Windows Err Msg: Group File <xxxx>.GRP Invalid or Damaged... (81214)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 3.0
  • Microsoft Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows 3.11
This article was previously published under Q81214

SYMPTOMS

When you start Windows, you may get the following error message:
Group file <xxxx>.GRP is invalid or damaged; reconstruct the group.
When you choose the OK button to continue, you may see a blank screen within Program Manager, or you may be missing some of your groups.

CAUSE

This problem could occur for any of the following reasons:

  • You are running in real mode. (This applies to Windows 3.0 and 3.0a only.) To conserve memory, real mode limits the number of groups that can be displayed in Program Manager. Typically you will be limited to 8-10 groups. Combine some of your groups or start up in standard or enhanced mode.
  • A group (.GRP) file is deleted or damaged.
  • The Windows files were moved into another directory without reinstalling, and the PROGMAN.INI file was not updated to reflect this change.

RESOLUTION

You can rebuild the Main, Accessories, and Games groups by doing the following:

  1. From the Program Manager's File menu, choose Run.
  2. Program Manager prompts you for a command line. Type

    setup /p

    and choose the OK button. Be sure to leave a space between "setup" and "/p", or you the error message "Specified path is invalid" will be displayed. ("Setup/p" is interpreted as one single filename which cannot be found.)
NOTE: Setup /P rebuilds only the Main, Accessories, and Games group with the default Windows application icons. Any other external groups or icons that may have been damaged or lost are not restored with this Setup switch. There is no automatic method available for individual groups that may have been damaged or lost. If you do not want your Main, Games, or Accessories group to be reset to their defaults, edit the PROGMAN.INI file as follows:

  1. From Program Manager's File menu, choose Run.
  2. Type

    progman.ini

    and press ENTER. This starts Notepad and opens the PROGMAN.INI file.
  3. In the [Groups] section, find the damaged or missing group and delete that line (see the example below). Renumber the remaining lines so they are in proper numerical order and the first group is labeled "group1."
  4. From Notepad's File menu, choose Save.
  5. Exit and restart Windows.
NOTE: Upon exiting Windows, the Save Changes command may be unavailable (dimmed) until the group file error is corrected.

The following is an example of a PROGMAN.INI file with a bad TOOLBOOK.GRP file: 
   [Settings]
   Window=-1 -2 641 419 1
   SaveSettings=1
   MinOnRun=0
   AutoArrange=0

   [Groups]
   Group1=C:\WIN3\GAMES.GRP
   Group2=C:\WIN3\WINDOWSA.GRP
   Group3=c:\win3\TOOLBOOK.GRP
   Group4=C:\WIN3\MAIN.GRP
   Group5=C:\WIN3\ACCESSOR.GRP
It should appear as follows (please note that the [Settings] section has not changed): 
   [Settings]
   Window=-1 -2 641 419 1
   SaveSettings=1
   MinOnRun=0
   AutoArrange=0

   [Groups]
   GROUP1=C:\WIN3\GAMES.GRP
   GROUP2=C:\WIN3\WINDOWSA.GRP
   GROUP3=C:\WIN3\MAIN.GRP
   GROUP4=C:\WIN3\ACCESSOR.GRP
To rebuild single groups manually, follow the procedure outlined in the "Microsoft Windows User's Guide" on pages 87-88 for version 3.0 and on pages 76-77 for version 3.1. The "/p" parameter is not documented in the documentation sent with the Windows product.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Windows User's Guide," version 3.0, pages 87-88

"Microsoft Windows User's Guide," version 3.1, pages 76-78
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/19/2005
Keywords:KB81214
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.