Microsoft KB Archive/240251

= Err Msg: "This program cannot be run in DOS mode" Trying to Run Setup.exe from Command Prompt =

Article ID: 240251

Article Last Modified on 3/1/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition

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This article was previously published under Q240251



SYMPTOMS
When you turn on your computer and then boot from a floppy disk or hard drive with CD-ROM Support enabled to a command prompt, the following error message is displayed when you try to start Setup.exe from the Windows 2000 CD-ROM:

This program cannot be run in DOS mode.



CAUSE
This behavior occurs because Setup.exe on the Windows 2000 CD ROM is a Windows-based program and cannot be run from an MS-DOS command prompt.



RESOLUTION
To work around this behavior, boot into an existing Windows installation and re-run Setup. If there are no Windows-based installations on the drive, Microsoft recommends that you start the Windows 2000 installation by booting to the CD-ROM, or use the floppy disks created by the Makeboot.exe program. For more information on how to creat the Setup boot disks, please click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

197063 How to Create Setup Boot Disks for Windows 2000

As an alternative to the above, you can change to the i386 folder on the Windows 2000 CD, and then type:

winnt.exe



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
Setup.exe is the program that is invoked by the autorun.inf program on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. This program generates the initial Windows 2000 Startup screen that provides the option to Install Windows 2000, Install Add-On Components, Browse this CD, or Exit.

Keywords: kbprb KB240251

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