System Hangs After Installing Windows or Windows Application (82786)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows 3.11
This article was previously published under Q82786

SUMMARY

If your system hangs while rebooting after installing Windows 3.1 or a Windows application, the MS-DOS path may be too long. Windows and Windows applications frequently add their directory to the path. Under some versions of MS-DOS, such as MS-DOS 4.01 or Compaq DOS 3.31, a PATH statement longer than 127 characters can cause the system to lock up during system startup.

If this problem occurs, either start the computer by booting from a system disk in drive A, or press CTRL+C (or CTRL+BREAK) before the PATH statement is reached in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

MORE INFORMATION

If the path is very close to 127 characters, and the current Windows directory entry in the path is not preceded with the drive designation (for example, PATH=\DOS;\WINDOWS;...), Windows will add the C: to the Windows directory entry in the path.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/13/2003
Keywords:KB82786
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.