NTVDM CPU Error after POSReady Conversion

[ThInTrM]

Hello,

I've got a XP 32-bit computer that I am still using on a regular basis for certain tasks. I recently found out about the POSReady updates, and considering the recent ransomware incident, I wanted to ensure my computer remains reasonably protected. So I followed instructions here to get those updates.

Getting and applying those updates was fairly easy. I didn't run into any problems in the process. Until today, I hadn't noticed any issues or encountered any errors, either.

There's an online game I tend to play while using that computer, Stronghold Kingdoms. I tried running it earlier today (first time running it since the recent POSReady conversion) and found I encounter NTVDM CPU errors:

Quote

16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem

C:\DOCUE~1\ALLUSE~1\APPLIC~1\FIREFL~1\STRONG~1\2031~1.6\STRONG~1.EXE
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:0fa3 IP:015c OP:63 68 65 22 3e Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

C:\DOCUE~1\ALLUSE~1\APPLIC~1\FIREFL~1\STRONG~1\2031~1.6\STRONG~1.EXE
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:0fa3 IP:0175 OP:63 68 65 2d 43 Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

C:\DOCUE~1\ALLUSE~1\APPLIC~1\FIREFL~1\STRONG~1\2031~1.6\STRONG~1.EXE
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:0fa3 IP:0190 OP:63 68 65 22 3e Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

C:\DOCUE~1\ALLUSE~1\APPLIC~1\FIREFL~1\STRONG~1\2031~1.6\STRONG~1.EXE
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:0fa3 IP:0222 OP:63 73 73 22 3e Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

That's the series of errors I get if I try to click "Ignore," and then after the last one is ignored, the application just closes. It's always these same four errors, too, same code and everything.

This doesn't happen with other DOS Prompt programs, far as I can see. The command line still works fine, and I was able to run a few things inside it like traceroute and ipconfig. Stronghold Kingdoms is, so far, the first and only time I've seen this error.

As the switchover to POSReady is the only major change in the system of late, I wonder if that might have something to do with it. I did pursue some other solutions, though, before coming here. Other people who encountered NTVDM CPU errors in the past recommended changing config.sys or config.nt's "files" setting to 255, which I tried (and it didn't help). Others recommended checking to see if a malicious .com script was being called in place of Windows' system files, and I couldn't find any. I also did a full scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware just to be sure, but nothing came up.

Can anyone tell if this is related to getting POSReady updates for my computer, and if there's a way I can make Stronghold Kingdoms play nicely with it? I don't really want to undo the POSReady conversion.

[roytam1]

The program in C:\DOCUE~1\ALLUSE~1\APPLIC~1\FIREFL~1\STRONG~1\2031~1.6 is corrupted.