Windows Err Msg: Unable to Start Enhanced Mode... (Networks)

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11

SYMPTOMS

If you run Windows in 386 enhanced mode on a workstation without a hard disk (a "diskless" workstation) over a Novell or DEC Pathworks network, Windows may generate the following error:

   Unable to start Enhanced Mode Windows due to invalid path
   specification for EMM386

CAUSE

Some networks, such as Novell and DEC Pathworks, set up diskless workstations by using a DOSGEN program that generates a system startup profile for each workstation. This profile is based upon the system configuration contained on the workstation's startup (boot) disk. Once generated, the profile is stored on the network server. However, if Windows is running on a diskless workstation under such a network, it has difficulty finding the EMM386.EXE and WINA20.386 files and therefore cannot run in 386 enhanced mode.

WORKAROUND

You can alleviate this problem by correcting some settings in the CONFIG.SYS and SYSTEM.INI files.

To correct the problem, you need to use two features of MS-DOS version 5.0 or 6.0 in the boot disk that is used to generate the startup image for the diskless workstation, and you need to add an additional line needs to the SYSTEM.INI file in the Windows directory.

On the boot disk used for generating the startup image, the CONFIG.SYS file must contain the /Y parameter on the EMM386.EXE line specifying the path to EMM386.EXE and the switches=/W line, as follows:

   device=emm386.exe /y=u:\emm386.exe noems
   switches=/w

The path to the network server location of the WINA20.386 file must be specified in the [386Enh] section of the SYSTEM.INI file, as follows:

   device=U:\wina20.386

Once these are correctly specified, the diskless workstation startup image can be generated, and Windows should run in 386 enhanced mode.

MORE INFORMATION

Novell Networks

On Novell networks only, this error can be alleviated by mapping the original disk drive letter that the disk image NET$DOS.SYS was created from to a public directory containing EMM386.EXE. For instance, if the NET$DOS.SYS file was created from a floppy disk in drive A, remapping drive A to a public directory containing EMM386.EXE allows Windows to find it.

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