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Q63219: "386 Display Type Mismatch" Error Starting MS-DOS Apps

Article: Q63219
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: 24-OCT-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

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

You may have difficulty running non-Windows-based applications if you install
Microsoft Windows for a CGA display on a system that has a VGA card. If you are
running in 386 enhanced mode, you may receive the following error message:

  386 Display Type Mismatch

Non-Windows-based applications run correctly in standard and real modes until you
switch away from the application and then return to the application.

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

If you have an unsupported VGA graphics card and you installed Windows 3.0 or
3.1 for CGA, the following steps may allow you to run non-Windows-based
applications in enhanced mode:

1. Install Windows 3.0 or 3.1 for VGA. (This provides the Windows executable
  files with a VGA virtual device driver. This device driver is internal and
  cannot be added later). Starting Windows at this point causes it to stop
  responding (hang).

2. Run Setup from the hard disk, and change the graphics resolution to CGA. Do
  this by going to the directory where Windows is installed and typing "setup"
  (without the quotation marks).

3. Start Windows and run SYSEDIT (or another text editor).

4. Open the SYSTEM.INI file for editing.

5. In the [boot] section, change the line

       386grabber=cga.gr3

  to

       386grabber=vga.gr3

6. In the [386Enh] section, change the line

       display=vddcga.386

  to

       display=*vddvga

7. Save the changes to SYSTEM.INI and restart Windows.

This procedure also works for an unsupported EGA video display. Use the same
steps and substitute EGA wherever it references VGA. The line in the [boot]
section becomes 386grabber=ega; for Windows 3.0, the setting in the [386Enh]
section should be:

       display=*vddega

for Windows 3.1, setting should be:

       display=vddega.386

Additional query words: 3.00 3.10 3.00a 3.11 KBHW

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

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