Q102813: Backup Err Msg: Incorrect DOS Version

Article: Q102813
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 21-NOV-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

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

When you try to run the BACKUP command from an MS-DOS command prompt or a
third-party application, you may receive the following error message:

  Incorrect DOS Version

CAUSE
=====

This error can be caused any of the following conditions:

- You upgraded to MS-DOS 6.0 or 6.2 from MS-DOS 5.0.

  The BACKUP command in MS-DOS 5.0 is an .EXE file. In all previous versions of
  MS-DOS, BACKUP is a .COM file. When you install MS-DOS 6 Upgrade or MS-DOS
  6.2 Upgrade, Microsoft Backup removes only those files that it is replacing.
  Therefore, both the BACKUP.EXE and BACKUP.COM files may remain in the MS-DOS
  directory. MS-DOS looks for files to execute in the following order: .COM,
  .EXE, and lastly .BAT. The error occurs because the BACKUP.COM file from a
  previous version of MS-DOS is still somewhere on the system and MS-DOS is
  attempting to execute it.

- The SETVER version table has the wrong version listed for Backup.

- The number "1" is the last digit in the SETVER entry. For example, the
  following entry causes the above error message:

  setver backup.com 4.01

- You manually expanded BACKUP.EXE from the MS-DOS 6.0 or 6.2 Supplemental
  Disks (instead of running the SETUP.BAT file.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem:

1. Type the following from the root directory to display the directory listing
  of all files named BACKUP on the drive:

  " dir backup /s " (without the quotation marks)

2. If you have a BACKUP.EXE file, delete any BACKUP.COM files on your system.

3. If you do not have a BACKUP.EXE file, use the SETVER command to set the
  correct version for BACKUP.COM. Set the version to your previous version of
  MS-DOS or to the version of MS-DOS that matches your MS-DOS Supplemental
  Disk. For example, type "setver backup.com 4.00" (without the quotation
  marks) at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER.

  If you expanded Backup from the MS-DOS Supplemental disks, delete BACKUP.EXE
  from the SETVER version table. For example, type "setver backup.exe /d"
  (without the quotation marks) at the MS-DOS command prompt, press ENTER, and
  then restart your computer.

Additional query words: msbackup 6.22 6.00 6.20

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600
Version           : MS-DOS:6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22

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