There was only one line in the original Autoexec.bat First I tried "remarking" (rem) this line out to make it be ignored by the O/S. Then I edited the line completely There was still no change. I did create a back up so I could restore from this if required. If the Autoexec.bat file is completely empty I cannot see how it is causing a problem although I accept that it is at least in part contributing to this issue. I have examined this system closely to verify that there is not a hardware fault somewhere or a BIOS setting that is contributing to the problem and found none. I just wish that there was someway of getting rid of the Windows 98 Picture so that I could see each item being processed / loaded etc. like you can with most linux distros (which actually flags up potential problem areas in red). If I could find where all of the componants of this driver file reside I may be able to remove them. I tried google regarding the CD / driver and and found no references ( hardly suprising so many years after manufacture). I should have stated in my initial post that the CD is not only external would have been connected by a serial cable - not U.S.B To this end I have also examined the status of the serial / parallel ports whilst in Device Manager. Additionally I used the HWINFO /UI tool via the Run prompt to run a check - nothing abnormal was detected via this tool. I did wonder if installing my new CD / driver et al might actually resolve the problem possibly by overwriting - but I doubt it. I suspect that it would complicate matters further ! Anyway I am grateful for the assistance that has been offered. Trevor

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Install TweakUI. Then, under boot tab, uncheck "display splash screen while booting". Or just press ESC while booting.

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Thank you for that Dave - I will give that a try. Trevor

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Post back contents of config.sys and autoexec.bat.

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Or edit msdos.sys and add the line logo=0.

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Another thought. Take a look in c:\windows\system\iosubsys Sometimes old drivers get left there and can cause problems. Look in their Properties (Version tab/Company Name or Product Name). DerekW

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Jam - Thank you. Lupin 3rd - Thanks I will do that. Derek W - have had a quick look and can't see the driver in there but I will make a proper in depth examination tomorrow (it is starting to get a bit late and I don't want to miss something because of tiredness). DAVE IN CAPS - Autoexec.bat is empty Config.sys is as follows [Menu] Menuitem=CD, Start computer with CD-ROM support Menuitem=NOCD, Start computer without CD-ROM Support Menuitem=Help, view the helpfile Menudefault=CD, 30 Menucolour=7,0 [CD] device=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=aspi4dos.sys device=asoi8u2.sys device=aspicd.sys / D:mscd001 [NOCD] device=himem.sys / testmem:off [Help] device=himem.sys / testmem:off [common] files=10 buffers=10 dos=high, umb stacks=9,256 devicehigh=ramdrive.sys / E 2048 lastdrive=z Once again my sincere thanks to all of you for your help which is appreciated. Kind regards, Trevor

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Looks like config.sys has been copied from a boot floppy. Rename config.sys to config.old and restart computer.

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That looks suspiciously like the config.sys found on a bootdisk - is this the one from c:\config.sys or some other location? We've heard that a million monkeys at a million keyboards could produce the complete works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know that is not true

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I ran the search utility to locate config.sys whilst in Windows (primarily because the \ key is not working under pure DOS which makes life very difficult in a command line environment!) The only file that was located in response to my search query - config.sys was actually c;\windows\command\ebd\config.sys (I am sorry that I did not see this at the time - it was very late). However just using the search query: config revealed the following files: c:\config.de~ c:\config.bak c:\windows.config.txt (just a read me re: late changes to Windows 98SE) c:\windows\config (File Folder) Iconfig msconfig c:\windows\config.sys (already posted contents) c:programfiles\connectionconfig I have opened c:\config.bak and this contained the following lines: Device=C:\WINDOWS\SETVER.exe DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS DOS=HIGH DEVICE = C:\EPIACD.SYS / rO / w0 Device = C:\ASPICD.SYS / D:ASPI_CD ___________________________ I also opened the C:\CONFIG.DE~ file and that contained the following lines:- DEVICE=C:\DOS\SETVER.exe DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS DOS=HIGH FILES=30 ____________________________ I have re-checked the folders on C:\ (using Windows Explorer) and there is no file labeled simply C:\CONFIG.SYS (which surprised me). Any further ideas would be most welcome. Thank you. Trevor

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System files are probably hidden. Try reply #6.

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I had already configured the system to show all hidden files. In Sysedit I get an error mesage saying cannot open Config.sys file (although the frame does appear). Trevor

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I would just add that I have examined the hardware & BIOS settings (directly and via Fresh Diagnose)and no problematic settings (or componants) have been identified. I have also run a virus scan as a matter of course. Although I used the method suggested (Esc Key) to get rid of the Windows splash screen at boot up I regret that no text was displayed ( bar these four C:> Prompts I mentioned previously). I really do wish that there was some way of making Windows boot in the same manner as Linux where you can watch each process being loaded etc. - it makes life so much easier in these circumstances. By the way I am not anti-Microsoft or particularly pro-Linux it is just a feature of Linux that I think is particularly useful when troubleshooting many faults. Once again I owuld like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the assistance rendered. Trevor

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I haven't gone back through the whole post to refresh myself but I would add the following points: ebd is emergency boot disk. The config.sys that the system uses is c:\config.sys (but I think you've now worked this out). There is a step-by-step confirmation. Tap F8 key whilst booting and you will see it as an option in the startup menu. Windows should start and run without autoexec.bat & config.sys (the right one). They can be disabled by renaming them - most folks change the extensions to .old - that way they can always be restored. DerekW

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Derek, There is no C:\Config.sys file The EBD was identified in C:\windows\command\config.sys file I had already tried a selective boot before my original post but this did not allow me to identify the precise point where a problem was occuring. Additionally I did select a Bootlog.txt and examine this with a utility called Boot Log Analyser (which is very useful but has it's limitations). Whilst I have a reasonable amount of experience in troubleshooting P.C. systems I am not so experienced when it comes to Laptops / notebooks. This is probably why I am so perplexed by this issue - I do not know what is Normal for a Toshiba notebook. In my (albeit limited) experience of laptop systems they all seem to be different whereas most desktops seem share many common features (Dell units are sometimes an exception). I am also extremely confused by the fact that the system does one P.O.S.T. beep and then about 25 seconds later further on in the boot process emits another double beep (which is in an entirely different Tone to the P.O.S.T.) I have never encountered this phenomena before either with the boot process of a desktop home P.C. or in my experience of laptops. I can find no reference to this second set of beeps in any of my troubleshooting books or online (via Google). However thank you for your help. Dave 01 - I have installed Tweak UI which is a nice tool but it does not provide for the verbose boot that I require (but at least I can lose that splash screen !). Trevor

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There's usually no need to 'uninstall' a cdrom driver. For dos, a line calling the driver is installed in config.sys and a line calling mscdex is put in autoexec.bat. Apparently you have no config.sys (except the bootdisk version in the EBD folder) and you REM'd out the line in autoexec.bat. The only cases where you may need to go through an uninstall process is with older cdroms that had proprietary adapters. Sometimes a separate 'CD-ROM controller' driver would be installed. That was a windows driver and isn't loaded from config.sys or autoexec.bat. An external cdrom may have it's own drivers. If so, it should either show up in device manager or add/remove programs. It's likely the long boot time is due to something besides cdrom drivers. I don't know if the toshiba has a network adapter but I've noticed with 98 they will add an additional 10 seconds or so to the boot time. Also in #4 above, the dos prompt lines that appear are coming from autoexec.bat. They're just echoing some blank lines. If you add @ECHO OFF as the first line in autoexec.bat that should stop, although it still may pause momentarily on a dos screen.

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DAVE IN CAPS, Thank you for your post. I will edit the autoexec.bat as you suggest. Your comments regarding Network Adapters are interesting. I creatd a Bootlog.txt (via F8 Key at boot up)which I analysed using the utility program Boot Log Ananlyser. I checked the box marked Show Failures and this revealed:- LoadFailed = ndis2sup.vxd This is the network adapter. Thre is an article regarding this issue on the Microsoft support site: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q127970/ and also on Computing.net (of course ! ) http://www.computing.net/windows95/wwwboard/forum/66985.html It would appear that whilst this is a failure it need not be treated as a problem. However this may be what is delaying the boot process whilst a network adapter is being sought - just as you suspected. Whether this is what then causes the double beep is uncertain (but quite likely). I am going to try and obtain a manual for this notebook which I suspect will provide enlightenment on this issue. After I have edited the autoexec.bat as suggested I will consider this issue resolved. Dave - Thank you for your help. Everyone who has posted - A Big Thank You ! I have been able to considerably enhance my knowledge thanks to your help and guidence which is greatly appreciated. Whilst some of the issues regarding this notebook may remain mysteries for ever (the missing Config.sys and the U.S.A keyboard to name but two) this is the cost that comes with buying a notebook for just £8 . Best wishes and thanks to you all, Trevor

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Missing config.sys (or autoexec.bat) is no issue unless you use DOS programs such as games. Sometime virus checkers have a boot scan in autoexec.bat so it is needed for those cases. You mentioned USA keyboard. Have you tried Control Panel/Keyboard/Language. If you are from the UK then so am I, so I might be able to help further if necessary. DerekW

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Derek, This notebook is curious - it actually has a U.S.A Keyboard fitted( I mean that in the hardware sense of the word). Perhaps at sometime during it's life something was spilled upon it and a non uk keyboard was fitted as a cheaper repair option. This should not be an issue as the only difference between the keyboard layouts would be the location of the @ and " key (which are transposed). However what I do find curious (and problematic)is that the \ key will not work in (true) DOS mode. Obviously trying to work efectively in DOS ( such as editing a file) is not possible if the \ key is undetected. When I am working in Windows, as I am a two handed one fingered typist at best, remembering to look in a different place for the @ key and the " key is not a particularly onerous task. I was tempted to load Linux on it instead of Windows ( Damn Small Linux would be my Distro of choice for this unit). However as I do not have a ( Bootable) CD drive I would not be able to test hardware detection prior to installation. Thus I suspect that I will leave it as it is. Trevor

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Well, presumably you've tried switching to keyboard USA in Control Panel. As far as DOS is concerned have you tried either of these commands from the prompt?: keyb uk keyb us From memory I think the space is necessary but you could try without. I don't think the full path is necessary but if need be you could try: c:\windows\command\keyb uk (or us). Otherwise, yes, sounds complicated, so I am out of ideas. DerekW

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Derek - Thank you for the advice. I am certain that when I checked via control panel that the Keyboard was set to USA. However it is not impossible that I overlooked this (or saw what I expected to see) so I will re-check. Thank you for the advice regarding DOS which was appreciated. Unfortunately I have found it practically impossible to exit from the DOS command prompt with this notebook. Previously when using DOS on my other desktop systems I have simply quit the application and program (using the appropriate program command)to return to a C:\> prompt and then switched off power to the unit. However this notebook will not quit DOS unless I remove the battery and leave it out for a few minutes. Thus whereas I am usually keen on using DOS to undertake many tasks (I enjoy it's simplicity) I am a bit reluctant to return to the command line on this particular notebook. However if my courage should return I will certainly try using your suggested commands. I am still unable to understand why the \ key will not work in DOS as this is identical in both U.K & USA keyboards - another mystery! When I purchased this notebook I felt guilty for bartering the vendor down from the asking price of £10 to £8 - I do not feel that way any more !! Once again, my sincere thanks for the interest that you have taken in my problem(s)and the valuable help that you have provided. Trevor

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Possibly like my laptop the back slash key \ is actually the ~# button when in dos mode. Only a possibilaty like :P

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Well done Lupin3rd ! You are absolutely correct ! The ~# Key is the \ when in DOS on this laptop also. Thank you - very much appreciated. Trevor

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