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Q112665: UPDATE.EXE Starts Setup Help If Space Exists in Directory Path

Article: Q112665
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.1 3.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbusage
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.1 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.1 
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server, version 3.1 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5 
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SUMMARY
=======

If you run UPDATE.EXE (from any Service Pack) in a directory in which the
complete path name includes a space or long directory name, instead of running
UPDATE.EXE, a screen explaining the SETUP.EXE command-line options appears.

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

When you run UPDATE.EXE, it calls Windows NT SETUP.EXE with some command- line
parameters. If a space exists in the directory name or the directory name is a
long directory name, the Setup screen titled "Usage" (which explains the
Microsoft Setup command-line options) appears. SETUP.EXE does not parse the
command line properly if a space exists in the directory name of the parameters
passed to it. For example, if you have a directory called "C:\FILES\NT
FILES\SPACK" or "C:\FILES\NTFILESFORSPACK\SPACK", and you place the update files
in the SPACK directory and then run UPDATE.EXE, you receive the above error.

RESOLUTION
==========

Move the Service Pack files to a directory path that does not include a space or
long directory name.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Service Packs for Windows NT
versions 3.1 and 3.5 and Windows NT Service Pack 1. This problem has been
corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for Windows NT version 3.5. For
information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

  S E R V P A C K

Additional query words: prodnt CSD ldn lfn file

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Keywords          : kbusage 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNT350search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW310 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS310 kbWinNTAdvSerSearch kbWinNTAdvServ310 kbWinNTS350search kbWinNTS310search kbWinNT310Search kbWinNTW310Search
Version           : 3.1 3.5

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