Err: "Hidden Console of WOW VDM" Running 16-bit or MS-DOS App

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When running a 16-bit Windows application or an MS-DOS application, you may receive one of the following error messages:

   Hidden console of WOWVDM NT VDM has encountered a system error. The
   handle is invalid. Choose Close to terminate the application.

   Hidden console of WOW VDM c:\<winnt>\System32\Config.nt. The system file
   is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications.
   Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

   Hidden Console of WOW VDM c:\<winnt>\System32\Autoexec.nt. The system
   file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows
   applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

   Hidden Console of WOW VDM error while setting up environment for the
   application. Choose Close to terminate the application.

   Config.nt The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and
   Microsoft Windows Applications.

CAUSE

The symptoms above may occur for one or more of the following reasons:

• One or all of the following files are corrupt or missing from the %Systemroot\System32 folder:

        Autoexec.nt
        Config.nt
        Command.com
  

• Windows NT is installed on a removable drive such as Bernoulli, IOMEGA, or SyQuest drive.
• You attempt to install another version of Windows NT on a removable drive.
• Pagefile.sys resides on a removable drive.

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem, perform one or more of the following:

• Run the emergency repair disk (ERD) to replace the missing or corrupt file(s). The ERD also verifies the integrity of Windows NT system files in general.
• Manually expand the Autoexec.nt, Config.nt, and Command.com files off the Windows NT CD-ROM.
• Move the paging file to a permanent physical drive.
• If you have a removable hard drive on Windows NT sersion 4.0, obtain the following fix or wait for the next Windows NT service pack.

        This fix should have the following time stamp:
  

           05/28/97  12:42p                33,792 ntio.sys
  
  

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT versions 3.5 and 3.51. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information on troubleshooting MS-DOS applications, please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q165214
   TITLE     : Troubleshooting MS-DOS-Based Programs in Windows NT 4.0