KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q62276: Nonexpanded Windows Mouse Driver Freezes Machine

Article: Q62276
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 21-SEP-1999

3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.11

WINDOWS

kbusage kbtool

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

Microsoft Windows files must be decompressed before they can be used by the
computer. If you copy a compressed mouse driver from the Windows disks to your
hard drive without decompressing the driver first, adding it to your CONFIG.SYS
file, and then rebooting the machine, the machine hangs.

Rebooting the machine, or turning it off and on again does not solve the problem
because the unreadable file prevents the computer from going through the startup
procedure correctly.

MORE INFORMATION
================

To correct this situation, do the following:

1. Boot from an MS-DOS floppy disk.

2. Delete the compressed mouse driver file. (Depending on your Windows version,
  compressed files have "$" or "_".) If the compressed file was renamed, giving
  it the correct last letter, check the size of the file against the compressed
  file on your floppies.

3. Copy EXPAND.EXE from Windows Disk 2 onto your hard drive.

4. Insert the disk with the file to be expanded into a floppy drive.

5. Type the following, where X: is the source disk, and press ENTER:

  

  EXPAND X:FILENAME.SY$ C:\WINDIRECTORY\FILENAME.SYS (Windows 3.0)
  EXPAND X:FILENAME.SY_ C:\WINDIRECTORY\FILENAME.SYS (Windows 3.1)

  FILENAME.SY$ is the name of the compressed file to be copied.
  WINDIRECTORY is the name of your Windows directory.
  FILENAME.SYS is the renamed file that appears on the hard drive.

  The following are examples:

  EXPAND A:\MOUSE.SY$ C:\WINDOWS\MOUSE.SYS (Windows 3.0, 3.0a)
  EXPAND A:\MOUSE.SY_ C:\WINDOWS\MOUSE.SYS (Windows 3.1, 3.11)

NOTE: The information about EXPAND.EXE is covered in the Windows version 3.0
README.TXT in the "Copying Files from the Windows 3.00 Disks" section.

Additional query words: 3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.11 hangs crashes freezes locksup locks up

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin300a kbWin310 kbWin311
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.