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Elusive W3.1

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Name: Grretl
Date: August 27, 2003 at 16:27:07 Pacific
OS: DOS/W3.1
CPU/Ram: 486SX/20MB
Comment:

Got an 'oldie' with a 200MB Hard Disk Drive, and a 1992 BIOS!!:-)

It has W3.1 installed on it (supposedly), however, the PC is booting to MS-DOS 6.0, and can't get past the following on the black screen:

C:\>C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.exe
C:\>

What needs done to get it to go through and boot to W3.1?

BTW, if a C:\>dir /p is run, there IS a Windows directory in there, as well as all sorts of files. C:\>win, does not get there.

The oldie belongs to the Church. Just trying to help them out.

Thanks for the help.



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Response Number 1
Name: kkk
Date: August 27, 2003 at 19:21:11 Pacific
Reply:

type
c:\windows\win

it'll boot on in then


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Response Number 2
Name: Grretl
Date: August 27, 2003 at 19:40:08 Pacific
Reply:

Thanks!!

Getting close...entered the command, saw W3.1 screen flash, but a message came up:

The Microsoft Windows 32-bit disk driver (WDCTRL) validation failed at phase 03, 26. To continue starting Windows without the 32 bit disk driver, press any key.

If any key is pressed, the PC goes to a black screen and nothing happens.

Any clues??

Thanks again for your help.



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Response Number 3
Name: Soedesh
Date: August 27, 2003 at 20:23:09 Pacific
Reply:

If you read here:

http://www.computing.net/windows31/wwwboard/forum/9990.html

You will read that I have very good experience with a similar computer (a Compaq Deskpro 560, Pentium 60, 32 Mb, 524 Mb harddisk FAT32) and Windows 98SE.

I am wondering if you have the same experience...


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Response Number 4
Name: Soedesh
Date: August 27, 2003 at 20:25:20 Pacific
Reply:

Oop sorry this was the answer to another post!
The answer for this would be: Try to reinstall 3.1x


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Response Number 5
Name: SkipCox
Date: August 28, 2003 at 06:03:08 Pacific
Reply:

There ya go. DOS must exist to load Win3.1.

Reinstall windows 3.1 and after windows starts ok add this line to the bottom of your autoexec.bat file

C:\windows\win

The machine will then boot into windows.


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Response Number 6
Name: Hmmm
Date: August 29, 2003 at 13:12:15 Pacific
Reply:

Might be a video driver prob.
type c:\win\setup and change the display to vga. Then try to restart windows 3.1.


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Response Number 7
Name: j.w.dial
Date: September 1, 2003 at 04:24:05 Pacific
Reply:

Here a suggestion.

Problem may be in system.ini file.
At c:\> (prompt), type this: cd\windows

Then make a backup copy of the file (save in root
for now.): COPY SYSTEM.INI C:\SYSTEM.INI

Then, type: EDIT SYSTEM.INI
Scroll down to the [386Enh] section.

If you find this entry: 32BitDiskAccess=on
just put a semicolon in front of it.
Like this: ;32BitDiskAccess=on (BTW, if this
does not work for you, change the "on" to OFF)

Press ALT and then F Then save the file.
(If you screwed up and changed something
wrongly, don't save, just exit.)

Type: WIN

Best of luck. JD


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Response Number 8
Name: Grretl
Date: September 1, 2003 at 14:03:46 Pacific
Reply:

Changing 32BitDiskAccess=on to 32BitDiskAccess=off worked.

Thanks for the help.



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486DX Win 3.1 Missing Ope... Canīt install Word 4.0!



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