On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 09:43:10 GMT, Rainy wrote:
> this is the error I've received on a couple of occassions.. This time I
> was trying to install a screensaver.. The path mentioned in the error
> does not exist.. If I click ignor the error goes away.. any help
> appreciated... thanks Rainy
Some thoughts:
1. 16 bit Subsystem is for running 16 bit programs: These are usually older
programs. XP is designed for 32 bit programs but provides backwards
compatibility for 16 bit. XP doesn't use virtual device drivers (*.vxd
files) but older programs do so it tries to accommodate them. *Most* 16 bit
programs do well with the subsystem but some do not. Unless the program is
mission critical, my inclination is to skip it and use something more
updated on XP.
NOTE: Sometimes you have a nice 32 bit program you're trying to install but
its installer is 16 bit and causes these silly errors. If the error is
serious enough and there is no workaround, you may not be able to get that
program installed on an XP system.
2. Having an attempted install of a screensaver touch the files of my
antivirus program would make me nervous. Screensaver files are a common
mechanism for delivering viruses. Lots of people love screensavers and are
willing to install them, tuck a bit of devious code inside... the target
system becomes infected. Many viruses purposefully disable antivirus
programs to avoid detection. Most antivirus programs have closed off that
avenue of attack but an old virus (likely to show up in an older
screensaver that is being passed around) will still try to accomplish this.
3. Symantec..... reminds me of that poem about the little girl with the
curl in the middle of her forehead: When she was good, she was very very
good. When she was bad, she was horrid. In other words, when Symantec
products work, they're wonderful. When they break or have broken parts,
they can be your worst nightmare.
So anyhow, I went searching around on Google for that error message. I
found some discussions in various forums where other people had the same
problem that you described. Their discussions led me to...
An knowledge base article from Symantec with that exact error message:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...= bar_sch_nam
There is a link at the bottom of that article that tells how to update the
Symevent files.
Apparently this error has been a weakness in this portion of Symantec's
software for some time. There are references in this trail from Win98 all
the way up to XP and Symantec's a/v version 9.... In #2 above, I mentioned
being nervous about an install invoking an error from my antivirus but in
this case the error event may be "status quo" and characteristic of
Symantec instead of being a problem with the new software install.
For good measure, an article from the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Virtual Device Driver Error Message in 16-Bit MS-DOS Subsystem
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254914/EN-US/
--
Sharon F
MS-MVP ~ Windows Shell/User