"PATH Too Long" Error Installing Windows 95/98 Client on Windows NT

ID: Q230340

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft SNA Server, versions 3.0, 3.0SP1, 3.0SP2, 3.0SP3, 4.0, 4.0SP1, 4.0SP2

SYMPTOMS

The following error dialog box may be displayed when you install the SNA Server client for Windows 95/98 on a Windows NT system:

Setup Message

The PATH statement in your Autoexec.bat file is too long for Setup to modify.

Before your new software will run correctly, you must edit the Autoexec.bat file manually to add the following folder to your PATH statement:

C:\SNA95\SYSTEM
NOTE: The actual statement to add to the PATH statement will depend on the PATH that was specified in the Windows 95/98 client Setup program.

Clicking the OK button on the error dialog box allows the Windows 95/98 client Setup to continue. Setup will complete normally despite the fact that the PATH could not be modified.

If the Windows 95/98 client is being installed using an unattended installation method, this error dialog box causes Setup to stop until the error dialog box is acknowledged.


CAUSE

The "PATH Too Long" error occurs when the PATH statement on the Windows NT system exceeds 200 characters or will exceed 200 characters when the path for the Windows 95/98 client is added to the existing PATH statement.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for SNA Server version 4.0. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q215838 How to Obtain the Latest SNA Server Version 4.0 Service Pack


WORKAROUND

The "Path Too Long" error can be prevented by modifying the PATH in Windows NT to be less than 200 characters. For additional information about methods that can be used to allow longer PATH statements, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q169171 Long PATH Environment Variable Causes 16-bit Apps to Hang


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SNA Server versions 3.0, 3.0 SP1, 3.0 SP2, 3.0 SP3, 4.0, 4.0 SP1, and 4.0 SP2. This problem was first corrected in SNA Server version 4.0 Service Pack 3.


MORE INFORMATION

The following steps have to be done to apply the update to prevent the "PATH Too Long" error from occurring when the Windows NT path is greater than 200 characters in length:

  1. Copy the SNA Server client for Windows 95/98 to a local hard drive.


  2. Backup and rename the existing Snafile.stf file located in the Windows 95/98 client directory (for example, c:\Win9x) created in the previous step.


  3. Copy the updated Snafile.stf into the local client directory.


  4. Run Setup.exe from the local directory.


The updated Snafile.stf does not attempt to add the path for the Windows 95/98 client to the Windows NT PATH statement. If the path for the Windows 95/98 client is needed, it will have to be added manually.

NOTE: This update is most useful in those environments where the SNA Server client for Windows 95/98 will be installed in an unattended manner, as user intervention to continue Setup is not wanted.

The Windows NT PATH statement consists of the following:

  • The PATH variable found on the Environment tab of the System tool in Control Panel.


  • The PATH statement in the Autoexec.bat file, if one exists.


  • The PATH statement in the Autoexec.nt file, if one exists.


The PATH statements (if they exist) from the Autoexec.bat and Autoexec.nt files are appended to the PATH environment variable specified in Control Panel.

Additional query words:

Keywords : sna4sp3fix
Version : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0SP1,3.0SP2,3.0SP3,4.0,4.0SP1,4.0SP2
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug


Last Reviewed: September 29, 1999
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