WOWEXEC Errors Caused by Incorrect COMMAND.COM File

 Last reviewed: March 25, 1997
Article ID: Q103325

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0

Windows NT provides a COMMAND.COM file that must be used for MS-DOS-based and Windows 3.0 or 3.1-based applications to run properly. If the COMMAND.COM file that Windows NT provides is replaced with a version from MS-DOS, an error message occurs just after a successful logon.

MORE INFORMATION

If the COMMAND.COM file provided with Windows NT is replaced with a COMMAND.COM file from MS-DOS version 3.3, 4.01, or 6.0, the following error message appears: 

   wowexec
   config.nt. The system file is not suitable for running
   DOS and WINDOWS applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the
   application.
If the COMMAND.COM file provided with Windows NT is replaced with a COMMAND.COM file from MS-DOS version 5.0, the following error message appears: 

   wowexec
   An application has attempted to directly access the
   hard disk, which cannot be supported. This may cause the
   application to function incorrectly. Choose 'Close' to
   terminate the application.
If one of the above error messages appears, make sure that the COMMAND.COM file provided with Windows NT is located in the WINNT\SYSTEM32 subdirectory. The correct COMMAND.COM file should have the following size/date:

Windows NT 

version:       Size:       Date:
----------     -----       --------
3.1            49931       07/24/93
3.5            50045       09/04/94
3.51           50045       05/26/95
4.0            50384       08/02/96
This file can be expanded off of the original media. It is located in the following locations in compressed form as COMMAND.CO_:

Windows NT 

version:      CD-ROM    3.5-inch disk    5.25-inch disk
----------    ------    -------------    --------------
3.1           \I386     Disk #20         Disk #25
3.5           \I386     Disk #17         N/A
3.51          \I386     Disk #20         N/A
4.0           \I386     N/A              N/A

Additional query words: prodnt 3.10 3.50 3.51 4.00 wowexec.exe wow
Keywords : kb3rdparty kbinterop nt16ap ntdosap
Version : 3.1 3.5 3.51 4.0
Platform : WinNT

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Last reviewed: March 25, 1997
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