Policy That Disables MS-DOS Prompt Disables All MS-DOS Programs

ID: Q179644

The information in this article applies to:
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SYMPTOMS

When you double-click an MS-DOS-based program, you may receive the following error message:

This program cannot be run due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator.

This same behavior may occur if you type the name and path of an MS-DOS- based program from the Run command on the Start menu and then click OK.


CAUSE

This behavior can occur if you are connected to a network server and the network administrator has set a system policy using System Policy Editor (Poledit.exe) to disable the MS-DOS prompt. When the MS-DOS prompt is disabled, all MS-DOS-based programs are also disabled in Windows.

This behavior can also occur if you use System Policy Editor on a local computer, open the registry, and then disable the MS-DOS prompt.


RESOLUTION

You can edit the registry using System Policy Editor (Poledit.exe) or Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Check with your network administrator before you make any changes to the registry.

System Policy Editor (Poledit.exe) is available in the Admin\Apptools\ Poledit folder on the Windows 95 CD-ROM. Use the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel to install System Policy Editor.

NOTE: System Policy Editor is not included in the floppy disk version of Windows 95. You can download Policy.exe, a self-extracting executable file containing Poledit.exe, from online services. Please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base for information about downloading Policy.exe:

ARTICLE-ID: Q135315
TITLE : CD-ROM Extras for Microsoft Windows 95 Upgrade

To work around this behavior, restart your computer in MS-DOS mode to run your MS-DOS-based programs.

NOTE: If the system administrator has also set a policy to disable single- mode MS-DOS-based programs, you may not be able to run your programs in MS-DOS mode.

You can also contact your system administrator and request that he or she enable the MS-DOS prompt.

Use the following steps to edit the registry with System Policy Editor:

If you ran System Policy Editor and edited the registry or created a policy file to disable the MS-DOS prompt, enable the MS-DOS prompt.

In Windows 95, open the policy file or your registry in System Policy Editor and click the following policy entry to clear the check box:


Local User\System\Restrictions\Disable MS-DOS prompt

In Windows 98, open the policy file or your registry in System Policy Editor and click the following policy entry to clear the check box:


Local User\Windows 98 System\Restrictions\Disable MS-DOS prompt

Additional query words: applications work begin 


Keywords          : kbenv kberrmsg kbtool win95 
Version           : WINDOWS:95,98
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: January 30, 1999