Error Messages When Windows 98 Is Installed in the Root Folder

ID: Q194361

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 98

SYMPTOMS

If Windows is installed to the root folder of your hard disk and you try to use your computer, you may receive one of the following error messages:

Inside Windows 98

Error Renaming File
Cannot Rename <file or folder name>. Access is denied.
Make sure the disk is not full or write protected and that the file is not currently in use.

At a Command Prompt in Windows 98

Cannot make directory entry <file name>

When Starting Your Computer to a Command Prompt

Duplicate file name or File in use

CAUSE

This problem can occur when the number of files and folders in the root folder of the hard disk exceeds the limitations of the file allocation table 16 (FAT16) file system. This can happen after any of the following events:

After you install Windows to the root folder with a large number of options.

NOTE: By design, you are not normally able to install Windows to the root folder. You can only do so if you incorrectly type the path to the root folder. If you type the correct path to the root folder, you receive an error message.

After you install additional software that adds files to the Windows folder, which in this case is the root folder.

After other computer usage that creates additional files in the root folder.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, reduce the number of files and folders in the root folder, and then reinstall Windows to a new folder other than the root folder. To do so, use the appropriate method:

Delete Files or Folders

For information about how to delete a file or folder, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type "delete" (without quotation marks), and then double-click the "Deleting Files, Folders" topic.

Move Files or Folders

To move a file or folder, first copy the file or folder to a new location, and then delete the file. For information about how to copy a file, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type "copy" (without quotation marks), and then double-click the "Copying Files, Folders" topic. For information about how to delete a file or folder, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type "delete" (without quotation marks), and then double-click the "Deleting Files, Folders" topic.

Reinstall Windows to a New Folder

To be able to specify a new Windows folder location, you must start Windows Setup from an MS-DOS prompt. To do so, follow these steps:

Start your computer with your Windows 98 Startup Disk. If you do not have one you may be able to create one on any computer that has a CD-ROM drive. For information about how to do so, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q187632
TITLE : How to Create a Windows 98 Startup Disk that Supports FAT32

Choose Start Computer With CD-ROM Support, and then press ENTER.

At the command prompt, type "<CD-ROM letter>:\win98\setup" (without quotation marks), where <CD-ROM letter> is the drive letter assigned to your CD-ROM drive, and then press ENTER.

When you are prompted for a location to install Windows to, choose a new folder. Do not reinstall Windows to the root folder of a hard disk.

For additional information about installing Windows, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q193902
TITLE : How to Install Windows 98 Into a New Folder

ARTICLE-ID: Q188881
TITLE : How to Install Windows 98: Helpful Tips and Suggestions

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Windows 98.

MORE INFORMATION

There is a maximum of 512 entries (files or folders) that can exist in the root folder on your hard disk. The root folder may be full even if it contains less than 512 entries because long file names require additional entries in the file allocation table. This limitation applies to computers using a file allocation table 16 (FAT16) file system.

For additional information about the root folder limitation, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q120138
TITLE : Errors Creating Files or Folders in the Root Directory

When you run Windows 98 Setup from an MS-DOS prompt, Setup is programmed to prevent you from specifying the root folder of a disk as the installation folder.

Initially, Windows may function correctly because you have not exceeded the root folder entry limitation. As you install additional software and use your computer, the number of files in root folder may increase and eventually exceed the root folder entry limitation.

Additional query words: 98


Keywords          : kbenv kberrmsg win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: January 30, 1999