Recovering Windows 3.1 After Installing WFWG

ID: Q95743


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.1

IMPORTANT: Read these instructions before proceeding. Microsoft cannot guarantee this procedure to work in every situation. If this procedure fails, you must reinstall Windows 3.1 and Windows-based applications to a new directory.

SUMMARY

If you installed Windows for Workgroups over Microsoft Windows version 3.1, you can use the following procedure to restore Microsoft Windows version 3.1.


MORE INFORMATION

NOTE: This procedure can be used ONLY if you ran the Setup program for Windows for Workgroups one time. If you ran the Setup program more than once, it is not possible to restore the original Windows configuration files; therefore, Windows 3.1 must be reinstalled to an empty subdirectory. Also, any third-party software that replaces Windows virtual device drivers (VxDs) may need to be reinstalled after reinstalling Windows version 3.1.

  1. Start the machine with MS-DOS.


  2. Edit the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files to remove the Windows for Workgroups network device drivers. These drivers are PROTMAN.DOS, WORKGRP.SYS, and the network interface card driver (media access control [MAC] driver). If NetWare connectivity has been added, also remove the referenced lines.

    Below is an example of lines to remove:

    CONFIG.SYS
    
       DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\PROTMAN.DOS /I:C:\WINDOWS
       DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\WORKGRP.SYS
       DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EXP16.DOS   ;or other specific MAC driver
       DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\MSIPX.SYS   ;If Netware Connectivity added 
    AUTOEXEC.BAT

    
       C:\WINDOWS\NET START
       C:\WINDOWS\MSIPX    ;If Netware Connectivity added
       C:\WINDOWS\NETX     ;If Netware Connectivity added 


  3. Copy the files from the WININI.W31 and SYSINI.W31 to a floppy disk. These files should be located in the WINDOWS subdirectory.


  4. Run the Windows version 3.1 Setup program. Choose the Custom Setup option. A message will appear stating that setup has found a previous version of Microsoft Windows on your system and recommends that you perform an upgrade. Specify the Windows for Workgroups directory as the target directory and press the ENTER key to upgrade. When the System Information screen appears, change the following line:
    Network = Windows for Workgroups (version 3.1)
    -to-
    Network = No Network Installed (or the specific network in use)
    The Windows 3.1 Setup program detects some newer drivers (for example, COMM.DRV) and prompts you to replace them with the Windows 3.1 drivers. In the following example, Setup detects conflict(s) between the version of COMM.DRV currently on your system and the version that Setup is attempting to copy. You can choose to use the currently installed file or replace it with the file that Setup is trying to copy.

    Current file : Version 3.10a Language: U.S. English 220800 bytes 10/1/92 3:11

    Proposed file: Version 3.10 Language: U.S. English 220800 bytes 03/10/92 3:10

    The replacement file is an older version than your current file.

    • To keep your currently installed driver file, press ENTER.


    • To replace the currently installed driver file, press ESC.


    Press the ESC key, to replace each driver file.

    After Setup loads Windows, the setup program begins to copy files, again finding newer versions than those provided with Windows 3.1. Setup prompts you for action on each conflicting file as follows:
    
          The following file conflicts with the version already on your system:
    
          File: CLIPBRD.EXE
    
          Description: Windows for Workgroups
    
          The new version of the file ((Unknown)) you are trying to
          install is older than the currently installed version (3.10a).
    
          Do you want to replace the file that is already on your system?
    
                   Yes      Help        No 
    Replace these files by choosing the Yes option when prompted. The files that Setup finds version conflicts for are:
    
          COMM.DRV      DDEML.DLL    GDI.EXE    MAIN.CPL      USER.EXE
          PRINTMAN.CPL  WINFILE.EXE  SHELL.DLL  COMMDLG.DLL   CLIPBRD.EXE 


  5. From the floppy disk used in step 3, copy WININI.W31 to the WINDOWS directory as WIN.INI and SYSINI.W31 to the WINDOWS directory as SYSTEM.INI.


  6. Reboot the system, and start Windows 3.1 by typing WIN at the command prompt and pressing ENTER.


  7. Remove the program icons that were added by the Windows for Workgroups Setup program.

    Delete the following icons from the Main Group:
    Clipbook Viewer    Mail    Schedule+
    Delete the following icons from the Accessories Group:
    Chat    WinMeter    Net Watcher
    Delete the following icons from the Games Group:
    Hearts


  8. Remove the files from the WINDOWS and WINDOWS\SYSTEM sub- directories that are specific to Windows for Workgroups.

    Files in the WINDOWS directory to delete:
    
       CARDS.DLL     IMPEXP.DLL    MSSCHED.DLL  NDDENB.DLL    SCHEDMSG.DLL
       TRNSCHED.DLL  WGPOMGR.DLL   CLIPSRV.EXE  MSHEARTS.EXE  MSMAIL.EXE
       MSREMIND.EXE  NET.EXE       NETDDE.EXE   NETWATCH.EXE  SCHDPLUS.EXE
       WINCHAT.EXE   WINMETER.EXE  MSMAIL.HLP   MSHEARTS.HLP  NETWATCH.HLP
       SCHDPLUS.HLP  WINCHAT.HLP   WFWNET.HLP   NET.MSG       NETH.MSG
       RINGIN.WAV    RINGOUT.WAV 
    Files in the SYSTEM directory to delete:
    
       WFWSETUP.CPL  VBROWSE.386   VCD.386      VDMAD.386     VNB.386
       VNETBIOS.386  VNETSUP.386   VPD.386      VPICD.386     VREDIR.386
       VSERVER.386   VSHARE.386    VWC.386      AB.DLL        COMMCTRL.DLL
       DEMILAYR.DLL  FRAMEWRK.DLL  MAILMGR.DLL  MAPI.DLL      MSSFS.DLL
       NDDEAPI.DLL   PABNSP.DLL    SENDFILE.DLL STORE.DLL     VFORMS.DLL
       WFWNET.DRV    MAILSPL.EXE   NETWORK.INF  MIDIMAP.OLD   LM21DRV.UPD 


After you follow these steps, Windows 3.1 should be successfully reinstalled. However, if Windows 3.1 does not perform as expected (for example, if you receive error messages, system lockups, and so on), you must reinstall Windows 3.1 and all Windows software to a new subdirectory.

For additional information on reinstalling other Windows versions, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
windows and reinstall

Additional query words: tshoot 3.10 3.11 Uninstall remove removing recover deactivate

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:3.1
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :


Last Reviewed: September 20, 1999
© 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.