MS-DOS 5.0 and Windows Expand Utilities Not Interchangeable

 Last reviewed: March 16, 1998
Article ID: Q74251
3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.11 WINDOWS kbother kbinterop kberrmsg

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11
  • Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 5.x, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22

The EXPAND.EXE utilities that come with Microsoft Windows and the MS-DOS are not interchangeable. For example, if you try to expand compressed MS-DOS 6.x or Windows 3.1 file using the EXPAND command from MS-DOS 5.0 you receive the following error message: 

   Input file <filename> already in expanded format.
If a problem occurs when expanding files from the Windows or MS-DOS disks, use the respective EXPAND.EXE file that came with the product.

KBCategory: kbother kbinterop kberrmsg
KBSubcategory: win30 win31 wfw wfwg
Additional reference words: 3.10 3.00 3.00a 3.11 DOS 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: March 16, 1998
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.