DOS Program (XP 5.1.2600)

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I have 2 computers, one IBM laptop and one Compaq desktop, and both are running XP Pro version 5.1.2600. When I try to run a DOS billing program from the laptop it runs fine but when I try to run it from the desktop it gives the error: Cannot SHELL to DOS. I am logged on as administrator on both so I don’t think it’s a security problem. Any ideas?

One more thing, on the computer where I can run the program, how would I create a shortcut to run a program in DOS?

Thanks.

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(Edited by WyllyWylly on 06-Sep-02 10:28. to correct spelling of system application name.)

Not sure about the “shell to dos” issue, but I suspect it might be a security issue local to your machine. I have no problem with the few remaining DOS apps I run. I seem to remember seeing something in Policy Editor or TweakUI about it.

Create a shortcut the same way as you normally would: find the executable in Explorer, right-click and select Send To Desktop. You might also want to change the short-cut by checking “Close on Exit” and changing the lame MS-DOS icon Windows uses, but the process is about the same as with Win98. EZ.

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See if this’ll check whether it’s a security issue or not – try going to Start, Programs, Accessories, and click on COMMAND PROMPT to see if XP will let you open a “DOS box” window. (You can also do it from Start, Run and type in CMD). Remember to close the DOS window by typing EXIT. I can’t imagine that it would be a setting you have to change, but…..

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Can you post a screenshot of the error message?

In NT/2000/XP the default command interpreter is CMD.EXE, which is an entirely different animal than COMMAND.COM used in DOS and Win9x. In the shortcut that you create using Bobdog’s instructions, point it to COMMAND.COM instead. It sounds like the application itself is the ca=use; under XP, DOS programs have to run in a virtual sandbox so that they don’t take down the entire system. Thus, if the program was written with special programming APIs that existed in a true DOS environment, you may run into errors.

Man, did I sound geeky there!

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