[ekmel]

I have a Dell Dimension 4600 with Windows XP Home. I am a novice to this world of electronic mania.
For the last two or three weeks the following message appears when I try to run a cd that I have run many times before:

16 bit Windows Subsystem
C:\Windows\System32\Autoexec.NT
The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications---choose close to terminate....

I found the following suggestion on your site:

Go into the windows folder, there is another folder in there called "repair" which has a copy of the file, just copy it over the old one in the system32 folder

or

Put in your XP CD
From the command line type:
expand D:\i386\autoexec.nt_ c:\windows\system32\autoexec.nt

I would use the second of the two suggestions if I knew how to get to the point of typing a command. Would I go to accessories and then Command Prompt? Would you suggest this solution?

Thank you.

[Cheeseball81]

You could just try the repair option or this...

1) Put in your XP CD. Exit if it autostarts.

2) Go to Start > Run, and type:

cmd <Enter>

3) Then, at the command prompt, type (where D: is your CD-ROM drive letter
and "Windows" is your installation directory):

expand D:\i386\config.nt_ c:\windows\system32\config.nt <Enter>
expand D:\i386\autoexec.nt_ c:\windows\system32\autoexec.nt <Enter>
expand D:\i386\command.co_ c:\windows\system32\command.com <Enter>
exit <Enter>

If that doesn't work, then
1) Start Notepad.

2) In Notepad, type the following entries:
dos=high, umb
device=%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\himem.sys
files=40

3) On the File menu, click Save As.

4) In the File Name box, type Config.nt, and then click Save. Close the
Config.nt file.

5) On the File menu, click New.

6) In the new blank document, type the following entries:
@echo off
lh %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\mscdexnt.exe
lh %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\redir
lh %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\dosx
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 P330 T3

7) On the File menu, click Save As.

8) In the File Name box, type Autoexec.nt, and then click Save. Close the
Autoexec.nt file.

9) Start Windows Explorer. Locate the Config.nt file, right-click the
Config.nt file, and then click Copy.

10) Right-click the %SYSTEMROOT%\System32 (usually Windows\System32) folder,
and then click Paste.

11) Locate the Autoexec.nt file, right-click the Autoexec.nt file, and then
click Copy.

12) Right-click the %SYSTEMROOT%\System32 folder, and then click Paste.

13) Locate the Command.com file, right-click the expanded Command.com file,
and then click Copy.

14) Right-click the %SYSTEMROOT%\System32 folder, and then click Paste.

15) Restart your computer.

[ekmel]

Thank you for your response.
I, however, need more help.
What is my installation directory, how do I find out the name of it, and where do I instert this in the
expand D:\i386\config.nt_c:\windows\system32\config.nt.....etc?

Thank you, as I said, I AM a novice.

[Cheeseball81]

This might help....

Error message when you install or start an MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows-based program:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;324767

[esdxc37]

you could always right click the file and click the compatibility tab and choose win 98

[mike5532g]

http://www.webuser.co.uk/cgi-bin/for...b=5&o=14&part=