NTVDM hard error on Windows 2003 Server SP1

Hello:

PROBLEM

When executing various commands in a DOS window or via Start | Run on a
Windows 2003 Server SP1 platform, there is a pop-up box with the error
message:

Title bar: ntvdm.exe - System error
Message: NTVDM encountered a hard error.
Options: Close | Ignore


In the System error log, there is an application pop information
message, as follows:
...................................................
Event Type: Information
Event Source: Application Popup
Event Category: None
Event ID: 26
Date: 2/17/2006
Time: 10:28:03 PM
User: N/A
Computer: MPX
Description:
Application popup: ntvdm.exe - System Error : NTVDM encountered a hard
error.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
...............................................

This problem was orginally encountered yesterday trying to run
regedit.exe from the Start | Run box. It was also confirmed trying to
run regedit.exe from a DOS window command prompt. However, regedit.exe
executed as espected when double-clicked with Windows Explorer from
C:\WINDOWS\regedit.exe. In addition, regedt32.exe executed as expected
without error from all three launch situations (Start | Run, DOS
command line and Windows Explorer).

I tested this with some neutral external DOS programs, like ping. I've
found that 'ping' and 'ping /?' and "ping www.yahoo.com" all generate
this error as well, when executed from the DOS command line. and from
Start | Run. The file "command" executes from the DOS command line,
but 'cmd' does not (it generates this error).

But it appears that when the offending command is enveloped in the
command environment, the program works. e.g., the command "command /c
ping www.yahoo.com" executes normally. So there appears to be
something wrong with the DOS environment, but I can't figure out what
it is

I have run the Windows File Protection Scan sfc.exe /scannow on the
system and all the files conform to the required versions (either
regular 2003 or SP1 2005).

The server is not a domain controller, and is on a LAN with a Windows
2000 Server. No Windows Terminal Services are running (that I know of),
and all anti-virus programs have been removed. I suspect this problem
is connected to a recent trial version of Kaspersky Anti-Virus for
Windows Servers v5 (trial version), but I don't have any direct
evidence of this, and I have subsequently uninstalled this program.
Autoexec.nt was modified, but has been restored to its original
condition. Autoexec.bat is zero-bytes.

I've pretty much exhausted all web-based resources with this one, so
any help would be appreciated.

-- Roy Zider

.

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