Digger^TM Support - Windows Damage

Contents

• Summary
• Symptoms
• Description
• Possible causes of the damage
• Solution
• Preventing it happening again
• Simple definitions

Autoexec.nt or config.nt is not suitable and Digger^TM will not start.

These files are part of Windows, not Digger^TM. If you are seeing a message that either of these files is not suitable, it means your copy of Windows is damaged and therefore Windows is unable to start Digger^TM. This problem is most likely to appear after upgrading Windows XP to Service Pack 2 (SP2).

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Symptoms

You try to start Digger^TM, and a message appears that says something like

C:\Winnt\System32\config.nt The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

or

C:\Windows\System32\Autoexec.nt The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

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Description

The files autoexec.nt, config.nt and command.com are part of Windows. Windows uses them whenever a 16-bit program is opened. Portions of Digger^TM are 16-bit, therefore these files are needed before Windows can start Digger^TM. If when trying to use Digger^TM you are seeing a message similar to the examples listed under Symptoms, then one or more of these three files is either damaged or missing.

Many people have reported this problem after upgrading Windows XP to Service Pack 2 (SP2).

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Possible causes of the damage

At the date of writing, Microsoft have not explained how these important files might become missing or damaged during an upgrade to Windows XP SP2. Many people who have investigated the problem believe that the damage is caused when SP2 is installed on a computer that is home to a virus or spyware program. The sequence is similar to:

1. Windows is infected by either a virus or spyware
2. The virus or spyware alters autoexec.nt or config.nt or command.com to help it work undetected. Naturally the alterations are carefully designed to ensure Windows still works; it just does more than it used to!
3. SP2 assumes autoexec.nt, config.nt and command.com are the original unaltered versions, and makes minor changes that are part of the upgrade.
4. One or more of autoexec.nt, config.nt or command.com are now damaged so badly it will not function.

This is a little like you deciding on renovations after looking at the plan of a house (the original Windows XP). Unbeknown to you, someone else has already completed extensive renovations (the virus or spyware). When your renovations (SP2), which were designed to be added to the original house design, are added to the already-renovated house, you find you have four bathrooms and no kitchen or bedrooms.

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Solution

Microsoft has published on their web site instructions for repairing this damage to Windows.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324767

The "CD" they refer to is your Windows CD, not a Digger^TM CD.

Once you have successfully followed Microsoft's instructions, Digger^TM should once again work properly.

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Preventing it happening again

To greatly decrease the chances of this problem happening again, you should ensure you take steps to protect your computer from both viruses and spyware.

You should

• Install and use an anti-virus program.
• Ensure you keep both the program and its virus signatures up to date. Unless your Internet usage is very low, you should update the virus signatures weekly. Your virus program should include instructions for doing this.
• Ensure your virus-checking program regularly checks the entire hard disk. Some only check a few files unless you tell them otherwise. This makes them quick, but also gives a false sense of security.
• Install and use an anti-spyware program. Most current anti-virus programs do not look for spyware. You need a separate program for this.
• Ensure you keep both the program and its signature file up to date. Your program should include instructions for doing this.

Popular free anti-spyware programs are Spybot and Ad-aware.

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Simple definitions

Virus

A malicious program that infects your computer and spreads to other computers. It commonly has a payload that may damage your computer software, or may just make alterations to Windows so other viruses and spyware have an easier time. Many modern viruses do not make themselves obvious to the user. Instead they surreptitiously use the computer to send large quantities of junk email or spam.

Spyware

A program that relies on the user to download and install it, but usually does so by pretending to be something the user wants. Once installed, it hides away and "spies" on the user, even after the user thinks they have deleted the program they downloaded. Spyware programs commonly alter the advertisements displayed while using the web, or generate pop-up advertisements. Some send you to web sites they want you to see instead of the one you wanted to look at.

Spyware has also been known to look out for you typing in a password, for example while accessing your online banking or connecting to your ISP, and then send those details to someone else.

Spyware is a well-known cause of computers running slowly. Stories abound of people who complain their computer is running much slower than it used to. Upon checking the computer, it is found to have several hundred separate spyware programs all running at once.

The above definitions are greatly simplified. If you are interested in more detailed definitions, see a reputable reference web site such as Wikipedia.

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