PRB:Screen Turns Black & Returns as Start Visual FoxPro or Exe

 Last reviewed: October 29, 1995
Article ID: Q138658
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

When you start Visual FoxPro or a Visual FoxPro application executable (.exe) file on a 16-bit operating system, the screen flashes black, as if going to an MS-DOS session, and then it returns to Windows without starting Visual FoxPro or the application. Or you receive this error message: 

   This program cannot be run in DOS mode.

CAUSE

The Win32s subsystem is missing or is not properly installed. On 16-bit Windows platforms, such as Windows 3.1 or Windows for WorkGroups 3.11, the Win32s subsystem in necessary for Visual FoxPro and Visual FoxPro application .exe files to run.

RESOLUTION

If Visual FoxPro won't start, you need to reinstall the Win32s subsystem. For more information about how to reinstall the Win32s subsystem, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q129979
   TITLE     : How to Reinstall Win32s with Visual FoxPro
If a Visual FoxPro application .exe file won't start, use one of the following two possible resolutions:
  • If the Setup Wizard was not used to create distribution floppy disks for your executable, run the Setup Wizard to create a set of distribution disks disks or a netsetup directory for workstation installations. Then in "Step 2 - Optional Components" of the Setup Wizard, select Win32s as one of the optional components.

    -or-

  • If the Setup Wizard was used to create distribution diskettes, rerun the Setup Wizard to rebuild the floppy disk images. Be sure to select Win32s as one of the optional components on "Step 2 - Optional Components."

NOTE: Windows 95 and Windows NT are 32-bit operating systems and do not require the Win32s subsystem.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

  1. Build a Visual FoxPro executable (.exe) file.

  2. Place the .exe file and Vfp300.esl files onto a computer running a 16-bit version of Windows that does not have a version of Win32s installed.

  3. Attempt to run the executable.

Additional reference words: 3.00 VFoxWin
KBCategory: kbsetup kbprb
KBSubcategory: FxsetupGeneral

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Last reviewed: October 29, 1995
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