"NTVDM has encountered an illegal instruction"AT workstations only

[avidreader]

I am running win server 2003 which was recently reinstalled to my dell poweredge 1600c server. Software was updated up to SP2. (The software driven raid 1 wouldn't take so workaround was to set up 2nd replacement fujitsu drive as primary with the original remaining seagate 36g scusi as a secondary drive to hold backup Cobian.--this is another problem but not the main reason for this post). The main problem is that after this server os reinstall and updated to SP2, none of the 5 XP home ed workstations are able to open the 16bit dos program on the workstations. The error msg which appears is a variation of the following:
"The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction. CS:0000 IP: 0077 OP:f33705 12 02 Choose 'Close" to terminate the application." whenever an attempt is made to open any dos program residing on the server with a shortcut to the dos command on the workstations. These same shortcuts were fully functional before the SP2 updates and reinstall of the same win server 2003 software. Now a black dos screen flashes and the error msg grey dialog box appears with the NTVDM error message. And no entry to the program after that regardless of chosing "ignore". MS Office data on server is fully accessable from the workstations.
Have already tried antivirus scans as was suggested in another thread. Others with the similar error msg problem were able to click thru with ignore and still open their programs. The strange part is the dos program runs perfectly well ONLY at the server. Does anyone have an idea what I can try next? Thanks.

[puppet]

Is the directory structure of the DOS program and supporting files if any on the server in the same locations as before the wipe and re-install of the server operating system? Have you tried re-creating the shortcut links on the XP machines? On at least one XP as a test? Can you start command.com on the XP systems (Start > Run > command.com)? If not, there is a problem on the workstation side but difficult to accept as it was many workstations at once developing the same issue. Re-check your shortcut and DOS program folders, rebuild one from scratch to test.