Err Msg: "This program cannot be run in DOS mode" Trying to Run Setup.exe from Command Prompt

ID: Q240251

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

SYMPTOMS

When you turn on your computer and then boot from a floppy disk or hard drive with CD-ROM Support enabled to a command prompt, the following error message is displayed when you try to start Setup.exe from the Windows 2000 CD-ROM:

This program cannot be run in DOS mode.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because Setup.exe on the Windows 2000 CD ROM is a Windows-based program and cannot be run from an MS-DOS command prompt.

RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior, boot into an existing Windows installation and re-run Setup. If there are no Windows-based installations on the drive, Microsoft recommends that you start the Windows 2000 installation by booting to the CD-ROM, or use the floppy disks created by the Makeboot.exe program. For more information on how to creat the Setup boot disks, please click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q197063 How to Create Setup Boot Disks for Windows 2000

As an alternative to the above, you can change to the i386 folder on the Windows 2000 CD, and then type:

winnt.exe

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Setup.exe is the program that is invoked by the autorun.inf program on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. This program generates the initial Windows 2000 Startup screen that provides the option to Install Windows 2000, Install Add-On Components, Browse this CD, or Exit.

Additional query words:

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb