MS-DOS 6.x Setup: Error Renaming Old Utilities (76242)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0a
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22
This article was previously published under Q76242

SYMPTOMS

When you run MS-DOS SETUP or SETUP /E, Setup may display the following error message:

Unrecoverable Error
Error renaming old utilities.
Press ENTER to exit Setup.

CAUSE

This error occurs when:

  • The path has been set with the SET PATH= command, the drive letter of the DOS directory is in lowercase (for example, SET PATH=c:\), and you are running SETUP with the /E parameter. -or-

  • There are no directories in the path that contain MS-DOS files and there is a file in the root called "DOS."

WORKAROUND

The Path Has Been Set with SET PATH=

This is a known problem with MS-DOS 6.x Setup. SETUP /E checks the current path to locate the MS-DOS directory. If the MS-DOS directory is in lowercase letters, Setup displays the unrecoverable error message listed above.

To correct this problem, use the following steps:

  1. Press ENTER to quit Setup.
  2. Type path at the MS-DOS command prompt and press ENTER. This displays the current path (for example, PATH=c:\dos;c:\windows;c:\utility).
  3. Use the PATH command to reenter the path in uppercase letters. For example, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and press ENTER:

    PATH C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\UTILITY

  4. Run SETUP /E again.

A File Called "DOS" Is in the Root Directory

To allow Setup to continue, delete the "DOS" file. Setup creates a C:\DOS directory and proceeds normally.

If there is no C:\DOS directory, the Setup program traverses the existing path to find a directory with MS-DOS files in it. When it locates a directory with any MS-DOS files, it assumes that this is the directory containing the old MS-DOS files and continues with the setup.

If no directory in the path contains MS-DOS files and a file called "DOS" exists on the root, the system configuration screen shows that a C:\DOS directory exists. When you continue with the setup, the above message is displayed.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MS-DOS versions 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, and 6.22. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/12/2003
Keywords:KB76242
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