I hope I can get through this. When it boots from hard drive This appears:
C;\>SET BLASTER=A220 17 D1 H7 P330 T6
C:\>SET SBPCI=C:\SBPCI
C:\>
C:\>
C:\>
How do get the contents of those files ? (Thanks for bearing with my greenhorns). I could not get into the directory. When I typed in: cd~msset~1, bad command or file name appeared.
I saved the " Scandisk Undo" to a floppy.
The computer was built from a gateway tower, which the mother board died, a computer guy built me a new system, but I did not get any disks or cd from him, (did'nt know to ask).
OK, a couple more questions (and info required) before we start digging/changing things;
What floppy bootdisk are you using? (ie; was it made from a working 98 machine, or downloaded from somewhere?) If it's a downloaded bootdisk, ~and~ you're using a working 98 machine for these posts, I suggest you make your own 98 bootdisk on this machine;
Insert a floppy diskette into the A: drive
Open a dos window (Start, Programs, MS-DOS Prompt)
In this window at the C:\WINDOWS> prompt, type in format/autotest a:
When completed, type in chkdsk a:. Ensure there are no bad sectors reported
If there are any bad sectors, insert another floppy and repeat the last two steps
Close the dos window
Go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs. Click on the Startup Disk tab and create a new bootdisk
"The computer was built from a gateway tower, which the mother board died, a computer guy built me a new system, but I did not get any disks or cd from him, ..."
Realizing the above statement, do you now by chance have a 98 CD with a product key? If so, does the product key contain the letters OEM? (xxxxx-OEM-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx)
On the machine you're posting with, insert a blank formatted floppy in the A: drive. Highlight and copy then paste the following into Notepad;
Boot the troubled machine.
Insert the above copyinfo.bat floppy into the A: drive.
At the C:\> prompt type in a:\copyinfo and hit Enter.
You should see the files being copied to the floppy.
Bring that floppy back to your "posting" machine. If you have Winzip or similar available, create a zip file containing all the files from the copyinfo.bat floppy. Attach the zip file to your next posting. (Use the Advanced posting window, and under Additional Options below the posting box you'll see the Attach Files option. Click on Manage Attachments and attach the zip file)
If you don't have file zipping capabilities, you can use Notepad to open all the files one by one and copy/paste the contents into the post. Please indicate the filename attached to each files contents.
I am booting from a floppy that I downloaded from a site that you recommended to another user, it is 98SE. The machine I am posting from is XP. I do not have a 98 cd of any type. I have the original gateway system cd, (not 98 which I know not to use). Since I am posting from an xp machine, I'm guessing that your last suggestion will not work. Tdog
It's probably the bootdisk from my webspace. That's good.
"I have the original gateway system cd, (not 98 which I know not to use)."
If the motherboard in the Gateway has been changed, the Gateway CD might not work anyway. (Some will not run if the hardware differs from the factory installed hardware.)
You can still get the troubled system files here with the XP system. Build the batch file and put it on a blank formatted floppy and carry on with that. Unless you're missing tons of files, there's a good chance we can get the system straightened out.
Man , I was excited to try that, but it did not work. I am posting from an "emachine", when I typed in format/autotest a:, it returned "the system cannot find the path specified". I typed it twice and got the same result.
Sorry, I forgot for a second that you're on an XP machine.
Place the floppy in the A: drive and then open My Computer. Right click on the A: drive and choose FORMAT. You can then copy the text I outlined above for the copyinfo.bat into Notepad, then save it to A:\ as copyinfo.bat. When you do the "Save As", the "Save As Type" default box will list a .txt, but just type in the complete name (copyinfo.bat) into the File Name box.
You attached the .zip file correctly, however it contains only the msdos.--- and msdos.sys files.
Didn't the other files copy to the floppy? I need to see the contents of those other files.
The msdos.sys file is incorrect, so for starters we'll work on this. Copy the following into notepad and save it to a floppy as msdos.sys;
(Do not copy this line) ====== START OF FILE ======== (Do not copy this line)
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\WINDOWS
WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS
HostWinBootDrv=C
[Options]
BootMulti=1
BootGUI=1
DoubleBuffer=1
AutoScan=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
(Do not copy this line) ========= END OF FILE =========== (Do not copy this line)
This is a standard msdos.sys file from a fresh load of 98. Take it to the troubled machine, insert it into the floppy drive, and at the C:\> prompt type in path c:\;c:\windows;c:\windows\command and hit Enter. This will set the path of the machine so it knows what directories to look in for any external commands you type.
Next type in attrib -h -s -r c:\msdos.sys. This removes the hidden, system, and read_only attributes for the msdos.sys file on the hard disk so we can manipulate the file. Ensure you get the spaces between the command, the command switches, and the file name. DOS is very particular.
Next type in copy/v a:\msdos.sys c:\ and hit Enter. Confirm the file overwrite. This will replace the current bad file with this good one. This will help (somewhat) with the path (to windows at least) being set as well.
Then type in attrib +r +s +h c:\msdos.sys and hit Enter. This resets the attributes for this file. Again, ensure the spaces in the command.
Now, regarding those other files. If for some reason the batch file didn't work and copy the files to the floppy, you can copy them manually to a floppy by typing in the lines for that batch file. At the C:\> prompt you would type each line, hitting Enter for each line.
