Running Visual C++ for Windows with Windows NT

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1

Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows 3.1 uses a VxD that is not compatible with Windows NT, but there is an unsupported fix located on CompuServe in the MSLANG32 forum in Library 1 called BETA2FIX. It will patch the command-line VC++ tools to work with the released version of Windows NT.

This utility modifies the command-line tools from Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, version 1.0, so that they will run with the released versions of Windows NT. BETA2FIX also modifies the .EXE and .DLL files that were built for versions of Microsoft Windows NT before Beta 2 so that they can run with the released versions of Windows NT.

The BETA2FIX utility includes the following:

   B2FIX.EXE       - Self-extracting archive containing these files:
      BETA2FIX.EXE - Program to update files.
      BETA2.DLL    - Support library required by files modified by
                     BETA2FIX.EXE
      BETA2FIX.TXT - The following text file:

To patch an executable file, enter BETA2FIX <filename> at the command prompt, where <filename> is the name of the file to patch. Wildcards are allowed in <filename>.

NOTE: BETA2FIX will alter only executable files created before Beta 2; other files will not be touched.

After modification, the command-line tools from Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, Version 1.0 will work with Windows NT but not with Microsoft MS-DOS or Microsoft Windows. To undo the modifications, type BETA2FIX /U <filename>.

To run a program that has been patched, you must have a copy of BETA2.DLL in your path (the SYSTEM32 directory is recommended).

Other options:

  /V gives detailed information during patching
  /N suppresses the Microsoft banner
  /T displays all messages but does not modify files