Setup Fails to Upgrade Over Existing WFWG Installation

• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.1

SYMPTOMS

Windows for Workgroups version 3.1 Setup may fail to upgrade an existing installation of Windows for Workgroups even if the minimum disk space requirement of 500 kilobytes (K) is present. Setup operates normally until it reaches the file WIN386.EXE. You then see a dialog box telling you there is not enough disk space to perform a complete upgrade.

You will only notice this problem if you have between 500K and 545K of free disk space on the drive of your current Windows for Workgroups installation.

CAUSE

Usually, Windows for Workgroups Setup checks to make sure that at least 500K of disk space is available. Usually there is slightly more than this amount available, resulting in no problems when you perform an upgrade over Windows for Workgroups.

Setup uses the Windows dynamic link library (DLL) VER.DLL, which copies files and verifies Windows component versions. To function correctly, VER.DLL requires as much disk space as the file it is copying. When it reaches WIN386.EXE, it cannot find enough space and stops the installation.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows for Workgroups Setup version 3.1. This problem does not occur in later versions of Windows for Workgroups.