Unrecoverable Application Error in Windows 3.0

Last reviewed: November 23, 1994
Article ID: Q63359

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a

SUMMARY

This article contains information on potential causes of the Microsoft Windows version 3.0 error message:

   Unrecoverable Application Error
   Terminating current application

This error occurs only in standard- and enhanced-mode Windows 3.0. It indicates that a Windows application has caused a protection violation (that is, an application has written to a memory space to which it does not have access, potentially corrupting other code in that area of memory).

If you receive this error, the Windows 3.0 system will be unstable until you exit Windows, reboot the system, and restart Windows. After one application causes such an error, memory will be corrupted. This could cause other applications to subsequently receive the same error, even though they are not actually the cause of the problem.

MORE INFORMATION

The following are possible causes for an unrecoverable application error.

Application Designed for Previous Windows Version

You are running an application that was designed for Windows versions 2.x under Windows 3.0 in standard or enhanced mode.

If an application has not been properly designed to function correctly under Windows 3.0 protected modes, it causes an error. If an application is designed for Windows versions 2.x, it generates a dialog box when executed that advises you of this error. Such applications should be run only under Windows 3.0 real mode as the dialog box suggests.

Incorrect Setup

You have selected an incorrect machine and/or network while using the Setup program.

Some machines and networks require you to override the default detection made by Windows 3.0 Setup and make a specific selection. If the correct selection is not made, Windows cannot operate correctly.

Machines that must be specifically selected in Windows Setup include the following:

   All 80386- and 80486-based AST machines
   All 80386-based Zenith machines
   All Hewlett-Packard machines
   Everex Step 386/25
   NCR PC 386SX
   NCR PC 925
   NEC PowerMate SX Plus
   NEC ProSpeed 386
   Toshiba 1600
   Toshiba 5200

Networks that must be specifically selected in Windows Setup include the following:

   3Com 3+Open LAN Manager (XNS only)
   3Com 3+Share
   Banyan VINES version 4.0
   LAN Manager versions 1.x (or 100-percent compatible)
   IBM PC LAN program

If you did not choose your machine or network specifically during Setup, you should exit Windows and run the MS-DOS version of Setup from the WINDOWS directory. This allows you to make the proper selection without having to completely reinstall Windows 3.0.

Incompatible TSRs

You have incompatible TSR (terminate-and-stay-resident) programs or unsupported network drivers in the CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT files.

Temporarily remove all suspect drivers and TSR programs to bring the system to a minimum configuration for testing purposes. If this eliminates the problem, then the problem was caused by one of the drivers or TSRs that was removed. Replace the removed lines one by one until the problem reappears, thus showing which line was causing the problem.

Page-Mapping Conflict

You have a page-mapping conflict in enhanced mode.

This cause applies only to enhanced-mode Windows. Test the problem under standard mode by running Windows with the WIN /S parameter. If the problem does not occur in standard mode, it may be a page-mapping conflict in the adapter segment area of memory (between A000 and EFFF hexadecimal). Use an ASCII text editor, such as Notepad or SysEdit, to edit the SYSTEM.INI file and insert the following line in the [386Enh] section:

      EMMExclude=A000-EFFF

This excludes the entire adapter segment from mapping. This line is not case sensitive. If inserting this line solves the problem, you may want to determine the position of all hardware adapters in the adapter segment and exclude them specifically rather than excluding the entire region. Multiple EMMExclude lines may be used if necessary. If you are using a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus machine such as an IBM PS/2, you may determine the adapter location by booting with the machine's Reference Disk. If you are using a Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus machine, consult your adapter documentation and/or manufacturer's technical support service for information on memory locations used, if any.

NOTE: You shouldn't leave the entire range excluded because Windows will not be able to use any of the memory there to set up such things as expanded memory for MS-DOS applications.

Incorrect DOS Version

Machines should have the proper DOS version for their hardware type. OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) versions of MS-DOS such as COMPAQ DOS or IBM PC-DOS should not be used except on their respective OEM hardware platforms (that is, COMPAQ DOS only on COMPAQ machines, IBM PC-DOS only on IBM machines).

On other machines, the proper DOS should be determined by the following rule: If the manufacturer has an OEM version of DOS, it should be used. If the manufacturer does not have an OEM version of DOS, generic Microsoft MS-DOS should be used.

KBCategory: kbother kbtshoot
KBSubcategory: win30
Additional reference words: 3.00 3.00a tshoot uae

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: November 23, 1994
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.