Q76242: MS-DOS 6.x Setup: Error Renaming Old Utilities

Article: Q76242
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you run MS-DOS SETUP or SETUP /E, Setup may display the following error
message:

  Unrecoverable Error
  Error renaming old utilities.
  Press ENTER to exit Setup.

CAUSE
=====

This error occurs when:

- The path has been set with the SET PATH= command, the drive letter of the DOS
  directory is in lowercase (for example, SET PATH=c:\), and you are running
  SETUP with the /E parameter.

-or-

- There are no directories in the path that contain MS-DOS files and there is a
  file in the root called "DOS."

WORKAROUND
==========

The Path Has Been Set with SET PATH=
------------------------------------

This is a known problem with MS-DOS 6.x Setup. SETUP /E checks the current path
to locate the MS-DOS directory. If the MS-DOS directory is in lowercase letters,
Setup displays the unrecoverable error message listed above.

To correct this problem, use the following steps:

1. Press ENTER to quit Setup.

2. Type "path" (without the quotation marks) at the MS-DOS command prompt and
  press ENTER. This displays the current path (for example,
  PATH=c:\dos;c:\windows;c:\utility).

3. Use the PATH command to reenter the path in uppercase letters. For example,
  type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and press ENTER:

  " PATH C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\UTILITY" (without the quotation marks)

4. Run SETUP /E again.

A File Called "DOS" Is in the Root Directory
--------------------------------------------

To allow Setup to continue, delete the "DOS" file. Setup creates a C:\DOS
directory and proceeds normally.

If there is no C:\DOS directory, the Setup program traverses the existing path to
find a directory with MS-DOS files in it. When it locates a directory with any
MS-DOS files, it assumes that this is the directory containing the old MS-DOS
files and continues with the setup.

If no directory in the path contains MS-DOS files and a file called "DOS" exists
on the root, the system configuration screen shows that a C:\DOS directory
exists. When you continue with the setup, the above message is displayed.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MS-DOS versions 6.0, 6.2, 6.21,
and 6.22. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: 6.00 6.20 BUSETUP BUSETUP.EXE SETUP.EXE install optional programs utilities parameter 5.00 5.00a errmsg err msg during

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS500a
Version           : MS-DOS:5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22

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