Issue Installing Windows 3.11 (Setup Error #214) \ VOGONS

Issue Installing Windows 3.11 (Setup Error #214)

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First post, by MrM_21632

Posted on 2017-02-03, 01:22

MrM_21632 Offline

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I'm having some issues installing Windows 3.11 on a DOS VM. Whenever I run setup.exe from the first disk, I eventually get this error:

Setup Error #214

Setup either cannot open or cannot create the
file A:\gdi.exe, which is needed to
set up Windows. Setup cannot continue.

The file may be in use by another application.

[Then it just tells me some troubleshooting tips, like quitting the app that’s using it.]

I don't know what would be using gdi.exe, since 1) it hasn't even been decompressed yet, and 2) the only things installed at the moment on the VM are DOS itself and DOSIdle. I don't think DOSIdle is the culprit, since the same error occurs when I turn DOSIdle off or uninstall it.

Anyone have any ideas as to what's going on?

Reply 1 of 4, by Jorpho

Posted on 2017-02-03, 03:15

Jorpho Offline

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Which VM are you using? Also, where did your Windows disks come from? Are you sure they are error-free?

Reply 2 of 4, by MrM_21632

Posted on 2017-02-03, 03:39

MrM_21632 Offline

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Jorpho wrote:
Which VM are you using? Also, where did your Windows disks come from? Are you sure they are error-free?

I am using a recent version of VirtualBox. It's not the most recent release, but it isn't too far behind.

I received my Windows disks from an eBay seller. They were still sealed.

Reply 3 of 4, by MrM_21632

Posted on 2017-02-03, 04:20

MrM_21632 Offline

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Joined: 2017-02-03, 01:16

I actually just tried to make a new image of the first install disk. The new image works just fine, so I think something went wrong when I made the disk image the first time.

Thanks for offering to help, Jorpho!

Reply 4 of 4, by Jo22

Posted on 2017-02-04, 12:52

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Hello, sorry for invading your discussion.. 😅
I just want to say that there's also another way of installing Windows 3.x.
Just put all of the content from the Windows floppies into a single directory, say c:\setup31.
From that point, just launch setup.exe and finish installation.

Hope this helps. Please excuse if I got something wrong. 😊
I only know that VBox faced a security problem with the floppy controller emulation some time ago.
And later they disabled it by default; no idea if they did some sort of a rewrite in the meantime.

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