Ok. I must admit, I'm not that good at this whole computing buisness. I originally was running Win. 98 on my laptop, but I wanted 3.1. So, I format it with a windows 98 boot disk, and then I start installing 3.1 with the 3.1 installation disks. Then I realized I made a mistake, and I tried to format with the FORMAT command. It tells me it doesn't exist, so I copy over a newer version of DOS to the HD, and try again. Still no luck. Now, whenever I restart, I get 'The following file is missing or corrupted: COMMAND.COM Type the name of the Command Interpreter'. I've searched and searched for a compatable command.com, but every time it says 'Incorrect DOS version' ARGH!! Also, I can't get into any BIOS options to make my computer load from a startup disk (somehow my computer does not check for boot disks). Can someone please help me out? (Note- in the long run I would like to format and start all over again and do it right) I greatly appreciate any input

"I can't get into any BIOS options to make my computer load from a startup disk"

Have you used some hotkey (such as DEL and F1) to enter BIOS, and checked the related options in the "Basic BIOS settings" menu or so?

"... It tells me it doesn't exist, so I copy over DOS to the HD, and try again. Still no luck ..."

How did you install DOS to your HD? Copy over? This is obviously not the way to install DOS. In order to install DOS properly, you need to launch the DOS installer, and follow the prompts to complete the DOS installation. MS-DOS 7.10 boot disks and full version are available from:

http://newdos.yginfo.net/msdos71/index.htm

For more information regarding installing Win3.x from DOS, please read this link:

http://newdos.yginfo.net/msdos71/doskbd1.htm

Nonono. I formatted Windows with the /s option. When I installed Windows 3.1, I assumed in installed an older DOS version. So, I tried the format command, and it didn't work, so I thought that a newer version of DOS would have that command availiable. I just replaced the file 'command.com'. Nothing else. I don't think DOS 7.1 will work with Windows 3.1 (I could be wrong). As for BIOS, I'm fairly convinced that my laptop doesn't run BIOS at all (I know that's not true). Every key combo I can THINK of and still nothing. I have NO way to access the BIOS settings.

"I just replaced the file 'command.com'

Obviously this is the *WRONG* way. You can't do like this, or else you would see that error message.

Unlike WinDOS from Win9x and FreeDOS, MS-DOS 7.10 Full Version (download link is available above) is totally compatible with Win3.x (have you seen the article above?). You need to install it from its installer, then the new COMMAND.COM and other commands will work.

If you can't get into BIOS and change the settings, that's fine. Run GRUB for DOS from *real mode DOS*, and use the following commands in GRUB command prompt:

chainloader (fd0)+1
boot

Then the system will boot from floppy disk A. GRUB for DOS is downloadable from:

http://newdos.yginfo.net/grubdos.htm

Install DOS from its installer and then install Win3.x on top of DOS. Here are some screenshots for MS-DOS 7.10 Full Version:

http://newdos.yginfo.net/msdos71/scrshot.htm

Ok. I am trying the MSDOS 7.10 disk right now. As for running anything, I can't. The computer is looking for one file, and won't accept anything else. No commands, no programs. Which is why I don't think the disk will work, because presently, it doesn't have the command.com file on it. What I need FIRST, before ANYTHING else will work, is the correct version of COMMAND.COM. And, rats, the disk is full. Could someone please explain to me the process of making one of these startup disks. And if anyone has any command.com's (multiple versions would be best) could you please provide some links. Actually, I found the right command.com version, but now it says it wants some thing called an "FDOS executable". I assume that means FDOS.EXE. Rats again, the disk I just formatted had my command.com file on it. Yea, so, if anyone here helps me to get out of this huge hole I've dug myself in, I will be eternally grateful. I've just found a whole dump of old 3.1 programs, so I am committed. Thanks again for ALL present and future input.

In order to boot you need 2 additional files - msdos.sys and io.sys. These are usually hidden and are the first files installed on the disk. They are the ones that give the message 'wrong command com'.

To use Win3.1 programs, assuming you don't use Wengier's MS-DOS 7.10 you need a version of DOS like 6.22 or earlier. Version 6.22 was the last official release by MS.

Please remember Win3.x run on top of DOS. DOS must be installed first. Forget about windows until you have DOS.

To make a make a DOS boot disk, download a bootdisk image and run it to install DOS on the floppy. Since I have not done this, I do not know what is on the created boot floppy. The original DOS6.22 comes on 3 floppy disks.
You will probably need fdisk, format, himem.sys, emm386.exe, and few others at minimum.
So get your DOS together before going any further. Hint, you can find it all on the web.

wizard-fred,

No, this is not his problem! His problem is, he mistakenly replaced the file command.com in the first place (when he had no idea what he was trying to do), so he can't get into DOS from HD since the replaced version of COMMAND.COM doesn't match the original system files. At the mean time, he can't boot from FD directly (since he had no way to get into BIOS to change that setting). Thus he couldn't run any program, including the DOS installer now!

To get into DOS, try use FreeDOS's FreeCOM as a temporary COMMAND.COM, which doesn't check the DOS version. And then use GRUB for DOS to boot your system from the floppy disk to start the DOS installation.

FreeDOS's FreeCOM is downloadable from:

http://gd.tuwien.ac.at/pc/dos/freedos/files/dos/command/0.82pl3/com082pl3.zip

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Long Live DOS!

P.S. Unzip the FreeCOM zip package and copy the file COMMAND.COM to a floppy disk (A:) on another PC. Start your system from HD, when it says 'The following file is missing or corrupted: COMMAND.COM Type the name of the Command Interpreter', please insert that floppy disk containing FreeCOM and enter "A:\COMMAND.COM" (without quotes). If "C:\" appears, then you are in DOS prompt.

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Long Live DOS!

WA! Were getting close now!! This is what I got before. Here is what the screen says:

FreeCOM executable not found.
You must specify the complete path to COMMAND.COM as the first argument of COMMAND, for instance:
C:\FDOS

I have no idea what an argument is, in programming terms, and I have no clue what it's syntax is. I will try to find FDOS.exe and put it on disk.

"FreeCOM executable not found.
You must specify the complete path to COMMAND.COM as the first argument of COMMAND ..."

This is FreeDOS's FreeCOM's error message, which means it can't locate itself while loading. This is very unusual. Please make sure the file or the drive is not corrupt or incomplete, otherwise this message will appear.

Or, you may try some other shells as a temporary command interpreter, such as 4DOS, which is available from: http://www.jpsoft.com/. Once you get into DOS command prompt, then everything is fine.

wizard-fred,

Please read his posts carefully before posting any tips, thanks.

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Long Live DOS!

Wengier:
Sorry, but I read the line formatted from Win98 boot disk and assumed he had booted from it.

Trevor:
The key to get into most early Toshiba systems BIOS is ESC.

YES!! I'm into BIOS!!! It says system setup, so I assume thats BIOS. Now all I need is a startup disk. Now I do have all the disks in the Windows 3.1 package. Is there a startup disk among them? If not could someone please provide a link because I find navigating some of these sites a little tricky. Thank you SO much wizard-fred!!

Wait, nevermind. I just downloaded WinImage, and now I understand. YES!!! I have successfully installed MSDOS 7.1 on my PC. Proceeding with Windows... YES!!! IT WORKS!!! Thank you so much for all your help guys!

As I mentioned in my previous post you need a set of DOS disks first. Put the WIN disks away until you get the DOS installed. WIN3.x does not Boot. It run on top of DOS.

Take your time and good luck.

wizard-fred didn't see his response #13? He has already installed MS-DOS 7.10 from its installation disks successfully, and Windows works from it too!

Congrualations Trevor Hewer!

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Long Live DOS!

Trevor:
Good job.

Weingier:
Sometimes I'm sitting on a post thinking, so I don't get to see the new replies that may be posted. I have left in the middle of posting for hours if I get interrupted.

Okay. One more problem. Since I am so new to this, I have no idea how to do it. I would like to transfer files over to my laptop, with Windows 3.1. But I would like to use a CD, rather than like 20 disks. I did chose the option when installing MSDOS 7.1 that would enable only CD/DVD drives. Did I pick the right one?

"But I would like to use a CD, rather than like 20 disks. I did chose the option when installing MSDOS 7.1 that would enable only CD/DVD drives. Did I pick the right one?"

So, is MSCDEX loaded as well? MSCDEX will assign a drive letter for your CD/DVD drive after the CD/DVD driver is loaded. If both are loaded successfully (that's what "Load both" means), you are able to see and access your CD drive in DOS and Win3.x.

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Long Live DOS!

Rats. Then I think I picked the wrong one. Is there any way to change it without having to reinstall dos?

That's simple. Just add a line similar to the following to the file C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT in order to load MSCDEX:

LH MSCDEX /D:IDE-CD

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Long Live DOS!

YES!! Thank you!! It works!!

One more quick question. I have a removeable drive that I would like to use. I do have the driver for it, mshdc.inf (from win98). Is it possible to create another drive (f) so I can use it?

"One more quick question. I have a removeable drive that I would like to use. I do have the driver for it, mshdc.inf (from win98) ..."

mshdc.inf is NOT a DOS driver and is unrelated to this topic. I'd suggest you to post this question in a separate thread instead of here.

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Long Live DOS!