Illegal device name
Cause: MODE. The specified printer must be LPT1, LPT2 or LPT3. The specified Asynchronous Communications
Adapter must exist and must be COM1, COM2, COM3, or COM4.
Action: Use the correct device name and retry the command.
Incorrect APPEND version
Cause: APPEND. You are using a version of APPEND that does not match the version you initially loaded. You
might be using the version that comes with the IBM Local Area Network Program.
Action: Determine why you are accessing the wrong version (often the result of your PATH setting) and change
your setup to find the PC DOS version of APPEND.
Incorrect DOS version
Cause: DOS. The command you attempted to use is not intended to be used with the version of PC DOS now
on your system.
Action: If you set up with DOS, make sure that the DOS commands you use are from the DOS diskettes.
Network users accessing DOS commands across the network should edit the PATH statement in the
NETPATH.BAT file, replacing the "d:\APPS\DOS" reference with a local reference to DOS; for example, A:\ or
C:\DOS.
Incorrect number of parameters
Cause: COMMANDS. You entered a number of parameters different from those valid for the command.
Action: Correct the command parameters and try again.
Infinite retry not supported on network printer
Cause: MODE. Infinite retry was requested by specifying P or RETRY=. Printer errors cannot be sensed through
the network interface.
Action: Do not specify P or RETRY= or use a non-redirected printer.
Insufficient disk space
Cause: DOS and COMMANDS. The disk does not contain enough free space to contain the file being written.
Action: If you suspect this condition is invalid, run CHKDSK to determine the status of the disk. Otherwise, use
another disk and retry the command.
Insufficient memory
Cause: COMMANDS. The amount of available memory is too small to allow these commands to function.
Action: You need to increase the amount of available memory in your system. You can do this in several ways,
including:
o Changing the buffers parameter in the CONFIG.SYS file to a smaller value.
o Removing terminate-and-stay resident programs.
Restart the computer and try the command again. If the message still appears, your system does not have
enough memory to process the command.
Insufficient memory for COUNTRY.SYS file
Cause: IBMBIO. There is not enough memory for processing the COUNTRY.SYS file.
Action: You need to increase the amount of available memory in your system. You can do this in several ways,
including:
o Changing the buffers parameter in the CONFIG.SYS file to a smaller value.
o Removing device driver programs.
Restart the system and try the command again. If the message still appears, your system does not have enough
memory to process the command.
Insufficient memory to load system files
Cause: COMMANDS. There is not enough memory to keep all of the system files in random access memory
(RAM).
Action: Free memory by closing files and programs you no longer need. If you still get this message, remove
memory-resident programs or unnecessary device drivers from your CONFIG.SYS file, and restart your computer.
Insufficient memory to store macro. Use the DOSKEY command
with the /bufsize switch to increase available memory.
Cause: DOSKEY. There is not enough memory to store the information you typed at the command prompt.
Action: Use the DOSKEY command with the /macros switch to see a list of the macros currently resident in
memory. To free some memory for the new macro, delete the macros you no longer need. If you still get this
message, install DOSKEY again.
Note: Any macros not saved in a batch file will be erased.
To reinstall the DOSKEY program, do one of the following:
o Restart your computer and specify the DOSKEY command with a larger /bufsize switch. Or,
o Without restarting your computer, use the DOSKEY command with the /reinstall and the /bufsize switches.
Insufficient room in root directory
Move files from root directory and repeat CHKDSK.
Cause: CHKDSK. You instructed CHKDSK to create files from the "lost" data blocks it has found, but the root
directory is full, and all the lost chains could not be recovered into files.
Action:
1. Copy some of the recovered files to another disk for further examination.
2. Delete the recovered files from the disk you are checking.
3. Run CHKDSK again to recover the remainder of the lost data.
Intermediate file error during pipe
Cause: DOS. DOS is unable to create one or both of its intermediate files because the root directory default
drive was full. DOS is unable to find the piping files, or the disk does not have enough space to hold the data
being piped.
Action: Erase some files from the root directory of the default drive, and reissue the command that failed. If
you get the same message, one of the programs in the command line has erased one or both piping files.
Correct the program and reissue the command.
Internal error
Cause: FDISK or SHARE. This message indicates an undetermined error has occurred.
Action: Contact your service representative.
Invalid baud rate specified
Cause: MODE. You specified an invalid baud rate.
Action: Specify the baud rate as 110, 150, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, or 19200 (you need specify only the
first two characters of the number).
Invalid characters in volume label
Cause: FORMAT or LABEL. The volume label contains one or more invalid characters, or the name contains a
period.
Action: Specify a volume label with up to 11 characters, using only letters and numbers.
Invalid code page
Cause: DOS and COMMANDS. The code page specified on the command-line statement might not be used with
the requested language.
Action: Specify the correct code page and retry the operation.
Invalid code page specified
Cause: KEYB. You specified the wrong code page setting with the MODE command /select switch, or the code
page setting in your CONFIG.SYS file is not correct for your keyboard layout.
Action: Specify the correct code page value for your keyboard layout using the MODE command with the /select
switch, or edit your CONFIG.SYS file to specify the correct value; then restart your computer.
Invalid combination of parameters
Cause: COMMANDS. One or more of the parameters entered have been placed in the wrong order.
Action: Review the syntax for the command and enter the command again.
Invalid country code or code page
Cause: IBMBIO. The three-digit country code or code page specified in the COUNTRY command in the
CONFIG.SYS file is invalid, or the requested code page is not available for the specified country code.
Action: See the COUNTRY command in the PC DOS 7 Command Reference for the correct country code and code
page.
Invalid current directory
Cause: CHKDSK. CHKDSK attempted to read the current directory and found an unrecoverable error on the
disk.
Action: You might be able to recover some of the files on this disk by copying them with the COPY command.
Invalid date
Cause: DOS and COMMANDS. The date format used was not correct for the country code setting in your
CONFIG.SYS file.
Action: Type the date using the correct format for the country code setting specified in your CONFIG.SYS file, as
indicated by the screen prompt.
Invalid device
Cause: CTTY. DOS does not recognize the device name specified.
Action: Retry the command, using a valid device name.
Invalid device parameters from device driver
Cause: FORMAT. The number of hidden sectors (relative sectors) is not an exact multiple of the number of
sectors per track. The DOS partition does not start on a track boundary.
Action: Load FDISK and set up a new DOS partition on the hard disk. Retry FORMAT.
Invalid device request
Cause: COMMANDS. A device driver has issued an invalid command to <device>.
Action: Refer to the "Responses" section.
o Review your device interface specification and DOS driver implementation to make sure that the commands,
parameters, and switches you are trying to use are supported.
o Check your program to see if you have a coding problem that needs debugging.
Invalid directory
Cause: DOS and COMMANDS. One of the directories in the specified path does not exist.
Action: Retry the command, using a valid directory.
Invalid disk change
Cause: COMMANDS. You changed a disk while an operation was in progress.
Action: Insert the original disk in the drive and try the command again.
Invalid drive in search path
Cause: DOS. An invalid drive specifier was found in one of the paths specified in the PATH command. This
message appears when DOS attempts to find a command or batch file rather than at the time the incorrect
PATH command was issued.
Action:
1. Enter PATH. This displays the paths previously defined.
2. Find the invalid specifier.
3. Re-enter the PATH command with the valid drive specifier and the desired paths.
Invalid drive or file name
Cause: DOS or COMMANDS. The drive or file name specified is invalid.
Action: Try a different drive letter or, if the file name is the problem, use the DIR /s command with wildcards.
Invalid drive specification
Cause: COMMANDS. An invalid or nonexistent drive specification was used with the command or in one of its
parameters, or the source and target drive are the same.
Action: Re-enter the command, using a valid drive specifier.
Invalid drive specification
Specified drive does not exist,
or is non-removable
Cause: DISKCOPY. You have specified a hard disk drive for the drive1 or drive2 parameter of the DISKCOPY
command.
Action: Re-enter the command, using a valid drive specifier.
Invalid entry
Cause: FDISK. You made an invalid entry.
Action: Type the correct value.
Invalid entry, please enter x
Cause: FDISK. The value entered was not within acceptable range.
Action: Re-enter your choice.
Invalid entry, please press Enter.
Cause: FDISK. The percent sign you entered is the last character. You cannot enter additional characters
after you have entered the percent sign.
Action: Press Enter, or press Backspace to change your entry and press Enter.
Invalid Environment
Cause: COMMANDS. This message is issued when:
o The specified environment size contains non-numeric characters.
o The specified environment size is out of range.
Action: Enter the correct parameters within the specified range and retry the operation.
Invalid file name or file not found
Cause: RENAME or TYPE. You tried to rename a file that was either invalid or not found in the specified
directory. TYPE does not allow global file name characters.
Action: Enter the correct file name.
Invalid Function
Cause: COMMANDS. Caused by an application error, this message states that the DOS function is not supported.
Action: Exit the application program.
Invalid keyboard code specified
Cause: KEYB. The keyboard code specified in the command-line statement in the CONFIG.SYS is not valid.
Action: Correct and retry the operation.
Invalid keyboard ID specified
Cause: KEYB. The keyboard ID specified on the command-line statement in the CONFIG.SYS is not valid.
Action: Correct and retry the operation.
Invalid keyword
Cause: COMMANDS. You have entered an invalid keyword; for example, entering DELA= instead of DELAY= for
the MODE command.
Action: Check your typing and correct it if necessary. If your typing is correct, check the syntax for the
appropriate keyword. Retry your request.
Invalid macro definition
Cause: DOSKEY. Your entry contains a syntax error.
Action: Type the following at the command prompt, to get help for the correct syntax:
help doskey
Invalid media or Track 0 bad - disk unusable
Cause: FORMAT. FORMAT was unable to format track 0 on the specified media. This error occurs if:
o Track 0 is unusable. Track 0 is where the boot record, file allocation table, and directory must reside. If
track 0 is bad, the disk is unusable.
o The diskette type and drive type are incompatible. You tried to format a double-sided, 320KB or 360KB
diskette in a high-capacity, 1.2MB drive; or a high-capacity, 1.2MB diskette in a double-sided, 320KB or 360KB
drive.
Action: For the first case, get another diskette and retry the FORMAT command. For the second case, retry the
FORMAT command specifying the /4 switch.
Invalid media type
Cause: COMMANDS. You have tried to access a disk that is not formatted with DOS, that is only partially
formatted, or is damaged.
Action: Format the disk again, or specify another disk to use.
Invalid number of parameters
Cause: COMMANDS. You have specified too few or too many parameters for the command you issued.
Action: Check the syntax of the command and re-enter the command.
Invalid parameter - x
Cause: DOS and COMMANDS. One or more of the parameters entered for these commands are not valid or have
been placed in the wrong order.
Action: If the program expects a drive specifier, enter a colon (:) following the drive letter. In other cases,
make sure that the character following the slash (/) is valid for the program being run.
Invalid parameter combination
Cause: COMMANDS and REPLACE. One or more of the parameters entered is not valid when entered in this
combination.
Action: Review the syntax for this command and enter the command again.
Invalid parameters
Cause: MODE. Parameters are unrecognizable or are in the wrong order.
o The first parameter was other than 40, 80, BW40, BW80, CO40, CO80, MONO, L, or R.
o The adapter that the parameter refers to is not present in the system.
Action: Check the preceding list and correct the command.
Invalid partition table
Cause: FDISK. While attempting to start PC DOS from your hard disk, the startup procedures detected invalid
information in the partition information of the disk.
Action:
1. Start PC DOS from the hard disk.
2. Use the FDISK command to examine and correct the hard disk partition information.
Invalid path
Invalid path, not all directories copied
Cause: COMMANDS. The specified path or file name is not correct.
Action: Retype the command using the correct file name and path.
Invalid path, not directory
or directory not empty
Cause: RMDIR. This message is caused by one of the following:
o The specified directory was not removed because one of the names you specified in the path was not a
valid directory name.
o The directory you specified still contains entries for files or other subdirectories (except for the . and ..
entries).
Action: Try one of the following:
o Correct the invalid directory name in the path.
o Delete any files or remove any subdirectories in the directory.
Invalid path or file name
Cause: COPY and RENAME. You specified a directory or file name that does not exist.
Action: Use the correct name. Retry the command after checking for the following:
o Correct spelling of names.
o Valid directory names.
o Existence of the file in the subdirectory specified.
Invalid path or file not found
Cause: ATTRIB. You specified a directory or file name that does not exist.
Action: Use the correct name. Retry the command after checking for the following:
o Correct spelling of names.
o Valid directory names.
o Existence of the file in the subdirectory specified.
Invalid path or System files not found
Cause: COMMANDS. The system files could not be found.
Action: Make sure you specified the correct path to the IBMDOS.COM, IBMBIO.COM, and COMMAND.COM files, and
that the files exist on the disk.
Invalid socket
Cause: DRVLOCK. The specified socket number is not valid.
Action: Specify a valid socket number and try the command again.
Invalid STACK parameters
Cause: IBMBIO. Invalid combination of either the number of stacks or the stack size specified.
Action: Correct the STACKS command in CONFIG.SYS and restart.
Invalid subdirectory entry
Cause: CHKDSK. Invalid information was detected in the subdirectory whose name precedes this message.
Action: CHKDSK attempts to correct the error if you have used the /f switch. For more specific information
about the error, run CHKDSK with the /v switch.
Invalid switch - x
Cause: DOS and COMMANDS. One or more of the switches entered for the command is not valid, is in the
wrong order, or is duplicated. This message might also occur if the command does not use a switch.
Action: Make sure that the character following the slash (/) is valid for the program being run.
Invalid syntax on DISPLAY.SYS code page driver
Cause: DISPLAY.SYS. The syntax of the DEVICE=DISPLAY.SYS command in the CONFIG.SYS file is incorrect.
Action: Make sure that the parameters are correct, edit the CONFIG.SYS file, and restart PC DOS.
Invalid time
Cause: COMMANDS. The time format used is not correct for the country code setting in your CONFIG.SYS file.
Action: Type the time using the correct format for the country code setting specified in your CONFIG.SYS file, as
indicated by the screen prompt.
Invalid Volume ID
Cause: FORMAT. The volume label entered does not match the volume label on the disk to be formatted.
Action: Issue the VOL command to determine the correct volume label and try again.
Is cross linked on allocation unit xx
Cause: CHKDSK. This message appears twice for each cross-linked cluster number, naming the two files in
error. The same data block is allocated to both files. Note that some copy-protected software deliberately
cross-links its own files and no action should be taken for such files.
Action: No corrective action is taken automatically. Correct the problem by proceeding with the following:
1. Make a copy of the file that is cross-linked.
2. Delete the file from its original directory.
3. Recopy the file to the original directory.
Note: The CHKDSK command lists only one file that is cross-linked at a time, not two.
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