Error Message: "Cannot Find SHARE..." During Word Setup

 Last reviewed: February 6, 1998
Article ID: Q106557
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0

SYMPTOMS

The Word for Windows Setup program may display the following error message if Setup cannot find the SHARE.EXE file on your system: 

   Setup was unable to find SHARE.EXE on your system. It is
   required to run this application. Please fix your system
   and rerun Setup.
This may happen even if SHARE loads successfully from the MS-DOS command prompt and is already running on your computer.

TWO CAUSES

  1. Word cannot find SHARE.EXE if you used the MS-DOS SUBST command to substitute a drive letter for a path, even if the substituted drive is in your PATH statement. For example, if you substitute X: for your C:\DOS directory (MS-DOS command: SUBST X: C:\DOS) and then include X: in your PATH statement, Word does not find SHARE.EXE, and the error message occurs.

  2. Word cannot find SHARE.EXE if your PATH statement lists the directory where SHARE.EXE is located but does not include the drive (for example, "\DOS" instead of "C:\DOS").

For information about this error message when you install Word on a network workstation, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   diskless and workstation and 6.0 and word and share.exe

RESOLUTION

Before you run Word Setup again, modify the PATH statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file so it includes the complete path, including the drive, to SHARE.EXE. Then restart your computer so the change can take effect. For example, if SHARE.EXE is located in the C:\DOS directory, make sure your PATH statement contains the following: 

   path c:\dos
Word Setup adds SHARE to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file with the following parameters: 

   c:\dos\share.exe /L:500 /F:5100
NOTE: If you are running MS-DOS version 4.01, Setup places SHARE in your CONFIG.SYS file instead.

MORE INFORMATION

The Setup program used by Word uses the following search hierarchy to locate SHARE.EXE on the system:

  • If there is a SHARE command already in the CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file, Setup looks in the location stated.
  • If this fails or if SHARE is not in either file, Setup searches the PATH statement in the AUTOEXEC.BAT for the location of SHARE.EXE.

If Setup still cannot find SHARE.EXE, it displays the "Unable to find SHARE.EXE..." error message.

KBCategory: kbnetwork
KBSubcategory:
Additional query words: 6.0 msdos windir word6
winword rerun again exit restart
Keywords : kbsetup kbnetwork
Version : 6.0
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: February 6, 1998
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