Sharing Violation with Identical OEMSETUP.INF Files

 Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
Article ID: Q83750
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11

SYMPTOMS

When installing third-party display drivers in Microsoft Windows version 3.1, you may receive a Sharing Violation error and then a general protection (GP) fault if multiple OEMx.INF files exist in the Windows\SYSTEM subdirectory. This only occurs when you run Windows Setup to make changes or additions to your system (that is, when you run Setup in maintenance mode).

CAUSE

This problem occurs if all of the following conditions are true:

  • Windows Setup is run in maintenance mode.
  • MS-DOS 5.0 or 6.0 SHARE.EXE is loaded.
  • Multiple OEMx.INF (OEM0.INF, OEM1.INF, and so on) files exist that contain identical description strings and one of these identical descriptions is selected.

WORKAROUND

To eliminate the error, rename all OEMx.INF files located in the Windows\SYSTEM directory by typing the following, and then install the requested video driver from the Windows Driver Library (WDL) or OEM-supplied disks. 

   REN OEM*.INF OEM*.OLD

  (For information about the WDL, query on "Windows Driver Library
  Information" [with the quotation marks])
This causes Setup to create a new OEMx.INF file in the Windows\SYSTEM directory. If you have other drivers listed in the renamed OEMx.INF files that you later need, you must rename them to a valid OEMx.INF filename to make the drivers available.

NOTE: Microsoft recommends that you install third-party video drivers using the MS-DOS-based maintenance Setup.

MORE INFORMATION

When each third-party video driver is installed into Windows 3.1, its OEMSETUP.INF file is renamed to OEMx.INF and stored in the Windows\SYSTEM subdirectory so it can to be read by Windows maintenance mode Setup. These OEMx.INF files are linked to the Windows SETUP.INF file, so that all available display options are listed in one place. If two of the OEMx.INF files have the same video driver description strings, and one is selected, then the Sharing Error and GP fault occur.

KBCategory: kbsetup kbdisplay kb3rdparty
KBSubcategory: win31 gpf windrvr
Additional reference words: 3.10 isv oem

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Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
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