Microsoft Win32s is a system extension that allows specially designed 32-bit windows applications to function and run in Windows 3.x or Windows for Workgroups 3.x which are 16-bit operating systems. In other words, Win32s enables Windows 3.x or Windows for Workgroups 3.x machines to emulate 32-bit mode.
Since Win32s runs Windows 3.x and Windows for Workgroups 3.x in a state Windows was never truly designed to run in, problems may arise. One such problem is a DOS 21 error. This error is a generic error indicating that Windows is having problems running your Win32s based application.
You will want to follow the steps below if you attempt to launch your Win32s based application and get any or all of the following error messages:
Win32s - Error: At least one system component is out of date. Please reinstall C:\\FMPRO30\\FMPRO30.EXE
Win32s - Error: Initialization of a dynamic link library failed. The process is terminating abnormally.
Unexpected DOS error 21
Application Error: Call to Undefined Dynalink
Depending on when you get this error will determine what path you take to try and resolve this. Please follow the proper path listed below.
YOUR WIN32S BASED APPLICATION USED TO WORK BUT NOW IT DOESN'T
If your Win32s based application, such as FileMaker Pro or ClarisWorks used to work but then suddenly stopped working, it is normally caused by another application or program installing older versions of files that are vital to the proper functioning of Win32s. To verify this you will want to perform the following steps:
1. Search for the files listed below and delete them from every directory EXCEPT from the \\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM
COMPOBJ.DLL 109056 9/6/95
OLE2.DLL 304640 9/6/95
OLE2CONV.DLL 57328 8/14/95
OLE2DISP.DLL 165008 7/25/95
OLE2NLS.DLL 152976 7/25/95
OLE2PROX.DLL 51712 9/6/95
STDOLE.TLB 5472 7/25/95
STORAGE.DLL 157696 3/2/95
TYPELIB.DLL 177824 7/25/95
The file size and date are taken from the files installed by the latest version of Win32s which is 1.30c. If you are using an older version of Win32s your file sizes and dates may vary. It is highly recommended that you obtain the latest version of Win32s if you are using an older version. It is also possible that you will encounter files whose dates is newer than the one listed above. This is usually OK --- the older ones are generally the problem.
2. In the \\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM directory, rename all the files listed above so that they have a .130 extension. Backing up the files ensures that if something goes wrong you can restore your system to the way it was before you starting troubleshooting this error.
3. The next step requires editing the SYSTEM.INI file. Open it up in any text editor, like NOTEPAD or SYSEDIT, and modify the following line from the [BOOT] section
DRIVERS=MMSYSTEM.DLL WINMM16.DLL
So that you remove the reference for WINMM16.DLL. The line should look like this when your doneÉ
DRIVERS=MMSYSTEM.DLL
4. Also in the SYSTEM.INI, remove the following line from the 386 Enhanced [386Enh] section of the SYSTEM.INI file:
Device=c:\\windows\\system\\win32s\\w32s.386
5. Save the changes to your SYSTEM.INI file
6. In the File Manager or equivalent , delete the entire WIN32S directory --- which is located in the \\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM subdirectory.
7. Quit out of Windows and restart
8. Delete the following files from the \\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM sub-directory
W32SYS.DLL
WIN32S16.DLL
WIN32S.INI
WINMM16.DLL
The above changes will take effect the next time Windows is run.
9. Reinstall Win32s per the directions that came with your application or from the directions that came with Win32s (if you downloaded it.)
After reinstalling Win32s, try your Win32s based application again and see if you can reproduce the errors you were getting. If the errors go away, then your system is fixed and your system should still function normally. If you continue to get any of the errors listed in this article, please see the section entitled:
YOUR WIN32S BASED APPLICATION HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY
If you just installed your Win32s application and immediately got one of the above errors, then another conflict is going on in your machine that is beyond the capacity of Claris Technical Support to assist you with. In this case one of two things is happening
1. There is another file or application on your system conflicting with the proper operation of Win32s
2. Your systems hardware, for one reason or another, is not compatible with Win32s.
It may be worthwhile to try uninstalling and reinstalling Win32s from your system, especially if you think you might have had a previous version of Win32s already installed. Please follow the directions listed above to see if it makes a difference.
To determine if you have a conflict with another file or application already installed on your system, you can try to reinstall Windows in another directory and see if that makes a difference. You can install Windows in another directory so that you do not effect your original configuration. Once you install Windows in another directory (for example \\WINDOWS2), launch that version of Windows and install Win32s and your Win32s based application into the new version of Windows.
If running your Win32s based application in the new version of Windows solves the problem, that indicates there is a configuration/compatibility issue between your original configuration and your Win32s based application. It is recommended that you use your new version of Windows and install all your Windows applications into this new version of Windows. Once you have confirmed that everything is running properly and/or has been copied over properly, you can delete your original version of Windows.
If the new version of Windows also produces the errors listed above then your system is having a general compatibility problem with Win32s. It is unlikely, without some hardware changes that you will be able to run your Win32s based application. At this point, you should contact that manufacturer of your system to see if they can offer any advice in running Win32s based applications.