Mouse Support in Command Session in Windows 2000

On a computer running Windows 2000, MS-DOS-based programs may not have mouse support.

Windows 2000 has different program information file (PIF) settings than in Microsoft Windows NT 4.0. By default, Windows 2000 enables QuickEdit mode in NT Virtual DOS Machine (this is also known as NTVDM, Windows on Windows, or WOW).

Disable QuickEdit mode in the PIF for the MS-DOS-based program:

1. Start the MS-DOS-based program.
2. Right-click the program window's title bar, and then click Properties.
3. On the Options tab, click to clear the QuickEdit Mode check box.
4. Click OK.
5. Click Save Properties, and then click OK.
6. Close the windows and then start the program again.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

If you configured the PIF in Windows NT 4.0 before you upgraded to Windows 2000, the MS-DOS-based program should work without changing the PIF.

Windows 2000 does not allow NTVDM to run instructions that try to manipulate hardware or memory locations directly. Therefore, some MS-DOS-based and Windows 3.x-based programs (such as games) may not run in Windows 2000.