What are COMMAND.COM Error Messages?

COMMAND.COM Runtime Errors

Runtime errors are Windows errors that occur during "runtime". Runtime is pretty self-explanatory; it means that these COM errors are triggered when COMMAND.COM is attempted to be loaded either when Windows is starting up, or in some cases already running. Runtime errors are the most common form of COM error you will encounter using Windows.

In most cases, COMMAND.COM runtime errors occurring while the program is running will result in the program terminating abnormally. Most of these COMMAND.COM error messages mean that Windows was either unable to locate this file on startup, or the file is corrupt, resulting in a prematurely-aborted startup process. Generally, Windows will be unable to start without resolving these errors.

Finding the source of the COMMAND.COM error is key to properly resolving these errors. Although most of these COM errors affecting COMMAND.COM will happen during startup, occasionally you will encounter a runtime error while using Windows 10. This can occur due to poor programming on behalf of Microsoft, conflicts with other software or 3rd-party plug-ins, or caused by damaged and outdated hardware. Also, these types of COMMAND.COM errors can occur if it has been accidentally moved, deleted, or corrupted by a malware infection. Thus, it's critical to make sure your anti-virus is kept up-to-date and scanning regularly.

How to Fix COMMAND.COM Errors in 3 Steps (Time to complete: ~5-15 minutes)

If you're encountering one of the error messages above, follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve your COMMAND.COM issue. These troubleshooting steps are listed in the recommended order of execution.

To begin System Restore (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10):

1. Hit the Windows Start button
2. When you see the search box, type "System Restore" and press "ENTER".
3. In the search results, find and click System Restore.
4. Please enter the administrator password (if applicable / prompted).
5. Follow the steps in the System Restore Wizard to choose a relevant restore point.
6. Restore your computer to that backup image.

If the Step 1 fails to resolve the COMMAND.COM error, please proceed to the Step 2 below.

When the first two steps haven't solved your issue, it might be a good idea to run Windows Update. Many COMMAND.COM error messages that are encountered can be contributed to an outdated Windows Operating System. To run Windows Update, please follow these easy steps:

1. Hit the Windows Start button
2. In the search box, type "Update" and press "ENTER".
3. In the Windows Update dialog box, click "Check for Updates" (or similar button depending on your Windows version)
4. If updates are available for download, click "Install Updates".
5. After the update is completed, restart your PC.

If Windows Update failed to resolve the COMMAND.COM error message, please proceed to next step. Please note that this final step is recommended for advanced PC users only.

If Those Steps Fail: Download and Replace Your COMMAND.COM File (Caution: Advanced)

If none of the previous three troubleshooting steps have resolved your issue, you can try a more aggressive approach (Note: Not recommended for amateur PC users) by downloading and replacing your appropriate COMMAND.COM file version. We maintain a comprehensive database of 100% malware-free COMMAND.COM files for every applicable version of Windows. Please follow the steps below to download and properly replace you file:

1. Locate your Windows operating system version in the list of below "Download COMMAND.COM Files".
2. Click the appropriate "Download Now" button and download your Windows file version.
3. Copy the file into the appropriate directory for your Windows version:


Windows XP: C:\Windows\System32\
Windows 8: C:\Windows\System32\
Windows 8.1: C:\Windows\System32\
Windows 10: C:\Windows\System32\

4. Restart your computer.

If this final step has failed and you're still encountering the error, you're only remaining option is to do a clean installation of Windows 10.

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