Microsoft KB Archive/273780

= Ansi.sys Device Driver Cannot be Loaded in Windows Me =

Article ID: 273780

Article Last Modified on 1/29/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition

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This article was previously published under Q273780



If this article does not describe your hardware-related issue, please see the following Microsoft Web site to view more articles about hardware:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/w98?sid=460



SYMPTOMS
The Ansi.sys device driver that is included with Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) cannot be loaded in Windows Me. As a result, ANSI commands and programs that require ANSI commands may not work with Windows Me.



CAUSE
This issue occurs because the &quot;Device=&quot; entries in the Config.sys file are not processed by Windows Me. &quot;Device=&quot; entries in Config.sys are only accessible when you start your computer in real mode (using a Windows Me Startup disk).



WORKAROUND
To work around this issue, load Ansi.sys by using the Config.sys file on a Windows Me Startup Disk. Also, to use ANSI commands (or programs that require ANSI commands), start your computer in real mode.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
The MS-DOS Ansi.sys device driver provides more detailed control of the console device (display and keyboard) than MS-DOS, and it can be loaded on your computer by using Config.sys with previous versions of MS-DOS and Windows. Because Windows Me does not support real mode device drivers, Ansi.sys cannot be loaded in Windows Me.

For additional information about the removal of real mode support in Microsoft Windows Me, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

269524 Overview of Real Mode Removal from Windows Millennium Edition

Additional query words: HWDISTS

Keywords: kbenv kbprb KB273780

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