"The Win16 Subsystem was unable to enter Protected Mode"

If you try to start or install an MS-DOS-based or a 16-bit Windows-based program on your Windows XP-based computer, you may receive an error message that is similar to one of the following:

16-bit MS-DOS Subsystem
path to the program that you are trying to start or install
C:\Winnt\System32\config.nt The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

Although you may be prompted to quit the program or ignore the error message, either selection makes the program quit.

CAUSE

This issue may occur if one or more of the following files are missing or damaged:
? Config.nt
? Autoexec.nt
? Command.com

This may occur even if the program is actually a 32-bit program as I have had it to it to me.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324767

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http://www.visualtour.com/downloads/
07/29/2004
XP_Fix.EXE
(140 Kb)

Direct Download Here: http://www.visualtour.com/downloads/xp_fix.exe

This installaton program will reinstall the missing or corrupt Windows XP system files command.com, autoexec.nt and config.nt. The absence or corruption of one or more of these files causes a "16 Bit Subsystem" error.

We recommend that you download this file and save it to your desktop or to another location where you can find it. Double click on the file to run it once it's downloaded. If problem reoccurs in the future, simply re-run this program.

CAVEATE: When you download the file and go to install it, you will get a window that says 'you need this to install/run the Visual Tour'.......Visual Tour is another program on that site that you didn't download, so just click OK to install the fix instead. There may or may not be another program that begins to run in the background called WOWEXE.EXE or WOWEXEC.EXE and you can stop it by pressing CTRL-ALT and tap the DEL key to open the Task Manager program, then highlight WOWEXE and choose End Task. That program is part of XP and isn't a virus or spyware and once you End Task on it, it won't come back.

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Autoexec.nt error in XP after SP2 udpate

If you had an old DOS program installed that worked fine before SP2 was installed and now you receive an error about 16-Bit Dos programs not being suitable and this .nt file, you can do the following:

A quick look at the C:\Windows\System32 folder will show you that the autoexec.nt file is gone completely. The contents of the file doesn't matter, but if it's missing, you'll have problems. Fortunately it's easy to replace.

Launch Notepad, type

@ECHO OFF

and press Enter at the end of the line, and save the file as C:\Windows\System32\Autoexec.nt (if you put quotes around it, notepad won't add another .txt entension to it).

Now try the program again...but if it still doesn't work, open the autoexec.nt file again in Notepad and add the following lines:

1h %SystemRoot%\System32\mscdexnt.exe
1h %SystemRoot%\system32\redir
1h %SystemRoot%\System32\dosx
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 P330 T3

Save the file again, using the same file name. This should do it.

TONI