Maintenance Mode Windows Setup Doesn't Run from Inside Windows

 Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
Article ID: Q85366
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

If the PATH environment variable does not include the drive letter for the WINDOWS directory, you may be unable to run Windows Setup from within Windows, and you cannot save any changes you make with the System Configuration Editor (SYSEDIT.EXE).

MORE INFORMATION

A PATH environment variable such as 

   PATH=\;\DOS;\WINDOWS;\ETC
does not allow the maintenance mode of Windows Setup to run from within Windows. This problem occurs only if Windows was started from a directory other than the WINDOWS directory. If the following error message appears, edit the PATH environment variable in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to include all drive letters (for example, PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\ and so on): 

   Windows Setup

   You are attempting to set up from within Windows. Quit Windows and
   type `setup' at the MS-DOS command prompt.
The same result occurs if you do either of the following:
  • Try to run Setup by double-clicking SETUP.EXE in File Manager.

    -or-

  • Include the path for Windows in the Program Manager Properties dialog box.

To determine if it should run in maintenance mode or in full installation mode, Setup looks for WINVER.EXE in the current directory. Starting Windows from the WINDOWS directory does not result in this error message because SETUP.EXE can find the required files.

KBCategory: kbsetup kbenv kberrmsg
KBSubcategory: win31
Additional reference words: 3.10 3.1 3.11 statement

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Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
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