After Installing IntelliPoint: "Unable to Locate C:\MSINPUT"

 Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
Article ID: Q123031
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft IntelliPoint Software Home Edition version 1.0
  • Microsoft IntelliPoint software version 1.0

SYMPTOMS

After you install the Microsoft IntelliPoint software, an error message similar to the following is displayed when you try to run a Windows-based application: 

   Unable to locate C:\MSINPUT
NOTE: Receiving this error typically does not affect the performance of the Windows-based application.

CAUSE

The Microsoft IntelliPoint Setup program modifies the mouse.drv= line in the SYSTEM.INI file to read as follows: 

   mouse.drv=c:\msinput\msinput.drv
This line creates a problem for applications that read only a limited number of characters from the mouse.drv= line. Because they can no longer read the entire line, they attempt to locate a driver other than MSINPUT.DRV in the C:\MSINPUT directory and are unable to do so.

RESOLUTION

To prevent the error message from appearing, do the following:

  1. Quit Windows, and then open the SYSTEM.INI file in MS-DOS Editor by typing the following at the MS-DOS command prompt: 

          edit c:\windows\system.ini

  2. Modify the mouse.drv= line located in the [boot] section to read as follows: 

          mouse.drv=msinput.drv

  3. Save the file and quit MS-DOS Editor.

  4. Copy the MSINPUT.DRV file from the C:\MSINPUT directory to the C:\WINDOWS directory by typing the following command at the MS-DOS prompt: 

          copy c:\msinput\msinput.drv c:\windows

  5. Restart Windows.

You should now be able to run the Windows-based application without receiving the error message.

MORE INFORMATION

The following applications are known to encounter this problem:

Aldus Photostyler

Aldus Photostyler can read only the first 20 characters from the mouse.drv= line. As a result, it returns the exact error message mentioned in the SYMPTOMS section of this article.

The products discussed here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.

KBCategory: kb3rdparty kbsetup kbhw
KBSubcategory:
Additional reference words: 3rdparty 9.00 10.0 1.0 mouse intellipoint aldus
photo style

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Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
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