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How can a boot windows from dos,
I am currently running windows 98 but every time I turn my laptop on all it says is that it cannot find the files and then
a:\>
I have no disk in my a drive (floppy disk drive) so this is not the problem. (I do predict that I have the neccessary boot files on my hard drive but through ignorance am unable to access them!)
ps.this happens every time I restart or turn on my laptop.
If it's bringing you to an A:\> prompt, I suspect that somehow your Autoexec.bat & config.sys files got copied from a bootdisk to your harddrive.
Try typing (from the A:\> prompt) C:\Win (ENTER)), or if that doesn't work, try C:\Windows\Win (ENTER). If that gets you into Windows, try renaming config.sys & autoexec.bat to config.old & autoexec.old. Reboot & see if that gets you straight into Windows.
HTH
Dave
If Wile Coyote had enough money for all that Acme crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?
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That's hard to believe - changing to the floppy drive without a disk present will generate a 'failure to read' message
("C:\Win" - cannot work)
Has Safe Mode been attempted? That skips loading a number of items.
Is the C: drive accessible? "Predict"? Not an encouraging word
Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid. -John Wayne
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I agree, it 'does' sound like someone has messed with config.sys and autoexec.bat. The suggestion to try typing
c:\windows\win
is a good one.
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Well, sure - it can't hurt. Specifying "C:\Win" is just wrong though
As described, it all sounds... mysterious
Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid. -John Wayne
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Booting from a 98 cd will also leave you at an a:\> prompt as it seems to create a RAM drive there. Make sure that's not the case.
Also, even if autoexec.bat directed the OS to the a: drive you should get a 'not ready reading . . .' error if there was no disk there.
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Yes, that is certainly what would be expected, which is why the autoexec.bat theory seems 'iffy' to me.
Waiting for enlightenment, but either it is a CD 'thing' or else (perhaps) a hardware issue
Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid. -John Wayne
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You guys are right, of course. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but the win98 cd theory seems to come the closest.
I would suggest that he boot from a win98 startup floppy and see if he can access the hard drive.
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Thanks,
Will try the C:\Windows\Win but am unsure what renaming the files will do? Also how do I rename them (a simple right click and rename or is it more complex).
Thanks also to ham30 but I was not sensible enough to create a win98 startup floppy so will not be able to give that a go.
Will post results later.
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To rename the files you can type the following:
ren c:\config.sys config.bak
ren c:\autoexec.bat autoexec.bakYou can download a file to create a bootable floppy from www.bootdisk.com.
Run the file and it will create the diskette.
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Jeff,
>...am unsure what renaming the files will do?
If the problem stems from an improper config.sys &/or autoexec.bat, renaming them will cause Windows to ignore the files when booting. The reason for renaming, rather that deleting the files is so that they can be renamed back to their original names if they are found to not be the cause of the problem. Thus, you will have not caused any additional problems.
Jboy,
>("C:\Win" - cannot work)
I wasn't on a Win98 machine at the time, & couldn't remember (brain fart) whether Win.com was in C:\ or in C:\Windows, so I suggested commands for either location. Again, no harm done if it didn't work.
Jeff, after thinking further about the problem, a bootable CD being in the drive is a very real possibility (any bootable CD). A harddrive gone south could also be the cause. Are you able to access the C:\ drive at all? From the A:\> prompt try typing:
C: (ENTER)
Does it change to a C:\> prompt, or do you get an error message?
HTH
Dave
If Wile Coyote had enough money for all that Acme crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?
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