hi there. i have windows98 and recently installed linux (dual booting) over the holidays for me to do some programming for uni. today i needed to remove linux and keep win98 as it originally was. so i deleted the linux partitions and made some new dos partitions. I then rebooted the pc only to find the boot manager appearing (called LILO - Linux Loader) so i think OK lets delete this from the MBR. and i rebooted the pc with a win98 startup disk. at the a:\> prompt i typed fdisk /mbr and then rebooted the pc. this solved the problem of the boot manager appearing...but now it just said something like invalid disk please replace the disk and press any key. so i rebooted with the win98 startup disk and did sys c: now the invalid disk problem is solved but it only boots to the command prompt....help!!! have i lost windows??? and all my files addresses etc? how do i fix this a just get bak into windows...any crude way will do so long as i can save a few files (esp. dads email address list!) i did read somewhere that i could just reinstall win98se..so i put the cd in a booted and when i went to install it it said it detected a os on the pc already..perhaps this is a sign that windows is still there..but just not accessible??, i chickened out at the point where i said something like this setup is designed for pc's not having any os installed if you continue confif.sys and autoexec.bat will be replaced with basic versions of those files. i dun care if win98 is reinstalled and back to default settings so long as i can rescue a few things before a nice reformat :) can anyone kinda 'guarantee' that by proceeding with reinstalling win98 i wont loose my files... thanks heaps Tomo

When you get the DOS promt change directory to c:\Windows assuming that is Wndows in installed. Type Win and windows should appear. If that is the case, re-installing Winows over the esixiting installation wont be a problem. However, before you fo that have a look for a file in the rrot folder called MSDOS.SYS. Its probably missing. If you copy the following into Notepad and save it as MSDOS.SYS in the root folder. ;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 Network=0 The lines with the X must be on a single line with the letters as the last charcter. Stuart

Just a quick note: Msdos.sys is a hidden system file by default, so you wont see it even if it's there without changing it's attributes. Here's how you do that: At the C: prompt, type this: attrib -s -h msdos.sys (hit enter) Now at the C: prompt type dir /p , and look for it, you'll have to keep hitting the ENTER key to keep scrolling. Also, Windows 98 does not need Autoexec.bat or config.sys, so don't worry about that.

1) When u are reinstalling windows,windows will search for already installed programs there by u wont lose any data. 2) Install a copy of XOSL boot manager and ranish partition manager(The great and best freeware boot and partition manager)and u can restore ur windows without even reinstalling it.You can also buy a boot+partition manager like Bootit NG(The best boot manager software in the world as I have tried other boot managers)

Whoops, so it is. I have all my system files showing by default. Keep forgeting that other people may not be able to see the same things a me. Stuart

Install over a version of Win98/98SE You can fool the full version of Win98. If you try to install over a previous version of Win98, you will get an error message saying "there is already an operating system on this machine; please contact your vendor for the upgrade version". Easy work-around- boot to the DOS prompt, type "CD Windows". Type "del win.com". This will delete the windows executable file; thus you will no longer have an operating system according to the Win98 setup CD. Type D: (or whatever the letter is for your CD-ROM drive) and run "setup. Win98 will install flawlessly.

Re; #2 (raincheck), At a dos prompt if you type in dir/a it shows all files whether hidden or not. No need to set or reset attrib's unless you're going to edit the file.