Windows Err Msg: Cannot Find File...

Last reviewed: May 9, 1995
Article ID: Q88442

The information in this article applies to:

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

SYMPTOMS

When installing or running Microsoft Windows you may receive one of the following error messages:

   Cannot Find File; Check to Ensure Path and Filename Are Correct

      -or-

   Application Execution Error: Cannot Find File; Check to Ensure
   Path and Filename Are Correct

MORE INFORMATION

Cannot Find File; Check to Ensure Path and Filename Are Correct

This error is generated for one of the following reasons:

You may receive this error when running a PIF, if the Program Filename field in the PIF file does not contain a valid path and filename for the program. A full pathname should be specified -- for example, C:\MYDIR\MYPROG.EXE. For more information, consult the PIF Editor online help.
The FILES= statement in the CONFIG.SYS is set too low. The FILES= should be set to at least 45. This can happen when installing Windows and when running MS-DOS-based applications from Windows.

Cannot Find File; Check to Ensure Path and Filename Are Correct

This message is caused when Windows tries to execute applications listed on the Run= or Load= lines in the WIN.INI file.

The above error can be caused by one of the following situations:

The path to the executable file is invalid (it is misspelled or does not exist).

The file has been deleted.

Either the Load= or Run= line has exceeded the 128-character limit. In Windows 3.1, you can use the StartUp group feature to avoid this limitation.

There is more than one space between the items on the Load= or Run= line. For example, there are two spaces between the applications on the following Load= line:

      Load=c:\windows\AppOne.exe  AppTwo.exe
                                ^^
   If this last situation is the cause, Windows loads the
   applications after displaying the message.

KBCategory: kbother kberrmsg
KBSubcategory: win30 win31
Additional reference words: 3.11 3.10 3.00 3.00a err msg

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Last reviewed: May 9, 1995
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