Dialog Box with Red Circle and White X During Upgrade from Windows NT 3.51 (186144)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q186144

SYMPTOMS

When you upgrade Windows NT 3.51 to Windows NT 4.0, Windows NT restarts to GUI-mode and you get a dialog box with "f" in the title bar and a red circle with a white "x", a capital "A", and the OK button.

CAUSE

The Setupapi.dll file on the system is newer than the Windows NT 4.0 Setupapi.dll file dated Aug. 8, 1996; therefore, it is not replaced with the Windows NT 4.0 Setupapi.dll file.

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem, do one of the following:

  • If Windows NT is installed on a FAT partition, boot to MS-DOS and rename Setupapi.dll to SetupapiOLD.dll. Copy the Windows NT 4.0 Setupapi.dll file to the local hard disk drive. The file is located in the %SystemRoot%\System32 folder.

    -or-
  • If Windows NT is installed on an NTFS partition, reinstall Windows NT to a separate folder (for example, NTTEMP). Log on to this parallel installation and rename Setupapi.dll in the %SystemRoot%\System32\ folder of the original Windows NT installation to SetupapiOLD.dll. Copy the Windows NT 4.0 Setupapi.dll file to the local hard disk.

MORE INFORMATION

If an attempt was made to install Internet Explorer 4.0 Preview Version to Windows NT 3.51 and the installation failed, the Setupapi.dll file dated July 24, 1997, may be left in the %SystemRoot%\System32\ folder. During the Windows NT 3.51 to Windows NT 4.0 upgrade, the Setupapi.dll file dated July 24, 1997, is not replaced by the Windows NT 4.0 file dated Aug. 8, 1996, because it is newer.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/9/2001
Keywords:kbprb KB186144
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