M.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/23/2005
Keywords:kbACWsurvey kb3rdparty kbAppDev kberrmsg kbprb KB314452
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