XL5C: Setup Doesn't Reinstall VSHARE.386

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0c

SYMPTOMS

When you run the Microsoft Excel version 5.0c Setup program in maintenance mode, and you choose the Reinstall button, the VSHARE.386 file is not installed on your computer. Additionally, when you restart Windows, you receive the following error message:

   Cannot find a device file that may be needed to run Windows
   Make sure that the PATH line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file points to the
   directory that contains the file and that it exists on your hard disk.
   If the file does not exist, try running Setup to install it or remove
   any references to it from your SYSTEM.INI file.
   VSHARE.386
   Press any key to continue

CAUSE

If the VSHARE.386 file is not located on your computer, this file is not installed when you run the Setup program in maintenance mode and choose to reinstall the files. If the "device=vshare.386" line is not in the [386enh] section in your SYSTEM.INI file, this line is written to the SYSTEM.INI file as expected when you reinstall the files.

WORKAROUNDS

To reinstall the VSHARE.386 file on your computer in case the file is damaged or accidentally deleted, extract the file from your Microsoft Excel Setup disks by doing the following:

   1. Copy the Extract utility, EXTRACT.EXE from the Microsoft Excel Setup
      Disk 1, to the root directory on your hard drive, or to a directory
      that is located in the PATH statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

   2. Insert the Microsoft Excel Setup Disk 5 in your floppy disk drive and
      type the following at a MS-DOS prompt

         extract a:\excel5.cab /l c:\windows\system vshare.386

      where a: is the floppy drive that contains the Microsoft Excel Setup
      Disk 5, and c:\windows is your Microsoft Windows directory.

   3. In Notepad or another text editor, add the following line to the
      386enh section in the SYSTEM.INI file.

         device=vshare.386

   4. Exit Windows, and then start Windows again.

MORE INFORMATION

The Share utility is required to run Microsoft Excel. For more information about using VSHARE.386, choose the Microsoft Excel Product Update topic in the Microsoft Excel Readme file, XLREADME.HLP. The information is under the topic "Using SHARE.EXE or VSHARE.386."

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q118958
   TITLE     : XL5: Excel 5.0c Setup Program Installs VSHARE.386