Problems opening a DOS program from Win ME

My front office desk is running Win ME, and runs ME because I need to
run a DOS program to do billing. Please don't ask me to find a windows
alternative - I won't :)

I execute the DOS program using a simple DOS command shortcut from the
desktop in the form of: D:\directory\program.exe.

My problem is this:

Very often, when I invoke the program, I get a simple black screen
from which the only thing I can do is Ctrl-Alt-Del a couple of times
until I get an error:

Winoldap has caused an error in Krnl386.exe. Winoldap will now close

More often, I get a blue BSOD - looking screen but which has a
flashing cursor in the top left, and if I hold th escape key down, I
can bring up the login screen in my DOS program, and once I am through
it, entering username and password, everything is fine.

In the configuration of the shortcut to the DOS program, I have the
following:

Memory:

Total: Auto
Initial Environment: Auto
Extended (XMS) Memory Auto
uses HMA - checked
MS-DOS-protected (DPMI) memory: Auto

Screen:

Full
Init Size: default

Performance:
Fast ROM - Unchecked
Dynamic Memory Allocation - Unchecked.

I would most appreciate any suggestions on how I may reliably bring up
my DOS program, as the ESC key thing is a pain and the frequent
reboots necessary to even get that are worse.

Thanks in advance!

S.
.

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