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Q105217: Scenes 1.0: Cannot Write to Scenes File

Article: Q105217
Product(s): Microsoft Home Multimedia Titles
Version(s): WINDOWS:1.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 10-DEC-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Scenes (all collections), version 1.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

In Microsoft Scenes, if you load a new screen saver image or change the
wallpaper, you may receive one of the following error messages:

  Cannot write to Scenes file. Your hard disk may be nearly full.

  -or-

  Cannot write to file. Your hard disk may be nearly full. Check out how much
  disk space is available and, if necessary, delete some files you no longer
  use.

Usually, you receive the first error message when 76 percent of a Scenes image is
loaded. When this problem occurs, the screen blanks out and the error message
scrolls across the center of the screen from left to right.

The second error message commonly appears when 85 percent of a new wallpaper is
loaded.

NOTE: These are the percentages and situations in which these problems most
commonly occur. You may experience these errors at a different point in the
loading process.

CAUSE
=====

The error messages may occur because an invalid Set Temp= statement exists in
the Autoexec.bat file or because insufficient hard disk space is available in
the temporary folder. Microsoft Scenes 1.0 requires at least 2 megabytes (MB) of
free hard disk space or a minimum 2-MB RAM drive for the storage of temporary
files.

Your system may stop responding (hang) or system performance may slow down if an
invalid Set Temp= statement exists in the Autoexec.bat file or if less than 1 MB
of free hard disk space exists in the temporary folder.

RESOLUTION
==========

If your system has a RAM drive of 1 MB or less, and if you have set the TEMP=
variable to point to it, increase the RAM drive to a minimum of 2 megabytes.
Also, check the temporary directory for validity and free space by following
these steps:

1. Exit Windows.

2. At the MS-DOS prompt, type "set" (without the quotation marks) and press the
  ENTER key. Determine which folder (directory) the TEMP= statement is pointing
  to.

3. Change to the folder listed on the TEMP= line by the SET command. (For
  example, if the TEMP= line reads TEMP=C:\TEMP, type "cd\temp" (without the
  quotation marks), and then press ENTER.)

4. Type "dir" (without the quotation marks) at the temporary directory prompt
  and press ENTER.

  This displays any undeleted temporary files and the number of bytes free.

5. Delete any unnecessary temporary files.

6. Verify that 2 or more megabytes of free disk space exist.

NOTE: If the bytes free value is less than or equal to 10 MB, it is recommended
that you use a disk defragmenter.

To test the validity of the Set Temp= line in the Autoexec.bat file, run the
Microsoft Diagnostics program (MSD) by typing "msd" (without the quotation
marks) from the Windows folder. When MSD first starts, it displays an error
message if the Set Temp= statement in the Autoexec.bat file has any trailing
spaces or is invalid. If MSD starts up without an error, return to MS-DOS by
pressing the F3 key.

Additional query words: crash freeze freezes hangs hung lockups msscenes screen saver screensaver

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbScenesSearch kbScenes100
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0

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