Windows 95 Hangs with TCP/IP Routing Enabled

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SYMPTOMS

When you start your computer, you may receive the following error message:

   Windows protection error.  You need to restart your computer.

CAUSE

This error can occur if IP routing is enabled. IP routing is not a supported feature of Windows 95.

RESOLUTION

NOTE: For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Use Registry Editor to remove the EnableRouting value from the following registry key:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\MSTCP

MORE INFORMATION

This problem is likely to occur if you upgraded a Microsoft Windows for Workgroups-based computer using the Microsoft TCP/IP-32 protocol with IP routing enabled to Windows 95. In this situation, the "EnableRouting=1" entry is present in the System.ini file and is copied to the registry during the upgrade process.

IP routing is not enabled by default in Windows 95, and can be enabled only by adding the unsupported EnableRouting value to the registry.