Running Applications That Require Windows 3.1 or Later
ID: Q120174
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The information in this article applies to:
-
Microsoft Windows 95
-
Microsoft Windows 98
SYMPTOMS
When you install or run a program, you receive an error message stating
that the program requires Windows version 3.1 or later.
CAUSE
When you start a program, the program checks the Windows version number
to determine whether it can run safely. Some programs check this version
number incorrectly and return an error message.
RESOLUTION
You may be able to work around this problem using one of the following
methods:
- Try the following steps to run the program in Windows 95:
- Click the Start button, click Run, type "mkcompat" (without
quotation marks) in the Open box, then click OK.
- On the File menu, click Choose Program.
- Select the program's executable file so that it appears in the
File Name box, then click the Open button.
- Click the Lie About Window's Version Number check box to select it.
- On the File menu, click Save.
- Quit the Make Compatible tool.
- Try running the program again.
NOTE: If the executable filename is INSTALL or SETUP, perform these
steps again and remove the check mark in step 4 after you have
successfully installed the program. The presence of this setting can
cause other installation programs to fail.
- Contact the program's manufacturer to determine if an upgrade is
available.
- Try the following steps to manually update the Win.ini file so that
the program will run in Windows 95:
- Start Windows Explorer.
- Open the folder containing the executable file you want to run.
- Use the right mouse button to click the executable file, then
click Quick View on the menu that appears. Note the module name in
the Quick View window.
- Use any text editor (such as WordPad) to open the Win.ini file.
- In the [Compatibility] section of the file, add the following
line
<ModuleName>=0x00200000
where <ModuleName> is the name you noted in step 3.
- Save and close the Win.ini file.
- Try running the program again.
NOTE: If the module name is INSTALL or SETUP, restore the original
value to the INSTALL= line. The default value is INSTALL=0x00400000.
If these steps do not work, you may want to contact the program's
manufacturer to make sure you are using the correct module name, or
to determine if there are other workarounds.
STATUS
This situation is most likely caused by design changes in Windows.
Microsoft has confirmed that it is not caused by a problem in Windows.
For more information about resolving this issue, contact the third-party
software manufacturer.
MORE INFORMATION
The following programs are known to check the Windows version number
incorrectly. The steps in the "Resolution" section of this article may
work with these programs:
Outpost 1.0, 1.0a, and 1.0b by Sierra On-line
When you install Outpost, you receive the following error message:
Outpost requires Windows 3.1, or higher
To install Outpost in Windows 95, use one of the following methods:
- Use the Make Compatible tool and click the Lie About Window's Version
Number check box for Install.exe.
Remember to remove this setting after you install Outpost.
-or-
- The module name for Outpost is INSTALL. Add the following statement
to the [Compatibility] section of the WIN.INI file:
INSTALL=0x00200000
Remember to restore this statement's value after you install Outpost.
Passport 1.2 by Advantis
When you run Passport, you receive the following error message:
Passport requires Windows 3.1, or higher
To run Passport in Windows 95, use one of the following methods:
- Use the Make Compatible tool and click the Lie About Window's Version
Number check box for Passport's executable file.
-or-
- Determine the module name and then add the following statement to the
Win.ini file:
<ModuleName>=0x00200000
The third-party products discussed in this article are manufactured by
vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or
otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.
Additional query words:
apphack app hack wwt sahara mkcompat.exe
Keywords : kb3rdparty kberrmsg win95 appscomp
Version : 95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb