console application freeze under XP DOS cmd shell

[lupien1]

Hi,

With MS-DOS command prompt under Windows XP, when i try to launch simple application like "edit" the prompt freeze and i have to kill the process with the task manager. It seem that every console application launch under the MS-DOS prompt freeze.

Can someone help me!

 

[bcastner]

In your desktop, right-click My Computer, Properties, Advanced, and at the bottom click Environmental Variables. In both boxes check the variables PATH and Path to be certain they point at some point to %windir%\system32

From the other direction, if you are in a Domain it is possible that you are excluded from using these tools. If you use explore and go to C:\Windows\System32 and double click on notepad, does it work?

As a final note, "Edit" as a command line option opens Wordpad. It is not by any means a standard installation for OEM versions of Windows XP.

Try "notepad" without the quotes.

 

[lupien1]

Hi bcastner,

May be my message was not clear. Here is my problem step by step:

1- I load the command prompt (black window) using Start->All programs->accessories->command prompt

2- On the prompt "C:\>", if i type « EDIT » the DOS editor does not appear and the command prompt shell freeze.

3- Some DOS application work, (like tree, more) but other like Edit don't work.

4- When trying to launch DOS application like « ts » (textsearch from norton) the command DOS shell freeze.

Thank you, for your help and please excuse my english.

 

[bcastner]

Edit is not a native command, per se.

It should call up WordPad if available. Not all OEM distributions include WordPad.exe, in fact, most do not.

The command for text editing under XP is notepad.

 

[lupien1]

Hi bcastner,

Can you tell me why when launching "edit" on Windows 98, 2000 server, 2003 server and XP, a text editor with a background blue screen appear and when selecting the about box the following text appear:

************************************
About Edit

MS_DOS Editor
version 2.0.026
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corp 1995.
************************************

If i launch notepad by typing it on the command line prompt. The text editor appear has a GUI application. This is not what i need and it does not solve my freezing problem.

 

[bcastner]

From: %windir%\Help\ntcmds.chm

Edit

Starts MS-DOS Editor, which creates and changes ASCII text files. Used without parameters, edit starts MS-DOS Editor.

Syntax
edit [[Drive:][Path] FileName] [/b] [/g] [/h] [/nohi]

Parameters
[Drive:][Path] FileName
Specifies the location and name of an ASCII text file. If the file does not exist, MS-DOS Editor creates it. If the file exists, MS-DOS Editor opens it and displays its contents on the screen.
/b
Displays MS-DOS Editor in black and white. Use this command-line option if a monochrome monitor does not display MS-DOS Editor correctly.
/g
Uses the fastest screen updating possible for a CGA monitor.
/h
Displays the maximum number of lines possible for the current monitor.
/nohi
Enables you to use eight-color monitors with MS-DOS Editor. Typically, Windows XP uses 16 colors.
/?
Displays help at the command prompt.

Remarks:
Windows XP does not use this command. It is accepted only for compatibility with MS-DOS files.

Depending on your PATH statement, and the OEM build you will either get nothing, a launch of WordPad or edlin, or the edlin replacement.

As I mentioned earlier above there is no consistency in an OEM build as to what is included for these optional elements of XP. I would most certainly check your environmental PATH statements to be sure, if available, edit.com can be found. (It should be in %windir%\system32

The last thing to check is if there is not a corrupted version of the file. Start, Run, CMD
c:
cd \%windir%\system32
edit

Does it work now? If not, use MSCONFIG or Recovery Console to replace your disk image.

 

[linney]

Troubleshooting MS-DOS-based programs in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=314106

314495 - How to Troubleshoot 16-Bit Windows Programs in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314495&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

314452 - "16 Bit MS-DOS Subsystem" Error Message When You Install a Program

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314452&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

324767 - Error Message When You Install or Start an MS-DOS or 16-Bit Windows Based Program

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324767&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Some general things to try.

See if System Restore will get you back to a restore point before your problem with DOS.

Try Safe Mode (Do you have this problem in Safe Mode?).

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.