During Setup, Windows 3.1 Fails to Start Standard-Mode Windows (83074)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows 3.11
This article was previously published under Q83074

SUMMARY

Under the Microsoft Windows version 3.1 Setup program, when the MS-DOS section of Setup is completed, Setup starts Windows in standard mode. Standard mode is executed to complete the graphical portion of the setup process. While trying to enter standard mode, Windows may fail to start. The Setup program will then stop responding (hang).

This article covers some reasons Setup may fail to start standard-mode Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

Reasons Windows 3.1 Setup May Fail to Start Standard-Mode Windows

  1. Incorrect hardware options may have been selected. Run a custom setup and ensure the descriptions of hardware and software in the System Information screen match the system.
  2. The standard-mode (protected-mode) memory manager DOSX.EXE is incompatible with an expanded-memory-specification (EMS) or upper-memory-block (UMB) provider. Remove any EMS or UMB provider.
  3. An incorrect display driver may have been selected. The BOOTLOG.TXT file should indicate that the display driver failed its initialization. Windows may succeed in starting, but then show a jumbled display. This sometimes indicates that the driver is working properly, but that the monitor cannot synchronize to the vertical/horizontal scan rates required for that particular display mode.
  4. Check for the existence of the following three files in the Windows SYSTEM subdirectory:

    • SETUP.EXE
    • WIN.INI
    • SYSTEM.INI.
    If any of these files exist in the SYSTEM subdirectory, they should be deleted.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/14/2003
Keywords:KB83074
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.