# Increasing the value of files command?



## breadflow (May 14, 2008)

I've recently tried to install a game on my PC only to be confronted with this message: "TOO MANY OTHER FILES ARE CURRENTLY IN USE BY 16-BIT PROGRAMS. QUIT ONE OR MORE 16-BIT PROGRAMS OR INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE FILES COMMAND IN YOUR CONFIG." I was wondering what I must do in order to access config.sys and how to increase the value of the files command.


----------



## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

breadflow said:


> I've recently tried to install a game on my PC only to be confronted with this message: "TOO MANY OTHER FILES ARE CURRENTLY IN USE BY 16-BIT PROGRAMS. QUIT ONE OR MORE 16-BIT PROGRAMS OR INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE FILES COMMAND IN YOUR CONFIG." I was wondering what I must do in order to access config.sys and how to increase the value of the files command.




Hi breadflow. . .

Welcome to the Tech Support Forum - Vista Support!

The config.sys file does exist in the c:\ root directory within Vista, but is not used. The file that you may be looking for is config.nt and is located in the c:\windows\system32\ directory. This file (as well as config.sys) does contain the entry files=40. Whether or not it is as simple as changing this number as had been under DOS, I do not know as I don't have a 16-bit application that would open more than 40 files concurrently to test. 

Here is a look inside the config.nt file (look at the end):

```
[COLOR=blue][SIZE=2][FONT=calibri]REM Windows MS-DOS Startup File
REM
REM CONFIG.SYS vs CONFIG.NT
REM CONFIG.SYS is not used to initialize the MS-DOS environment.
REM CONFIG.NT is used to initialize the MS-DOS environment unless a
REM different startup file is specified in an application's PIF.
REM
REM ECHOCONFIG
REM By default, no information is displayed when the MS-DOS environment
REM is initialized. To display CONFIG.NT/AUTOEXEC.NT information, add
REM the command echoconfig to CONFIG.NT or other startup file.
REM
REM NTCMDPROMPT
REM When you return to the command prompt from a TSR or while running an
REM MS-DOS-based application, Windows runs COMMAND.COM. This allows the
REM TSR to remain active. To run CMD.EXE, the Windows command prompt,
REM rather than COMMAND.COM, add the command ntcmdprompt to CONFIG.NT or
REM other startup file.
REM
REM DOSONLY
REM By default, you can start any type of application when running
REM COMMAND.COM. If you start an application other than an MS-DOS-based
REM application, any running TSR may be disrupted. To ensure that only
REM MS-DOS-based applications can be started, add the command dosonly to
REM CONFIG.NT or other startup file.
REM
REM EMM
REM You can use EMM command line to configure EMM(Expanded Memory Manager).
REM The syntax is:
REM
REM EMM = [A=AltRegSets] [B=BaseSegment] [RAM]
REM
REM     AltRegSets
REM         specifies the total Alternative Mapping Register Sets you
REM         want the system to support. 1 <= AltRegSets <= 255. The
REM         default value is 8.
REM     BaseSegment
REM         specifies the starting segment address in the Dos conventional
REM         memory you want the system to allocate for EMM page frames.
REM         The value must be given in Hexdecimal.
REM         0x1000 <= BaseSegment <= 0x4000. The value is rounded down to
REM         16KB boundary. The default value is 0x4000
REM     RAM
REM         specifies that the system should only allocate 64Kb address
REM         space from the Upper Memory Block(UMB) area for EMM page frames
REM         and leave the rests(if available) to be used by DOS to support
REM         loadhigh and devicehigh commands. The system, by default, would
REM         allocate all possible and available UMB for page frames.
REM
REM     The EMM size is determined by pif file(either the one associated
REM     with your application or _default.pif). If the size from PIF file
REM     is zero, EMM will be disabled and the EMM line will be ignored.
REM
dos=high, umb
device=%SystemRoot%\system32\himem.sys
[COLOR=Red]files=40[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]
```
If you wouldn't mind, please provide me with a link to download the software in question as I'd like to test the program myself - but without changing the config.nt file - as there may be an underlying cause that resulted in the error message that you received.

Regards. . .

jcgrff2


----------



## breadflow (May 14, 2008)

I really appreciate the assistance, it's been really difficult to find help with this issue... I have only one more question - I should open up config.NT in notepad or some other text program, right? I have done this and changed the file= setting, but when I attempt to save I get the message "Cannot create the c:\windows\system32\config.nt file. Make sure that the path and the name are correct."

The link where I got the program I'm trying to run is: http://www.darkageofcamelot.com/downloads/ I've downloaded the file from both FileFront and FileBurst, but the same thing happens either time.


----------



## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Good Morning breadflow. . .

In Vista, you must own a file to be able to modify it. A user named the "TrustedInstaller" is the owner of record for much of the Windows folder. You do not have "permission" by him/her to edit any files. You can "take ownership" of the Windows folder and accomplish what you wish.

You need to first "take ownership" file in question and set the appropriate file permissions for it alone. This can be accomplished tediously via a series of screens through Vista or in the following manner:

Bring up an *Elevated* command prompt via:
START | type *cmd* into the start search box | right-click on cmd (cmd.exe) | select "Run as Administrator" | next to the prompt type the following exactly as it appears in the command:

```
[FONT=regular][SIZE=2][COLOR=red]takeown /f c:\windows\system32\config.nt

icacls c:\windows\system32\config.nt[/color][/size][/font]
```
Now try to edit/save the file. I'll look ito the link this weekend. Thanks.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2


----------



## breadflow (May 14, 2008)

Hmm, I brought up the prompt and typed: takeown /f c:\windows\system32\config.nt as instructed. I received: "ERROR: The current logged on user does not have ownership privileges on the file <or folder> "c:\windows\system32\config.nt"" and thus cannot alter the config.nt file.


----------



## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Greetings breadflow. . .

Please try something for me ... Same procedure, but without the directory names:


Bring up another *Elevated* DOS box:
START | type *cmd* into the start search box | right-click on cmd (cmd.exe) | select "Run as Administrator" | next to the prompt type the following exactly as it appears in the command:

```
[FONT=regular][SIZE=2][COLOR=red]takeown /f config.nt

icacls config.nt[/color][/size][/font]
```
Was the error message related to ownership or "file not found"?

Regards. . .

jcgriff2


----------



## breadflow (May 14, 2008)

Aye, the system could not find the file specified.


----------



## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi breadflow. . .

It appears to me that you are not executing cmd.exe at an Elevated Administrative level - very vital in Vista. If you bring up cmd.exe in the start menu and left-click twice on it, you will end up inside a DOS box with the current directory reading c:\users\your_user_name. However, if you bring up cmd.exe then right-click 1x and select "Run as Administrator", you will find yourself once again in a DOS box, but now in the sub-directory c:\windows\system32. This just may be enough to make it possible for you to modify config.nt and save it. So... please try the instructions again:

Bring up an *Elevated* command prompt via:
START | type *cmd* into the start search box | right-click on cmd (cmd.exe) | select "Run as Administrator" | next to the prompt type the following exactly as it appears in the command:

```
[FONT=normal][SIZE=2][COLOR=red]takeown /f config.nt

icacls config.nt[/color][/size][/font]
```
Now try to edit/save the file. Please let me know how you make out.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2


----------



## breadflow (May 14, 2008)

I have met with success gaining control of the config.nt file, however I still encounter the error that I cannot create the file and must make sure that the path and file name are correct.


----------



## jcgriff2 (Sep 30, 2007)

breadflow said:


> I have met with success gaining control of the config.nt file, however I still encounter the error that I cannot create the file and must make sure that the path and file name are correct.




Hi breadflow. . .

Apologies... but I am not following...

You say that you have "... control of config.nt", yet you "cannot create the file ..." - aren't you trying to modify it? Or is "modify" what you are referring to... if so, what do you mean by "control of config.nt"? Also... what about the path and filename - where are these messages coming from? 

Regards. . .

jcgriff2


----------

