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I have an HP Pavillion 7865 computer running a Win Me OS. I have had no particular previous problems with it, but when i switched it on today, I got the message 'Cannot find System.ini file, please insert boot disk and type scanreg\restore.'
On inserting the disk, I ran scanreg, and it found no problems with the registry, and I couldn't restore anything as for some reason my computer has never let me create a restore point.
Running scandisk generally finds no problems either, although it has stated that the free space on the disk was being reported incorrectly, but fixing this didn't make any difference.
Now if I try to boot without the floppy, I get the options Normal, Logged, Safe mode, or step-by-step. I can enter safe mode only, if I try to enter normal, it will just say windows did not load correctly and give me the options again.
Is there anything you can think of that I could do to try and fix this problem, because I do not want to have to reformat unless there is no other option, as I would lose so much data!
Thanks for any help!
Natalie-
There are a few things you can do. It appears that there is something in the startup procedure that is keeping windows from starting up normally, but whatever it is does not get loaded in safe mode. This means that if you can narrow it down to which program is the culprit, you can remove it manually and be happily on your way to non-formatting land (although you wouldn't necessarily have to lose data with a reformat...you would have to copy to another hard drive or something first then reformat.)Anyhow, boot with a floppy (safe mode command prompt only will do) and type
edit c:\bootlog.txt
This will give you a list of each driver/program/whatever that the computer successfully started up. It lists them twice: once for attempting and once for success. Find the last one, which is probably only listed once, and post back which one it is or if your savvy use msconfig in safemode to take it out of system.ini or win.ini or whatever.You can also see if you have any backup copies of win.ini and system.ini in your folder (although it's a pretty safe bet that we're dealing with system and not win). These backup copies might be named system.old or system.nav. Try copying these badboys over the current system.ini (after you back it up) to see if any of them work.
Post back with results - these aren't your only two options.
-SN
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I don't know if this will work but. Try booting into safe mode.Click on
Start
Run
Type in "msconfig" (no quotes)
click on "startup"
Uncheck everything but scanreg, system tray and explorer(if there).
Reboot and see if it will start in normal mode. If it does then add things back (to start-up) ONE AT A TIME until you find the problem.Jimi_l
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To add to Jimmi's suggestion, the following site lists what these un-necessary programs are that are loaded at start up and what can be disabled. You may find a bug or spyware...
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm
To enable SYSTEM RESTORE for when you get the PC working properly again....
http://www.computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/30148.html
Response Number 2If you want the answers... this is the place to be !!
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I have tried the above two options now with no success...
In reference to response number two, from Jimi_1:
Seemed like a good idea, but unfortunately it will still only let me into safe mode even after I have done this. One thing I noted in Start; run; msconfig; general; is that it is set to selective startup, and within this 'process system.ini file' cannot be selected. Also, in Start; run; msconfig; system.ini; it is completely blank. I was wondering what this may mean?In reference to response one from SN:
I located the bootlog.txt file, although no system.old, or system.nav files seem to be present. Listed below ar ethe things I found in the bootlog that seem to indicate errors[1]
for every different font the following message occurs:
loadfail = c:\WINDOWS\FONTS\fontname i.e LSANUNI.TTF failure code is 0016[2]loadfail = C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\MICROSOFT SHARED\EQUATION\MTEXTRA.TTF failure code is 0016
there are also a couple of things that state 'started unknown' or 'enumerating unknown', and I'm not sure if this is normal or not?
Thank you both for your suggestions, any more will be most gratefully received and attempted!
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Natalie-
Were any of the above two errors the last one in the list? That is the one we need to know about.
-SN
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No, the two errors were near the end, but not last...
the Bootlog ended with:[0015DC1] starting unknown (HTREE\RESERVED\10)
[0015DC1] started unknown (HTREE\RESERVED\10)
[00159DD4] enumerating unknown (HTREE\ROOT\10)
[00159DD4] enumerated unknown (HTREE\ROOT\10)
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hello
you may want to try system restore from safe mode and if you cant from safe mode heres a link for doing it from dos
http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/30687.html
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Dave-
There seems to be little point in my attempting system restore right now seeing as there are no previous restore points for me to load, and I don't really want to create a restore point with my computer in it's current state! I will try this suggestion if I manage to fix the current problem though of course!
cheers!
Natalie
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The fact that System.ini appears to be blank worries me... is this really possible, and if so could it be the root of my problems... or am I simply being stupid and looking in the wrong place?! It wouldn't even boot into safe mode if this were the case, would it?
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I would try a virus scan next.
Preferably from DOS if you have the disks. If you dont then go here-http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/desktop/pc-cillin/use/erd.htm
This is the only DOS based scanner I ever found that can be used without an install of some antivirus. Just make em and take em
Jimi_l
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hello
the restore point you tryed from at scanreg /restore was the one i thought you were saying did not work.witch is diferant than system restore. that is why i sugested system restore.
as scanreg /restore allso uses restore points.
i give up on this
have a nice day
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I ran my virus scanner, as I was able to access it in safe mode, and it said my system was clean so that seems to be a no go as well.
It does seem as if this is a problem with system.ini, seeing as though every time I access it in safe mode, it is completely blank.
Still no ideas as to what to do about this!
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And now for a restore of windows functions by newgrl
this is a last ditch way to open windoz if all else has faild than you have nothing tolose.
Name: newgrl
Date: December 24, 2001 at 22:19:09 Pacific
Subject: replacing system.iniReply:
On the root of the C: drive (... where I am assuming Windows ME is installed) there shouldbe a hidden file named system.cb
This is a "backup" system.ini that contains no third party drivers.
Copy it to c:\windows and rename it to system.ini... then see if you can boot up.If you can, you will have to install a bunch of drivers. Including video, sound, scanners,
cameras, etc... but you should be able to boot.
and heres how to make it work from boot disk
you will need to reboot with m.e bootdisk in drive if you dont have one you can d/l onefrom www.bootdisk.com
chose to boot withwith out cd-rom suport at the a: you will type (will look like this)
a:c: click enter
next c: dir /p to move to next pages in dir click enter
click enter
c:copy system.cb windows system.ini
click enter
if it says there is allraedy a file by that name and it will be over writen click yes or okallso
you can runscandisk from dos to check for errors and if many are found this may be whywindows dose not start and a new hard drive might be needed.
Allso when m.e is instald, copys of your registry files are made and remain unmodified
until the next time windows is instald.
the back up,system.1st ,is loacated in your root directory. if all else fails,you can
at least to some extent,restore your system to its instald state by copying these filesover those in use.
although it wont have any of your most recent settings,it should start windows.from link
http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/30687.html
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In reference to response 14:
I went into safe mode and located system.cb, and pasted the contents into notepad to have a look at them... they seemed very basic, as stated.
I then did the same with a file I located names system.!~! and the contents seemed more what I would expect from a system.ini file, so I took a chance and pasted it into the worryingly blank system.ini file.
I then restarted... and my computer went straight into Win ME, and a sound file played on startup, and the modem works... so it would seem that the drivers for those are still present! I then ran scandisk, and no errors were found!
I am amazed this seems to have worked as I frankly know very little about computers, so fingers crossed, but I await problems!
Thank you very much for your suggestion Dave, as it is that which lead to me trying what I did!
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Running a scan from safe mode is NOT good enough.
Any virus that loads with Windows system files, even safe mode Windows, can be missed from a Windows mode scan
From DOS mode is the only 100% way to know.
I dont say this is your problem but you need to know for sure, and right now you do not.Jimi_l
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Well, I am running Norton now in normal mode (yay, normal mode at last!), seeing as though replacing system.ini with system.!~! seems to have worked for some reason.(??)
I know I need to pinpoint what wiped system.ini in the first place so that it doens't happen again. That definitely sounds like the work of a virus, but Norton isn't seeming to detect one.
Can anyone suggest a decent online scanner?
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housecall.antivirus.com
I should have been more specific in my first post that backup copies of system.ini could have any extension... Sorry I didn't make that clear and avoid all this extra troubleshooting.
-SN
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That's ok, it's all a learning process, and the more long winded it is, the more I learn!
Thanks muchly to everyone for all their help - invaluble!
-Natalie
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I am new to the internal workings of the PC. Where does one gather the ealth of knowledge exhibited in the afore mentioned forum???
Thanx.
kbbop
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hello
your wellcome and i hope this keeps working.
you should do some investagateing into
why system restore dont work. its worth haveing and see if scanreg is not checked in msconfig.as haveing a registry restore point is well worth haveing.
have a nice day
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For some reason, ever since I replaced the wiped system.ini file with the system.!~! for the first time, system restore points has been working properly. So maybe the problem was a blessing in disguise, although I still cannot work out why it happened as there really seems to be no virus.
Scanreg is checked in ms config, so I'm not sure what is going on there, but of course when I did have the problem and ran scanreg in DOS, it always reported that there were no registry problems anyway?
Hmmm!
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hello
do an online scan at housecall anti virus.
and d/l ad-ware and run it to remove any uneeded spy ware.
i,m glad all is well as to your copy and pasteing the back up into note pad was smart thinking on your part.ive added this to the next verion of m.e wont start.
your not knowing something wont work has worked for you.
have a nice day
p.s
you might want to try this stuff as well
http://www.burzurq.com/forum/trevtweak.html how 2 run m.e well ver.4
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