Setup Error If SYSTEM Subdirectory Exists on Workstation

 Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
Article ID: Q84492
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11

SYMPTOMS

The Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1 maintenance mode of Setup may give the following error if it is executed from MS-DOS on a network workstation that contains a WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory: 

   Setup is unable to copy the file F:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\EGA.3GR. This
   file already exists in the destination directory and is marked as
   read-only.

   You must remove the read-only attributes from all the files in your
   Windows directory in order to successfully complete Windows setup.
In the above error message, F:\WINDOWS is the network shared directory that contains the expanded Windows 3.1 files. The driver EGA.3GR is provided here as an example.

Running Setup from inside Windows 3.1 will not cause this error message.

CAUSE

Attempting to change a Windows setting by running Setup from MS-DOS on a network workstation can cause a file copy error if there is a SYSTEM directory located in the workstation's WINDOWS directory.

Network workstations should not have a SYSTEM subdirectory located on either the local or network WINDOWS directory. Having a SYSTEM directory may confuse applications and cause errors.

There are three ways to correct this error:

  1. Rename the WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory on the workstation.

    -or-

  2. Delete the WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory on the workstation.

    -or-

  3. Run the maintenance mode of Setup from the Windows Main group by selecting the Windows Setup icon.

KBCategory: kbnetwork kberrmsg kbsetup
KBSubcategory: win31
Additional reference words: 3.10 3.11 err msg

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Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
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