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Q81604: Novell Err Msg: Invalid COMMAND.COM After Windows Exit

Article: Q81604
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:2.x,3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 18-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 2.03, 2.1, 2.11, 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11 
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SYMPTOMS
========

After exiting Microsoft Windows, you may receive one of the following error
messages if you are using a Novell network:

  Invalid COMMAND.COM

  -or-

  Cannot load COMMAND, System halted

NOTE: One of these error messages may occur with a run-time version of Windows or
with MS-DOS-based applications.

CAUSE
=====

The error occurs due to a problem with early releases of the Novell NETX.COM
network shell program.

STATUS
======

Novell has corrected the problem in NETX.COM version 3.26 revision A included
with Microsoft Windows 3.1.


WORKAROUND
==========

In most cases, you can work around the problem by correctly setting the COMSPEC
environment variable in the CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The following
SHELL= line will load COMMAND.COM from the root directory of drive C. If you
change your SHELL= statement to point to a new location, make sure COMMAND.COM
is in the directory you are pointing to, or you may not be able to start your
system.

       SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM /P

Note that COMMAND.COM is loaded from the root directory of drive C; not from the
DOS directory. Certain versions of the Novell shell program may prevent the
resident portion of COMMAND.COM from reloading the transient portion if the
COMSPEC variable is set to the DOS directory. This causes the "Invalid
COMMAND.COM" or "Cannot load COMMAND, System halted" error message to be
displayed after you exit Windows.

If necessary, consult Novell technical support or Novell documentation for
assistance in modifying your personal login script, and/or upgrade the Novell
Shell. If you are using MS-DOS version 3.3 or earlier, you can work around the
problem by modifying the Novell NetWare COMSPEC variable. For more detailed
information on this subject, contact Novell Product Support.

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

Runtime Version of Excel
------------------------

If this error message occurs when you are running the run-time version of Excel
(with run-time Windows), configure Excel to look for COMMAND.COM in the root
directory of the boot drive (usually drive C) or copy COMMAND.COM to the EXCEL
directory. To configure Excel to point to the root directory of the boot drive:

1. From the File menu, choose Open.

2. In the Directories box, select the boot drive. For example:

  [-C-]

3. Choose Cancel.

The default directory for Excel is now the root directory of drive C, allowing
Excel to locate COMMAND.COM.

NOTE: This message can also be caused by too little hard disk space. This can
occur when exiting Windows or an application, such as Microsoft Excel. If you
are using a permanent swap file, you need to have a minimum of 4 MB of available
disk space; if you are using a temporary swap file, you need to have a minimum
of 9 MB of available disk space. Also, be sure that you have a valid TEMP
directory.

The Novell NetWare products included here are manufactured by a vendor
independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding
these products' performance or reliability.

Additional query words: wdnovell wderror 3.10 3.00 3.00a 3.1 3.0 3.0a 2.03 2.10 2.11 3.11

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin203 kbWin210 kbWin211 kbWin300 kbWin300a kbWin310 kbWin311
Version           : WINDOWS:2.x,3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11

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