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I am in need of help, please. I need the specs for the config.sys and the autoexec.bat files. I will have to enter the information manually as the dvd/cd drive is not being recognized and I cannot do a cd boot. I am running windows 98, which will not open. The system is a Compaq Armada M700. I do get the splash screen and then I end up at the "C" prompt. Thank you if you can help.
cafardan
Download a Windows 98 boot floppy from bootdisk.com. Boot with that then you will be able to log onto your CD drive and re-install Windows 98.
Just modifying the config.sys may or may not work as the files required may or may not exist on the hard disk. The files are guaranteed to exist on the boot floppy.
Stuart
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you do not need config.sys or autoexec.bat for windows to recognize the cd/dvd rom, unless you are try to run in dos. To boot from cd you will have to set the bios so the cd rom drive is the first boot device and the fiel on the cd must have the bootup file on the cd.
0
A little further explanation:
Many Winhoed98 installations don't use either config.sys or autoexec.bat for anything. In the case, for example, of my Thinkpad, this is not so---there are things that get loaded on a DOS level before going into Whinehozed
Now, you seem to misunderstand "booting" from CD, which has nothing to do with starting DOS on the hard drive, or loading config or autoexec on the hard drive.
In order to boot with a CD from a cold start, there are several things that must be in place:The motherboard must support this feature, and the "boot order" must have the CDROM drive selected "in the order" before the hard drive.
The CDROM drive itself must support this feature, and of course be clean, working, properly installed and jumpered.
The CD itself must be bootable, some are and some are not
In Winhoed 95, so far as I know NONE of the Microsoft CD's will boot.
In some cases, a '95 series "restore" (proprietary) cd will boot---it depends
NO Windows98 "Upgrade" cd's will boot
So far as I know NONE of the "store bought" or RETAIL "full" version will boot
So far as I know ALL of the so called "OEM" 98 cds WILL boot---these say on the front something to the effect "to be supplied only with a new PC"
now let me just read between the lines hereAre you actually trying to say that you have a laptop with a swappable CDROM drive, and you are trying to load CDROM drivers so you can reinstall?
0
You could try one thing to see if you have a minor problem.
At the C:\> prompt, type:path=c:\windows;c:\windows\command <Enter>
Then type:
win <Enter>
If windows comes up, the c:\msdos.sys file may be corrupted. That is easy to fix.
0
When you get to the C:\> prompt, type in
copy/v c:\windows\command\atapicd.sys
and hit Enter.
(Or copy your own specific dvd/cdrom driver file if you have one. Change the path accordingly.)Then type in
copy/v c:\windows\command\mscdex.exe
and hit Enter.
Then type in;
edit c:\autoexec.bat (this will place you in the MSDOS Edit program)
and enter the following two lines at the top of the file;
C:\MSCDEX.exe /D:MSCD001
exitThen press the ALT key, then the "F" key, then the "X" key. Then press ENTER to confirm saving the content of the file. This should place you back at the C:\> prompt.
Next, at the C:\> prompt, type in;edit c:\config.sys
and enter the following line at the top of the file;
DEVICE=C:\ATAPICD.SYS /D:MSCD001
(If you have your own specific cdrom driver, change the above ATAPICD.SYS to your drivers file name.)Then press the ALT key, then the "F" key, then the "X" key.Then press ENTER to confirm saving the content of the file.
Power down the system and reboot. Near the end of the boot, watch for the Device Letter assigned to the CDROM drive.
It's a good day when you learn something
0
Thank you guys for responding. I am going to try your suggestions and I will let you know what happens.
Thanks a million.
cafardan
0
I have the bootdisk which I got from bootdisk.com. I could not reinstall windows 98 because the dvd/cd drive is not being recognized. Since windows will not load, I am at the "c" prompt.
I tried to get into the bios to set the dvd/cd to be the first boot device and that was not happening. I pressed F10 to access the bios and I get a little screen that said "Setup Password."At the C:/> prompt I did type in "path=c:\windows;c:\windows\command" then Enter and then I typed "win" and Enter. The message that I got was "Bad Command or File Name".
I typed in "copy/v c:\windows\command\atapicd.sys" and I got a message saying "File not found - c:
0 files copied." the atapicd.sys file is missing or corrupted which caused an error in the config.sys file.I could copy the "mscdex.exe" but since the atapicd.sys file is missing or corrupted, this error is displayed,
"Device Driver not found: 'MSCD001'
No valid CD Rom Device drives selected
Unable to continue loading windows
c:\>Exit
c:\>
Cannot find win.com"Also missing or corrupted are himem.sys,
dblbuff.sys and ifshlp.sys.I am all dressed up at the c:\> and no where to go.
Any help, suggestions or further questions?
Thanks so far.
cafardan
0
If you booted from a Windows 98 boot floppy, all the necessary files and drivers should be loaded. During the process it should tell you the drive letter that has been allocated to the CD/DVD drive. Probably drive E: although is could be D:
Log on to the CD/DVD drive and run setup.exe.
If there is no drive letter allocated to the CD/DVD drive, and you have to watch the messages carefully as the boot floppy boots, then there is something wrong with your CD/DVD drive. You need to get that fixed first.Stuart
0
Hi Stuart.
Thank you for responding.
I cannot boot from the CD/DVD drive because the computer is not recognizing that it has a CD/DVD drive.
When I power up the computer I get the files missing or corrupt messages and then I get the "C" prompt. What should be my next step?
Thanks,
cafardan
0
You are not trying to boot from a CD/DVD drive. You are trying to access the CD/DVD after booting from a floppy disk.
If you get errors when booting from the floppy then there is something wrong with the floppy disk. If it is a proper Windows 98 boot floppy, then all the files you need should be on the floppy.
You wont be able to access the CD/DVD until the drivers are loaded from the floppy disk.
Stuart
0
Hi Stuart.
I do not have a floppy drive. I downloaded the windows 98 boot to a CD. Since I do not have a floppy drive, what is my next option?
Thank you.
cafardan
0
You could have mentioned that there is no floppy drive back in your #6 post, after several suggestions towards a floppy boot.
"... and I cannot do a cd boot. I am running windows 98, which will not open. The system is a Compaq Armada M700. I do get the splash screen and then I end up at the "C" prompt."
Evidently 98 is installed, and the machine will boot to a DOS command prompt. So it appears that the basic problem is that windows won't start.
At the C:\> prompt, type in
dir/a/o/p
and hit Enter. Is there a WINDOWS (DIR) and a Progra~1 (DIR) listed?
If these two dir's aren't there, what files and dir's ~are~ there?
OR, if you just want to reinstall without troubleshooting the "original" installation,,,,,,
If you now have a bootable CD, you'll have to copy the appropriate files to it to support loading 98, namely the win98 directory off the original 98 CD. You'll need (on your startup CD) 190MB of space to copy the 98SE WIN98 directory, or 185MB for the 98FE WIN98 directory, which ever version/edition you have.
Once you boot, at the DOS command prompt, type in
win98\setup
and you should be on your way.
It's a good day when you learn something
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