It may be an aside but this is the very first time I've run into setupx.dll being updated from the original - no idea if this has any bearing on the problem. Setupx.dll is often misreported as corrupt on W98SE although it does no harm replacing it (unlike W98FE). By the sound of it you've probably already seen this, but just in case (see my collation and WhitPhil's additions): SFC CAN GET IT WRONG DerekW

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Yes, SFC is not always right, and to be really effective, needs to be run from time to time in order to keep track of (legitimate) system changes. You can just tell SFC to extract from the hard drive folder when necessary, or else edit the registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup SourcePath No IO.SYS on an M$-DOS bootdisk? Then it's not a bootdisk "Sys" transfers the files from source to target, it doesn't really 'create' anything. Resist the temptation to close your request for help with semantically-null questions like “Can anyone help me?”

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On the SFC aside (sorry to go on) I will add that, despite my posting, I've found that once you've got SFC sorted and run a few times it then seems to settle down and not give incorrect reports. It's just "what you replace with old CD files" that you then need to be careful about. Note that if you run sfc from time to time sfclog.txt can be a handy guide to what has been happening to your system files and when. I often add my own notes to it. DerekW

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No IO.SYS on an M$-DOS bootdisk? Then it's not a bootdisk No...something didn't go right in creation of the one I made. Likely bad floppy. It should have told me so when I formatted it first. When I format floppies I do em from cmd prompt not just right click > format. setupx.dll was the only file flagged with sfc. I doubt sfc was run since OS install which was at least a year ago. No changes on system was made around time of problem. I had also done a dir of all the files on whole computer and output results to text file. Saw nothing recent. (I was looking for possible infection)--not 100% but is a start when I can't d/l any utils larger than what fits on floppy. I don't think virus unless boot virus which is kinda unlikely since no floppy was present on boot. As for SFC can get it wrong....yes I have seen that a fair bit. On my xp box generally if anything is flagged as changed I can run search for flagged file and if any are in the <color=blue>$NTUninstall</blue> folders I can usually assume the change was a result of updates. (flaged file date should match folder date creation date) I had run it again on the 98 machine, went ahead and replaced the setupx.dll file and let it back up the flagged one. (figured out to use the win98 folder to get file from) Rebooted and still same behavior. Put other file back. Stuck with only boot to safe. Splash screen stuck if I try normal. System does go thru POST OK. I can boot to command prompt, safe mode command prompt only, safe mode. Didn't try /logged. Just rebooted now...and now have a '301' error. IBM Thinkpad utils are up. (was trying to figure out how to get there) Now to figure out what this 301 error is and how to use these utils... Also found the manual for the machine from another post on this site :) Should at least be able to determine if HW issue...that is once I figure out how to start these tests...:| I want to rule out hw issue before I blow away all the OS updates if I re-install windows over origional install. I'm hoping I have option to save test results to a log. Testing in progress....:)

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Tests come back OK...not sure tho how extensive these tests are. 301 error was keyboard. I must have hit f8 too soon. This is the laptop: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/560ugd.pdf SystemBoard Memory Display HDD FDD-1 PCMCIA Parallel Serial InfraRed Audio ^^ All OK DSP CD-Rom-1 FDD-2 ^^ No indication at all. I assume Not installed. Do you think these tests are accurate enough to make me believe OS problem?

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Hi again :) Just looking thru some .bak files. Opened msdos.sys & msdos.bak in notepad. One line different. UninstallDir=C:\ That line present in the sys file. I understand this file must be exactly 1024 bytes. FC reports the .sys file is longer than the .bak file. Possible the problem. (But would that not prevent me from booting even in safe?) Then to find what changed it..... Can someone with 98 check their msdos.sys file to see if that line is present please? Will be checking other .bak files and their 'brothers'. Thanks :)

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Interesting.... Neither the .bak or the .sys is 1024 bytes. Both are larger. Even says in the file itself it must be 1024 bytes. msdos.sys is 1715 bytes msdos.bak is 1685 bytes Havn't got a clue what to edit out.....(or how) LMK if I should post contents... What the heck would mess that file?? ***Note Im posting from one of my test boxes (I test malware). If there is a link inserted about freeloadmp3 crap...I'm not putting it there. Infection is! SO Don't click the freeloadmp3 link if present! Since I have no internet access with the 98 machine I'm trying to fix and have been usin a floppy to back up some files and such from Mom's machine to this one...if something infected...I won't hurt my good box.

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I see that damn freeloadmp3 link is in homepage link. Posting this msg from uninfected box...can someone remove that link please?? I don't see it when I access my comp.net settings. Thanks and sorry bout that...!

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UninstallDir=C:\ is not that important, and is only needed if it's intended to uninstall the OS and only IF this was an upgrade AND the option to back up the original OS was chosen. "I understand this file must be exactly 1024 bytes" No, not exactly Some programs expect the Msdos.sys file to be at least 1024 bytes in length. If it is not, these programs may not work correctly. For example, if an anti-virus program detects that the Msdos.sys file is less than 1024 bytes in length, the program may assume that the Msdos.sys file is infected with a virus.

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"UninstallDir=C:\ is not that important, and is only needed if it's intended to uninstall the OS and only IF this was an upgrade AND the option to back up the original OS was chosen." Yeah...I saw that too. I stand corrected. This was an upgrade from 98 to 98SE and origional OS is there too. I can Uninstall SE in add/rem if I wanted to. Think I'm gonna hafta go with re-install OS from the hdd.

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Well, that is an option, and fortunately you have the files on the hard drive. The function of MSDOS.SYS in Win9x is very different than in DOS622 - no longer truly a system file, just a Windows configuration file - you can boot to DOS with only the placeholder version of the file present, such as the one on a 9x bootdisk (which contains only one line)

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Yes!!...it finally got thru finalizing. Still 'looking for drivers, etc but hopefully I'll have everything onboard to at least get online to do something. Took several reboots cus machine kept freezing up during 'building driver database' Of course the only part that is screwed up is the ethernet....!! LOL! "windows stopped responding while attempting to start this device and therefore will never attempt to start this device again (code 11.) Is this some kind of Joke??.... At least right now it appears I have a bootable OS! :) :)

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Ok...looks like the ethernet card is borked. I tried ASD to tell it to start> puter froze at bootup. ASD disabled at next boot which allowed normal bootup. (minus internet)... Recommends I either upgrade drivers or change resorces. I'm not the greatest figuring IRQ settings and stuff... Someone able to help me with that? Can this device share with any others? I/O Range is 0110-011F IRQ is 11 Apparently no conflicts according to dev manager. Reference to problem is: PCMCIA\3COM_CORPERATION-3C589D-9CA6\0

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Nobody else using IRQ 11 Infrared PnP Serial Port (*PNP0510) Communications Port (COM3) Both ^^ those on 4 - apparently no conflict. Free IRQs 3, 9, 10, 15 Guess I should have mentioned name of device?..LOL! 3COM EtherLink III PCMCIA (3C589D) If you want anything else out of 'system info' LMK...I'll dig er up.

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OK....Updated the driver with success. Windows starts ok with the ethernet card installed & enabled. Dev manager show no ! or ? Now I still have no internet. I also don't have "network connections" (whatever it is called in 98) applet in ctrl panel. Therefore I cannot fix internet connection.

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Ok....Update... All works fine now. I had to re-install tcp/ip to get internet working. That applet magically re-appeared too. :) Big cup 'o' java time for me! Would be nice to know what took out that darn card tho...strange. Thanks for all the help & links. Have a good one! :)

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Ah, well - I see you've been busy. I'm glad that everything appears to have worked out, there can often be a few bumps, but it looks like you've overcome those. Well done Resist the temptation to close your request for help with semantically-null questions like “Can anyone help me?”

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Yep. Been busy. It all worked out fine. Thats what I get for upgrading to Xp and not having much chance to play on 9x systems...you forget alot. System blows out again with similar behavior...at least I will know what to check first on that machine. :)

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