Article ID: 76242
Article Last Modified on 11/16/2006
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0a
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.2 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.21 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.22 Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q76242
SYMPTOMS
When you run MS-DOS SETUP or SETUP /E, Setup may display the following error message:
Unrecoverable Error
Error renaming old utilities.
Press ENTER to exit Setup.
CAUSE
This error occurs when:
- The path has been set with the SET PATH= command, the drive letter of the DOS directory is in lowercase (for example, SET PATH=c:\), and you are running SETUP with the /E parameter. -or-
- There are no directories in the path that contain MS-DOS files and there is a file in the root called "DOS."
WORKAROUND
The Path Has Been Set with SET PATH=
This is a known problem with MS-DOS 6.x Setup. SETUP /E checks the current path to locate the MS-DOS directory. If the MS-DOS directory is in lowercase letters, Setup displays the unrecoverable error message listed above.
To correct this problem, use the following steps:
- Press ENTER to quit Setup.
- Type path at the MS-DOS command prompt and press ENTER. This displays the current path (for example, PATH=c:\dos;c:\windows;c:\utility).
- Use the PATH command to reenter the path in uppercase letters. For example, type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and press ENTER:
PATH C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\UTILITY
- Run SETUP /E again.
A File Called "DOS" Is in the Root Directory
To allow Setup to continue, delete the "DOS" file. Setup creates a C:\DOS directory and proceeds normally.
If there is no C:\DOS directory, the Setup program traverses the existing path to find a directory with MS-DOS files in it. When it locates a directory with any MS-DOS files, it assumes that this is the directory containing the old MS-DOS files and continues with the setup.
If no directory in the path contains MS-DOS files and a file called "DOS" exists on the root, the system configuration screen shows that a C:\DOS directory exists. When you continue with the setup, the above message is displayed.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MS-DOS versions 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, and 6.22. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
Additional query words: 6.00 6.20 BUSETUP BUSETUP.EXE SETUP.EXE install optional programs utilities parameter 5.00 5.00a errmsg err msg during
Keywords: KB76242
