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I have Windows ME. When I click on the MS-DOS prompt in the accessories menu nothing happens, not even an error message. When I type 'command' into the run box still nothing. It worked fine a week ago and I am not aware of changing anything.
It is as if DOS has disappeared completely. I have to close any programs that try to use DOS because they slow the computer right down, I think they are stuck because they can't access DOS. Can't do any Java programming because Java needs DOS.
Thanks for any help.
No it's still there. One in C:\WINDOWS and another identical one in C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\EDB. Most of the DOS files appear to be intact, but I don't know why I have command.com in two different places.
The properties of the MS-DOS PROMPT in accessories says
Cmd line: C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
Working: C:\WINDOWSif thats any use.
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Bonjour,
just try to run your command.com directly
by double clicking on, from the opened
window of the C:\directories and files (or in the list of C:\ by the explorer).
Normally a DOS window will open with the prompt ... Check also that the autoexec.bat is in C:\ and open it (right click edition) to see the path ...
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Thanks for the help but still no luck. Not even an error message when I double click command.com.
What files should command.com and autoexec.bat be in? What files are essential to get DOS up and running? My autoexec currently says:
SET windir=C:\WINDOWS
SET winbootdir=C:\WINDOWS
SET COMSPEC=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
SET PATH=C:\GNAT\BIN;C:\GNATCO~1.3P\BIN;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND
SET PROMPT=$p$g
SET TEMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
SET TMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
SET ADA_INCLUDE_PATH=C:\GNAT\ADAGRAPH
SET ADA_OBJECTS_PATH=C:\GNAT\ADAGRAPHAlso, how many files should be in the COMMAND folder, because I have another folder inside that called EDB.
Thanks
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1. Does your WinME PC have the 2 files
C:\Windows\command.pif
and
C:\Windows\dosprmpt.pif ?From Windows Explorer, search for "*.pif" in
C:\Windows (and subfolders). You should see
(among others) "command" and "DOSPRMPT", both
with little "MS-DOS" icons. (Neither of these
2 files are set "Hidden", by the way.)2. Ignore the \Windows\command\EBD folder -- it
contains files used in creating an Me boot floppy (aka "Emergency Boot Disk").
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Yes, I have both of those files, nothing at all happens when I double click them, both are in C:\Windows.
Is the file dosstart.bat important? It is currently 0 bytes.
Do you think buying the Windows XP upgrade could fix it, because I don't have the WinME CD.
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yes, it might be those PIF files
right click on the command.pif
then properties
somethings not right there.I remember off hand but I've seen it before
TheGorx
Windows Help
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What should I be looking for? Here are some properties of command.pif in C:\WINDOWS
Attributes:Archive
Cmd line: C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
Everything Auto under memory tab.Still don't know why I'm not even getting an error message.
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I can't think off hand
if the command line is ok
it's was awhile ago since I had a problem like this.try creating a batch file
open note pad
typepath >1.txt
then save as all files
path.batthen click on the path.bat file
then look at the path in the new 1.txt file.my thinking is your not getting an error because it's just doing what it was told.
also if you copied a different version of DOS to the root drive it may cause problems.
that autoexec.bat file seem to have alot of junk there.
you might check and run
msconfig
and look at the enviroment tab
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-- 1 ------------------
Do you see these 3 instances of file
command.com, with the copy in C:\
having attributes Sytem and Hidden?This info is from my WinME 4.90.3000 system ...
Note that the modification timestamp is
"06-08-2000 5:00pm", same as other WinME system files.Again, ignore the file in the \WINDOWS\COMMAND\EBD
directory, except to note that its attributes are
exactly the same as the file in \WINDOWS .(Note: Output here has been condensed.)
C:\> ver
Windows Millennium [Version 4.90.3000]
C:\> attrib /s C:\command.com
A C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\EBD\COMMAND.COM
A C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
SH C:\COMMAND.COM
C:\> dir /ash C:\command.comDirectory of C:\
93,040 06-08-00 5:00p COMMAND.COM
C:\> dir /s C:\command.comDirectory of C:\WINDOWS
93,040 06-08-00 5:00p COMMAND.COM
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\EBD
93,040 06-08-00 5:00p COMMAND.COM
-- 2 ------------------
I see nothing wrong with your autoexec.bat file.
I'm guessing you have the GNAT Ada programming system
installed.I have ActiveState's Perl installed, and my
autoexec.bat file looks like this:C:\> type autoexec.bat
SET COMSPEC=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
SET windir=C:\WINDOWS
SET winbootdir=C:\WINDOWS
SET PROMPT=$p$g
SET TEMP=C:\Windows\temp
SET TMP=C:\Windows\temp
SET PATH=C:\Perl\bin\;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\Command
SET DIRCMD=/Ogne(The DIRCMD env var causes DIR output to be sorted by
name and then extension, with directories listed first.)-- 3 -------------------
My PC's \WINDOWS\COMMAND directory has 42 files (not
counting the EBD sub-dir), and all of those files are
dated "06-08-2000 5pm".-- 4 -------------------
My PC does NOT have any file DOSSTART.BAT .
You might try renaming that file (to xxxx.BAT.SAV, say) and seeing if that solves the problem.-- 5 -------------------
Failing this, I'd say you need to find someone nearby with a WinME box and compare the two machines closely. If you can boot to
DOS (from a boot floopy), you could do
these commands on both PCs and then diff the two files:dir C:\ > A:\dir.list
dir C:\Windows >> A:\dir.list
dir /s C:\Windows\command >> A:\dir.list
-----------------------
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