Windows Err Msg: You Cannot Run This Application in a Window

 Last reviewed: November 23, 1994
Article ID: Q86022
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11

SYMPTOMS

When attempting to run an MS-DOS-based application in a window or in the background under Microsoft Windows you may receive the following error message: 

   You cannot run this application in a window or in the background. You
   can display it in a window, but it will be suspended until you run it
   full screen. Check the PIF settings to ensure they are correct.

CAUSE

This problem is most commonly caused by one of the following:

  • You are loading the Microsoft MS-DOS level mouse driver version 7.04 or later in the AUTOEXEC.BAT (MOUSE.COM) or in the CONFIG.SYS file (MOUSE.SYS).
  • Windows has low system resources. Closing one or more applications may free up enough resources to run the program in a window or in the background.

RESOLUTION

If you are loading the Microsoft Mouse driver 7.04 or later modify the command line for the driver:

  1. Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS with a standard ASCII text editor such
as Notepad.

  1. Add "/Y" (without the quotation marks) to the end of the mouse line:

    c:\windows\mouse.com /y

    -or-

    device=c:\windows\mouse.sys /y

If Windows is low on system resources, close one or more applications.

KBCategory: kbother kbdisplay kberrmsg
KBSubcategory: win31
Additional reference words: 3.10 err msg

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Last reviewed: November 23, 1994
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