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Q257404: DOS Command Line Is Missing the First Character

Article: Q257404
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 2000,2000 SP1,2000 SP2
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbOSWin2000 kbDSupport kbWin2000PreSP3Fix kbAppCompatibility kbWin2000sp3fix
Last Modified: 15-AUG-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 2000, 2000 SP1, 2000 SP2 Professional 
- Microsoft Windows versions 2000, 2000 SP1, 2000 SP2 Server 
- Microsoft Windows versions 2000, 2000 SP1, 2000 SP2 Advanced Server 
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SYMPTOMS
========

MS-DOS programs that use command-line arguments may work improperly and may
indicate that they are receiving a command line that is missing the first
character.

CAUSE
=====

The command-line tail length is at offset 0x80 in the MS-DOS program segment
prefix (PSP). Offset 0x81 has a blank in it. The actual content of the tail
starts at offset 0x82. Some old MS-DOS compilers, including the Microsoft
Fortran for MS-DOS version 5.1 compiler and the Microsoft Pascal compiler,
assume that offset 0x81 is the initial character of the command-line tail
instead of offset 0x82.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For
additional information, click the following article number to view the article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or
later:

  Date         Time      Size     File name
  -------------------------------------------
  03-DEC-2001  19:09     50,620   Command.com


WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, change the routine that gets the command-line tail
so that it starts with offset 0x81 from the PSP instead of offset 0x82.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that
are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in
Windows 2000 Service Pack 3.

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

For additional information about how to obtain a hotfix for Microsoft Windows
2000 Datacenter Server, click the article number below to view the article in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q265173 The Datacenter Program and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server Product

For additional information about how to install multiple hotfixes with only one
reboot, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q296861 Use QChain.exe to Install Multiple Hotfixes with One Reboot

For additional information about how to install Microsoft Windows 2000 and
Windows 2000 hotfixes at the same time, click the article number below to view
the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q249149 Installing Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 Hotfixes

Additional query words: kbAppCompatability kbAppCompatibility

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbOSWin2000 kbDSupport kbWin2000PreSP3Fix kbAppCompatibility kbWin2000sp3fix 
Technology        : kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000Serv kbwin2000ServSearch kbwin2000Search kbwin2000ProSearch kbwin2000Pro kbWinAdvServSearch kbWin2000AdvServSP2 kbWin2000AdvServSP1 kbWin2000ProSP2 kbWin2000ProSP1 kbwin2000ServSP1 kbwin2000ServSP2
Version           : :2000,2000 SP1,2000 SP2
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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