How Windows NT Recognizes MS-DOS - Based Applications

Last reviewed: May 8, 1997
Article ID: Q102057

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT operating system, version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server, version 3.1

Windows NT recognizes a file as an MS-DOS - based application and gives it to the MS-DOS subsystem if the file meets the following criteria:

  • It is a .COM file.
  • It is an .EXE file and has no extended header (that is, no NE signature).
  • It is an .EXE file and has an extended header with an LE signature.
  • It is an .EXE file, has an NE signature, but there is no DOSCALLS.DLL in the import table
  • It is an .EXE file, has an NE signature, but no special signatures, such as:

        - ExeType in the extended header equal to 5 (DOS4.0)
        - No import table entry
        - "mode EXE$" signature in the extended header (Borland application)
        - "16STUB" signature in the extended header (Borland application)
        - "Phar Lap Software, Inc." signature in the extended header
          (Phar Lap extended header)
        - "Copyright (C) Rational Systems Inc." signature in the
           extended header (rational extended header)
        - Lotus 1-2-3 preloader signature of (certain version of
          123.EXE)
    


Additional query words: prodnt
Keywords : kb3rdparty kbinterop ntdosap
Version : 3.1
Platform : WINDOWS


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Last reviewed: May 8, 1997
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