Article: Q61925
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s):
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 3.1, 3.2, 3.21, 3.3, 3.3a, 4.0, 4.01, 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SYMPTOMS
========
You may receive the "Incorrect DOS Version" error if you execute an MS-DOS
command (MODE, for example) and your AUTOEXEC.BAT file has two PATH statements
similar to the following:
PATH=C:\DOS;
PATH=C:\P3;%PATH%
Recopying the MODE.COM file from your MS-DOS floppy disk to your DOS subdirectory
does not correct the error.
CAUSE
=====
This problem occurs because MS-DOS is looking for the command in the wrong
directory.
RESOLUTION
==========
To correct this problem, you need to rewrite your PATH statement.
MORE INFORMATION
================
When your AUTOEXEC.BAT file is run, the path is set to C:\DOS (the DOS
subdirectory). When it executes the second path statement (PATH=C:\P3;%PATH%),
the path is reset to C:\P3 (the P3 subdirectory) and the C:\DOS path is appended
to this. When the AUTOEXEC.BAT file is finished running, your path is set to
C:\P3;C:\DOS, in this order.
When you issue a command (in this case, the MODE command) with the above path
set, MS-DOS searches the current directory. If the command isn't found in the
current directory, MS-DOS searches the P3 subdirectory. If the command still
isn't found, MS-DOS searches the MS-DOS subdirectory.
The "Incorrect DOS version" error occurs because there is a MODE command in your
P3 subdirectory. When the MODE command is issued, MS-DOS is finding the MODE
command in the P3 subdirectory rather than the MODE command in the DOS
subdirectory. To avoid this, you can do either of the following:
- Combine the two PATH statements so that one of them reads as follows
PATH=C:\DOS;C:\P3;
then delete the second PATH statement.
-or-
- Change the second PATH statement to read as follows:
PATH=%PATH%;C:\P3
Either of these solutions forces MS-DOS to search the DOS subdirectory before the
P3 subdirectory.
Additional query words: 6.22 3.2x 3.30 3.30a 4.00 4.00a 4.01 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 \* yeswin4
======================================================================
Keywords :
Technology : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS321 kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS320 kbMSDOS330a kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS310 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS330 kbMSDOS401 kbMSDOS500a
Version : MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
=============================================================================