On 27 Nov 2001, at 0:25, Susan S. Hays wrote:

> Rodger:
>
> If you know someone that is experienced in creating shortcuts in
> windows, that is what you will have to do.  You will get a runtime
> error and the message about Drive C being full when you try to run
> the programs.  I had to have a technician guide me through making
> shortcuts in windows for all my DOS based programs., but they work
> fine now.
>
> Susan Hays
> **********************************original
> message**********************************
> I have several favorite DOS programs that I have been using since the
> days of the CPM operating system. They have worked well under both
> Windows 95 and 98. My newest machine, running under Windows ME does not
> allow these DOS programs to run. The message I get is:  "Drive C is
> full" which, of course, it is not. I am curious if ME includes some
> restriction which negates older DOS programming. At this point, I am
> truly baffled.
>
> Rodger Gray

  At first glance, this advice must look terribly strange.

  The key, though, is that by creating a shortcut to a DOS program
and editting its properties, you actually create and modify a .PIF
(Program Information File) file for it, which can specify how the
execution environment for the DOS program is set up, relative to the
Windows environment.

  It may be that Rodger was using .PIF files under 95 and 98 without
knowing it (they originated as a feature of Windows at least as far
back as 3.x), which got lost in the upgrade to ME, or it may be that
the default environment provided by ME has changed such that programs
which didn't previously need individual .PIF files may need them now.

Dave Gillett

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