every time i start the computer, it asks me if i want to start the computer with CD ROM support. then, i must put in a boot disk for the CD ROM to work. i only thought that i needed MSCDEX, but i guess i am wrong.. the computer is generic, cd rom drive is an LG. I get a prompt before windows starts to load the computer with cd rom support. there are three choices, but i don't remember what they are at the moment. thanks in advance..

Post the contents of your c:\msdos.sys, c:\config.sys, and c:\autoexec.bat files.

autoexec.bat: @ECHO OFF set EXPAND=YES SET DIRCMD=/O:N set LglDrv=27 * 26 Z 25 Y 24 X 23 W 22 V 21 U 20 T 19 S 18 R 17 Q 16 P 15 set LglDrv=%LglDrv% O 14 N 13 M 12 L 11 K 10 J 9 I 8 H 7 G 6 F 5 E 4 D 3 C cls call setramd.bat %LglDrv% set temp=c:\ set tmp=c:\ path=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;%RAMD%:\;a:\;%CDROM%:\ rem - By Windows Setup - copy command.com %RAMD%:\ > NUL REM - By Windows Setup - set comspec=%RAMD%:\command.com rem - By Windows Setup - copy extract.exe %RAMD%:\ > NUL rem - By Windows Setup - copy readme.txt %RAMD%:\ > NUL :ERROR IF EXIST ebd.cab GOTO EXT echo Please insert Windows 98 Startup Disk 2 echo. pause GOTO ERROR :EXT C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\extract /y /e /l %RAMD%: ebd.cab > NUL echo The diagnostic tools were successfully loaded to drive %RAMD%. echo. IF "%config%"=="NOCD" GOTO QUIT IF "%config%"=="HELP" GOTO HELP rem - By Windows Setup - LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.exe /D:mscd001 /L:%CDROM% echo. GOTO QUIT :HELP cls call help.bat echo Your computer will now restart and the startup menu will appear. echo. echo. echo. echo. echo. echo. echo. echo. echo. echo. restart.com GOTO QUIT :QUIT echo To get help, type HELP and press ENTER. echo. rem clean up environment variables set CDROM= set LglDrv= end autoexec.bat config.sys rem Moved by Windows Setup - please do not load any drivers above the following line device=aspi4dos.sys [menu] menuitem=CD, Start computer with CD-ROM support. menuitem=NOCD, Start computer without CD-ROM support. menuitem=HELP, View the Help file. menudefault=CD,30 menucolor=7,0 [CD] device=C:\WINDOWS\himem.sys /testmem:off device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001 device=btdosm.sys device=flashpt.sys device=btcdrom.sys /D:mscd001 device=aspi2dos.sys device=aspi8dos.sys device=aspi8u2.sys device=aspicd.sys /D:mscd001 [NOCD] device=C:\WINDOWS\himem.sys /testmem:off [HELP] device=C:\WINDOWS\himem.sys /testmem:off [COMMON] dos=high,umb devicehigh=C:\WINDOWS\ramdrive.sys /E 2048 lastdrive=z end config.sys msdos.sys ;FORMAT [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). ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxa ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxb ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxc ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxd ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxe ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxf ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxg ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxh ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxi ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxj ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxk ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxl ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxm ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxn ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxo ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxp ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxq ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxr ;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxs end msdos.sys

i also have something called a ramdrive.. which i've never had before.. what is that? it is drive E, and as you can see in the autoexec file, it copies system files there

You copied the config.sys and autoexec.bat from the floppy drive. Those aren't meant to be run on the hard drive. The ram drive is created in config.sys. Your msdos.sys is OK. Delete config.sys and autoexec.bat and your machine will run OK.

I meant you copied config.sys and autoexec.bat from the floppy bootdisk.

Just before you delete autoexec.bat have a check to make sure there is not an anti-virus DOS boot scan line in there. Some AV's use it, such as Norton & AVG. If so, then keep that one line only. Autoexec.bat and config.sys are only used for DOS progs. Derek