Article: Q86181
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1,3.11
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s):
Last Modified: 29-AUG-2001
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11
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SUMMARY
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In Microsoft Windows version 3.1, if a program's executable filename is a name
that is reserved by Windows, the file will not run. There is no error message
associated with this behavior.
In addition, if a program's executable file has a name that is already running in
memory and the program running in memory can only occur once, the duplicate
program will:
- not execute
- not return an error message
- may execute the duplicate program
MORE INFORMATION
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This occurs because when Windows gets the request to run a new program, it
checks for another occurrence of this program in memory. It does this by looking
at the first eight characters of the filename and then comparing the information
to the programs in memory.
If Windows finds another version of this program in memory, it sends this new
instance to the currently running program. It is then up to this program whether
or not to execute a new instance. If the program is set up to make itself
active, then it will become active. If the program is reserved by Windows or its
operating system, such as KERNEL.EXE, then the new program will not execute.
Unusable executable filenames:
CGA40WOA.EXE
COMM.EXE
COMMDLG.EXE
GDI.EXE
DISPLAY.EXE
DOSAPP.EXE
FIXFONTS.EXE
FONTS.EXE
KERNEL.EXE
KEYBOARD.EXE
MMSYSTEM.EXE
MOUSE.EXE
PROGMAN.EXE
SHELL.EXE
USER.EXE
There may be other executable filenames that cannot be duplicated, depending on
the configuration and third-party applications.
KBCategory: kbother kbdisplay kbprb
KBSubcategory: win31
Additional query words: 3.10 3.11 file name
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Keywords :
Technology : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin310 kbWin311
Version : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11
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