DOCUMENT:Q71211 08-OCT-1999 [win95x] TITLE :Windowed MS-DOS Apps Revert to Full Screen in Windows PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product PROD/VER:WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= While running an MS-DOS application in a window, Microsoft Windows may switch it to full screen if an MS-DOS critical error occurs. Typically, the critical error will be a disk error, but there are other causes as well. The common critical MS-DOS errors are: - attempting to access a floppy drive with no disk - attempting to write a file to a write-protected floppy disk - attempting to access an unformatted floppy disk When an MS-DOS critical error occurs, MS-DOS is unstable until the critical error is resolved. To maximize stability, Windows switches the application to full-screen text mode. This is by design and there is no workaround. Press ALT+ENTER, after the error is resolved, to switch the MS-DOS application back to the windowed display mode. MORE INFORMATION ================ Switching Between Full Screen and Windowed Display Modes -------------------------------------------------------- The "windowed" display mode of MS-DOS applications is only available in 386 enhanced mode. There are three actions that can be performed to run an MS-DOS application in a window or full screen: 1. Select the desired mode in the PIF Editor. 2. Press ALT+ENTER to toggle between the two modes. 3. Select the desired mode from the MS-DOS application's system menu: a. Start the MS-DOS application in question. b. Press ALT+SPACEBAR to display the system menu. c. Select Settings (press T). d. Select Windowed (press W). e. Press ENTER. MS-DOS Int 24H Critical Errors ------------------------------ The critical error handler is a function of interrupt 24H. A complete listing of the MS-DOS Int 24H critical errors are listed below. Error Code Hex Dec Description --------------------------------------------- 00H 0 Write-protect error 01H 1 Unknown unit (invalid drive number) 02H 2 Drive not ready (no disk or driver door open) 03H 3 Unknown command requested 04H 4 Data error (CRC) 05H 5 Bad request structure length 06H 6 Seek error; move to requested cylinder failed 07H 7 Unknown disk format 08H 8 Sector not found 09H 9 Printer out of paper 0AH 10 Write fault 0BH 11 Read fault 0CH 12 General, nonspecific error 0FH 15 Invalid disk change (MS-DOS version 3.0 or later) Additional query words: 3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.0 3.1 3.11 win31 win30 ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin300a kbWin310 kbWin311 Version : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11 ============================================================================= 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. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.