I read Talkinrock's thread and I have been installing and reinstalling drivers all week. I did find I had to replace my battery. I still do not know if the culpret is a virus or whatever. Very frustrating. Any other avenues to check? Avie

This is in reference to some other posting? You're not providing much info to work with.

Not a mind reader? Sorry. I am still having loss of drivers and incorrect version when I download. The Everest sacn whow no batery. I replaced it and stil showig no battery.
I also foudn some greyed out selections in my BIOS regarding HD setting thata shoud have been selectable under manual ratehr than Auto setting. My hard drive check out
perfectly with Maxtor Power Max. So....
The alst MS update was a Pasword security Critical one that would never take would reappear as failure, reinstall. See MS Q273991 W98Se V 4.10.2224. I have **2225.

Is this a system I've already helped you with?

If so, please post a link to the posting, or at least the name of the posting, so I can gather some hardware information about this system.

Does the machine's bios recognize the entire capacity of the hard disk?

Where did that Rabbit come from? I have no idea about my BIOS reading of HD. We did not get to any hardware information on my system. I just started working on all the little things in Belarc and then Everest.

The device manager does not see it as the Maxtor HD. Other program do see it. (EVEREST). And I ran Maxtor's program to check harddrive. All was well.

I am wondering why I seem to have mixed filee version when I try to verify correct downloads. Also I keep removing IE5Dat file with CCleaner. I have IE6. Somehow I feel there is more W95 than W98Se. I installed on a clean new harddrive (W98SE) Never had W95. If MS says a certain version should be installed for a certain update I shoudl think that should be so.

PS The msdos.sys file we worked on is not found and not starting. Boot screen ays the original file cannot be found. I can see the files. My boot virus is on via BIOS. What should attributes be for the msdos.sys file?

You are very patient. Thank you.

The POST screen (Power On Self Test, basically the second screen you see when you boot) will list the IDE Devices. Any system recognized hard disks and CDROM's should be listed in this POST screen. Check here for the reported capacity of the MAXTOR hard disk.

EVEREST and Maxtor's program read the drive information straight from the disk logic board. If device manager or Explorer does not see the Maxtor HD, then it's not partitioned correctly, or jumpered correctly, or something is wrong in the bios.

Is the MAXTOR hard disk the Windows (Boot) drive or an additional hard disk?

Lets get the drive(s) straight before we tackle file versions.

I've read a number of postings about CCleaner messing up some systems. I advise not running it until we get things corrected.

Msdos.sys should be in the root directory of the drive which windows boots from.

"My boot virus is on via BIOS."
I'd advise turning this feature off. At least for now. This could be part of the problem.

"What should attributes be for the msdos.sys file?"
RHS

"You are very patient. Thank you."
They pay me big bucks to be patient. ;>) Just kidding. And, You're welcome.

[QUOTE=Dan Penny]The POST screen (Power On Self Test, basically the second screen you see when you boot) will list the IDE Devices. Any system recognized hard disks and CDROM's should be listed in this POST screen. Check here for the reported capacity of the MAXTOR hard disk.
**Capacity 393216K
** "MSDOS files were not found. MSDOS shartup failed"

**NOTE: Bios revealed some greyed out setting for the HD. I may have electical damage since Everest sees 'no battery'. This Asus is set to jumper free so any manual settings should be 'changeable' on manual. I may sound as if I know what I am doing but I haven't a clue. Only read.
*PS Bios boot sequence shows #4 "other Boot" INT18 Device (network). this is unknown to me

EVEREST and Maxtor's program read the drive information straight from the disk logic board. If device manager or Explorer does not see the Maxtor HD, then it's not partitioned correctly, or jumpered correctly, or something is wrong in the bios.

Is the MAXTOR hard disk the Windows (Boot) drive or an additional hard disk?
**MAXTOR IS MAIN HARD DRIVE. C 4.91 GB, D 14.1 GB. ALL OK IN BIOS AND STARTUP.

Lets get the drive(s) straight before we tackle file versions.
**I'm the copilot.

I've read a number of postings about CCleaner messing up some systems. I advise not running it until we get things corrected.
**Removed CCC.

Msdos.sys should be in the root directory of the drive which windows boots from.
** Trouble here, I think. All aps and windows are on D and only personal Data on C. (I think I did it the wrong way for for Windows default. Rember I have 2 identical msdos.sys files. One in D\Windows and one in root of C.).

"My boot virus is on via BIOS."
I'd advise turning this feature off. At least for now. This could be part of the problem.
** Disabled Chip away in Bios.

"What should attributes be for the msdos.sys file?"
RHS
** Cannot check 'system'. It is greyed out.

"You are very patient. Thank you." DITTO
They pay me big bucks to be patient. ;>) Just kidding. And, You're welcome.[/UOTE]

**NOTE: Bios revealed some greyed out setting for the HD. I may have electical damage since Everest sees 'no battery'. This Asus is set to jumper free so any manual settings should be 'changeable' on manual. I may sound as if I know what I am doing but I haven't a clue. Only read.
*PS Bios boot sequence shows #4 "other Boot" INT18 Device (network). this is unknown to me

The battery Everest refers to is for a laptop battery. Is this system a laptop? If not, the battery issue can be ignored.

The #4 "other Boot" INT18 Device (network) is an option for booting the system to a network.

Msdos.sys should be in the root directory of the drive which windows boots from.
** Trouble here, I think. All aps and windows are on D and only personal Data on C. (I think I did it the wrong way for for Windows default. Rember I have 2 identical msdos.sys files. One in D\Windows and one in root of C.).

Post (or attach) the contents of both msdos.sys files here. (Save as msdos.txt). Please signify which is which if there are differences in the content.

ATTRIBUTES: Open an MSDOS PROMPT window. type in cd\ and hit enter. you should be on the C: drive at the C:\> prompt. If so, type in attrib +r +s +h msdos.sys. (Make sure you keep the space between the attrib switches.) This should set the attributes for the msdos.sys file to the correct settings. You can check by typing in attrib.

While you're there at the C:\> prompt, type in dir/a/o/p >dirlistc.txt. This will give a directory listing, but redirect the command output to a text file named dirlistc.txt. (You won't see the output, it'll go directly to the created file.)

Do the same for your d: drive. While in the same dos window, type in d: and hit Enter. Then type in cd\ to ensure you're in the root directory of the d: hard disk. If so, type in dir/a/o/p >dirlistd.txt. Post (or attach) the dirlistc.txt and dirlistd.txt files to your next posting.

I sent the msdos.sys files inserted in above message. I do not see it on your site yet. AND I cannot copy and paste it again here. That is broken, it seems. Glad your still here.

ABLE TO PASTE FROM WORD ONLY, NO NOTEPAD OR WORD. UGH. SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG. tHANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE THREAD OPEN FOR ME.

AVIE'S 3 MSDOSSYS FILES

Same file in D:\; C;\ and in D:\Windows


;W98EBD
[Paths]
HostWinBootDrv=C
WinBootDir=D:\WINDOWS
WinDir=D:\WINDOWS
;
[Options]
AutoScan=0
BootSafe=0
BootGUI=1
BootKeys=1
BootMenu=0
BootMenuDefault=1
BootMenuDelay=5
BootMulti=0
BootWarn=1
BootWin=0
DoubleBuffer=1
DBLSpace=0
DrvSpace=0
LoadTop=0
Logo=0
Network=0
SystemReg=1
WinVer=4.10.2222

;The following lines are required for compatibility with other programs.
;Do not remove them (MSDOS.SYS needs to be >1024 bytes).
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxa
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxb
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxc
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxd
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxe
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxf
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxg
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxh
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxi
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxj
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxk
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxl
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxm
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxn
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxo
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxp
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxq
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxr
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxs