Setup Err Msg: Windows 95 Has Disabled Direct Disk Access...

 Last reviewed: January 9, 1997
Article ID: Q142183
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you install Windows 95 on a computer that has Never Ending Drive installed, you receive the following error message the first time Setup restarts the computer: 

   Windows has disabled direct disk access to protect your long file-
   names. To override this protection, see the LOCK /? command for more
   information.

   The system has been halted. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to restart your
   computer.

CAUSE

Never Ending Drive monitors disk activity and file access, directly accessing the hard disk to perform its functions. Direct disk access is not compatible with long file names and is not supported in Windows 95.

RESOLUTION

To disable Never Ending Drive and finish the Windows 95 installation, follow these steps:

  1. Restart your computer. When the "Starting Windows 95" message appears, press the F8 key, and then choose Command Prompt Only.

  2. Type the following line, and then press ENTER: 

          edit autoexec.bat

  3. Type "REM" (without quotation marks) at the beginning of the line containing the Never Ending Drive program file (Nedprotect.exe).

  4. Press ALT+F to open the File menu, and then press S to save the Autoexec.bat file.

  5. Press ALT+F to open the File menu, and then press X to close the text editor.

  6. Restart the computer. Never Ending Drive should be disabled and Windows 95 Setup should continue.

MORE INFORMATION

Never Ending Drive is a tool that monitors file usage and archives files that have not been used or accessed for a specified period of time.

For additional information about issues that can cause the error message stated above, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q136061
   TITLE     : Err Msg: Windows Has Disabled Direct Disk Access to
               Protect...

   ARTICLE-ID: Q143281
   TITLE     : Built-In Anti-Virus Support in Windows 95

   ARTICLE-ID: Q160048
   TITLE     : Cannot Start Computer After Running DriveSpace on IBM
               Aptiva
The third-party product discussed in this article is manufactured by a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.

KBCategory: kbsetup kb3rdparty kberrmsg
KBSubcategory: win95 appscomp
Additional reference words: 95

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Last reviewed: January 9, 1997
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