DOCUMENT:Q79614 10-OCT-1999 [win95x] TITLE :Windows: PATH Command Searches All Entries 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 - Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== When you start Windows, or when you execute an application from inside Windows without specifying a path, you may receive the following error message System Error Cannot read from drive : where : is a floppy disk drive or a removable media drive letter. CAUSE ===== This error is caused when you specify a removable media's drive letter in the MS-DOS PATH statement of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Windows reads all path specifications in the PATH command before it runs an application. It does not stop the search after finding the specified file in the search path. RESOLUTION ========== Make sure that the drive letter for a removable drive does not appear on the search path in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Example 1. Quit Windows. 2. Type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and then press ENTER: path = c:\;c:\dos;c:\windows;a:\ 3. Run Windows. 4. In Program Manager, choose Run from the File menu. 5. Type the following and press ENTER: chkdsk Windows then tries to read drive A before running the MS-DOS CHKDSK command. If no disk is in drive A, then it generates a "Cannot read from drive A:" error message. Additional query words: 3.00 err msg floppy 3.1 3.10 3.11 ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbWFWSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin300a kbWin310 kbWin311 kbWFW310 kbWFW311 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.