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after uninstalling a couple programs on my wifes computer, it wouldn't boot, saying there were some missing files. himem.sys, dblbuff.sys & ifshlp.sys and also that win.com wasn't found. after getting them off of my computer & putting them on a floppy disk. all files were taken, but now the windows screen comes up & won't go away. it just hangs there, even after rebooting. any help would be greatly appreciated.
You might try booting to DOS by tapping F8 while the computer is booting. Select Command Prompt Only from the menu.
At the C:\> prompt type Scanreg /fix (enter). Reboot & see if Windows starts.
If still no joy, repeat the above procedure but type in Scanreg /restore (Enter).
Pick a backup of the registry from a date prior to when the problem started. Reboot.Post back with results.
HTH
Dave
If a Man is talking in the forest and there is no woman there to hear him, is he still wrong?
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Seems odd. Did you use proper uninstalls for the programs? Even so it is weird that those particular files vanished.
Can I assume you put them all in c:\windows and that your wife's machine was also W98SE?
If the above is the case then I suppose you could consider "shutting down" to DOS and typing scanreg /restore (choose a date just before the uninstalls). You would need to use a registry cleaner afterwards because it would have pointers to the programs you uninstalled. Scanreg /fix might help sort it.
Hang on to see what others say though because this approach is a bit messy (last resort). There might be some better way forward.
Derek.W
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I overlapped with Dave357 (more or less the same suggestions). I would still hang on a bit to see if there are any better ideas.
Derek.W
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The three sys files might be explained by the newly installed progs having created a config.sys but win.com gone missing is another story.
M2
Mechanix2@Golden-Triangle.com
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Mechanix2Go
Hope birthdy celebs went well....
I think the poster was saying this happened during 'un'installing programs. That leaves me a bit foxed. Surely no software is daft enough to believe that those file were just for its own use.
Derek.W
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Hi
Try first, the msdos.sys fix method. (msdos.sys - a hidden file on the root of C drive,amongst other things, directs where programs can be found)
You have a second computer so it should be pretty easy to get any files of the going computer. Then check to make sure you have a valid win.com file in the windows folder.
The fact you placed some of the "probably not really missing files" on the computer which changed the bootup, suggests the registry may be ok.
Nastyware when unistalled is a bit like a dirty rat, either the uninstall is badly written or its just making sure you "enjoy" the misery of uninstalling said program.
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Hi
OH Boy, I didn't refresh my opera browser cache again. (like I was only viewing #1 )
Happy Bithday Mechanix2Go
Yeah Nastyware as I call it, does have a habit of disabling the OS. Some (perhaps few) write to msdos.sys, which no uninstall needs to, so that action is deliberate amd intends to upset the system.
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Yeah, I'd overlooked the possibility that what you were uninstalling might have been malware. Hope you don't mind me intruding here:
anenefan
Geez, what have I missed out on now? Honesty is best policy, I'm not aware of an "msdos.sys fix method" for W98SE. I just keep a spare copy of that file. Can you say a few brief words or post a link? Thx.Derek.W
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Hi
Sorry about not responding sooner -- I'm also a slow typer.
Derek - Yeah the msdos fix method is just me generalising, pretty just what you just implied, replace the msdos.sys file with a know good one.
However the full method is sys c: -- which refreshes io.sys and msdos.sys and verifies they are loaded at the correct position on the root drive.
Replace msdos.sys -- will involves either slaving the drive or booting from a bootable floppy and using msdos commands attrib; then copy, then attrib to rehide msdos.sys. I leave the file visible eg I don't hide the file.The method (of refreshing with sys c: and installing a good copy of msdos.sys) has been described many times, and many members here have sent off copies of msdos.sys and win.com.
I feel it should be the first fix method for strange bootup problems, before the scanreg procedure, as it is relativly safe.
One of many dealing with msdos.sys problems
There are plenty of times when msdos.sys seems fine, and scanreg/restore works. When the registry is damaged, I find it odd scanreg doesn't get to run automatically, as I thought it was supposed to run first before windows started started loading.
Nastyware (another generalisation) is not nescessarily malware, though some of it is.
When I looked into corrupted msdos.sys problems, with google a couple of years back, the anti-crack brigade were in the sights, for probable cause/blame. I think many were just jumping to conclusions though.
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anenefan
It rather seems that (with a bit of luck and a fair wind) you can probably get out of trouble by copying msdos.sys from another machine with the same OS.
You might lose a few of your own tweaks (I have no flash screen for example) but it's easy to edit your tailoring back in.
Derek.W
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just wanted to thank everyone for their help. i have no idea what happened to the darn thing. i couldn't even get it to a command prompt. i found my win98se cd & just let it do it's thing. didn't lose files & settings thankfully, just a matter of getting the updates i need now. especially gotta do something about the sound, it's horrible. ac97 (c-media), anyone know of any basic driver i can use that'd make it work good & not sound so crappy. thanks again for the help. god bless
rick....
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Good news whatever.
I assume you have no driver CD for your AC97.
Download a freebie program called Everest Home Edition (search "Everest System Information" in Google). This will give stacks of info and works on the hardware itself (rather than any wrong drivers that might happen to get installed).
Go to Multimedia/PCI & PnP Audio and it should give the exact description of your sound hardware. Search Google for drivers for that.
In the meantime someone might pop by who is more familiar with your AC97 (which is, I believe, on-board - built into mobo).
Derek.W
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Hi
You'll need chipset drivers for your motherboard. Also any other drivers related to anything onboard, the chipset driver doesn't cover. Try your motherboard's website.
Install your chipset driver first and other drivers afterwards.
eg If cmedia sound card is a separate card you'll need to get a driver for it as well.
AC 97 describes more than just Audio codec. Sadly, (as many think its purely a codec driver,) the name doesn't reflect what AC 97 is really about.
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anenefan
Great.
Good to get a bit more info on the subject. Presumably there ought to have been a CD somewhere for that lot....
Derek.W
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