FSPC for MS-DOS under Windows®98

The FSPC department has received many letters and calls from Financial Secretaries about a problem using the FSPC for MS-DOS program with Windows®98. The error that is given is "Too Many Files Open" Error when the program is started. Although we have been unable to recreate this error in our test environment, we do have some ways to correct the problem.

The problem is a result of the config.sys file; WindowsÒ 98 does not need a config.sys to operate or to run its DOS prompt. For DOS programs, the config.sys file is included in to make the operating system (Windows®98) compatible to earlier programs not designed for WindowsÒ 98.

These solutions are not guaranteed to work. What is strange about this problem; though, what works for one computer may not work for another. Therefore, it is best to use the solutions through trial and error, if the first one does not work, try another. Remember to restart the computer, through the Start button on the task bar, after each attempt to correct the problem to set the changes in the operating system.

 

WINDOWS 98 - Too Many Files Error

The best way we have discovered to get the program running under Windows©98 is:

  1. Click on Start then Run.
  2. Type msconfig in the textbox and press enter. This will bring up a window with all of the DOS configurations.
  3. Click on the Config.sys tab.
  4. Make sure that the FILES equal 100 and the BUFFERS equal 45. To correct the information, click on the line and click on edit. Remember to restart you computer after making any changes.

You should be able to run the program under the MS-DOS prompt now.

or try:

  1. Go to the MS-DOS prompt,
  2. Type cd.. (to get out of Windows directory),
  3. Type edit config.sys,
  4. In the first position of the edit screen, hit the Enter Key to make a space,
  5. Move the cursor back up to the first position and type FILES=100,
  6. Hit the Enter Key,
  7. Type BUFFERS=45,
  8. Find the files and buffers command lines later in the edit window and erase.
  9. Click on File,
  10. Click on Save,
  11. Click on File,
  12. Click on Exit,
  13. Type exit to go back into WindowsÒ 98,
  14. Restart the computer,
  15. Enter the FSPC program.

or try:

  1. Double click on the My Computer icon,
  2. Double click on the drive FSPC is located, usually the C drive,
  3. Double click on the FSPC2 Folder,
  4. Find the FSPC application and single click it – highlighting it, (this looks like the outline of a window)
  5. Single click on File,
  6. Single click on Properties,
  7. Single click on the Program Tab at the top of the FSPC Properties Window,
  8. Single click on the Advanced Box at the bottom of the window,
  9. Single click on MS-DOS Mode,
  10. Single click on "Specify a new MS-DOS Configuration,"

            In the window under the phrase "config.sys for MS-DOS mode" enter:

    FILES=100
    BUFFERS=45

  1. Click on OK, click on OK
  2. Restart your computer and start FSPC

or try:

  1. Go to the MS-DOS prompt,
  2. Type cd.. (to get out of Windows directory),
  3. Type edit config.sys,
  4. Click on File,
  5. Click on Save As and enter a new name for your old config.sys. Try config.bak and remember what it is saved as so you can revert to it later if needed.
  6. Look for lines that begin with DEVICE=C: etc,
  7. Look for the keyword NOEMS in these lines and delete that keyword,
  8. Click on File,
  9. Click on Save As and enter the name config.sys,
  10. Click on File,
  11. Click on Exit,
  12. At the DOS prompt, type exit to return to Windows,
  13. Restart your computer and start FSPC.

or try:

  1. Backup the system,
  2. Delete FSPC program from the hard drive,
  3. Double click on the My Computer icon
  4. Double click on the drive the FSPC program is on
  5. Drag the FSPC2 folder to the Recycling Bin
  6. Go to MS-DOS prompt,
  7. Type cd..
  8. Type edit config.sys,
  9. Go through the list and look for FILEHIGH, it should be towards the bottom,
  10. Change the settings from 20 to 75,
  11. Install FSPC,
  12. Restart your computer and start the FSPC program.

Periodically Windows©98 resets the config.sys. If the error occurs later, perform these steps again. Remember to backup your work.

If these do not work, there is nothing else to do except wait for the Windows version of FSPC to be released.