win98 *****ed up

aoshi · January 23rd, 2002, 00:55

I had my PC set up for a win98 winXP dual boot aand it was pretty ok but one day I tried to play ePSXe in win98, ePSXe won't even start at all, so I rebboted to XP and tried to see if it had the same case but ePSXe ran fine, so i rebooted to 98 to check the problem but now I had this problem in boot-up, something about locating the windows command interpreter command.com and a C> prompt. So I entered the location of my command.com but nothing happened, the same prompt repeats itself. wtf is wrong? I think XP messed up my win98, any way of solving this? thanks in advance

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**Demigod** · January 23rd, 2002, 04:53

The COMMAND.COM file is a DOS command interpreter. AFAIK Windows 98 does not require it to function. The COMMAND.COM file is required for the DOS box in Windows and also in pure DOS. It seems it is corrupt or missing, which means you cannot enter any DOS commands, but it shouldn't prevent you from booting into Windows 98. If the file is corrupt then try replacing it from your Windows 98 CABs. I run a dual-boot with Windows 98 SE and Windows XP and everything works fine.

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**Zephon** · January 23rd, 2002, 09:47

I don't know if I understood correctly, but I think that you meant that it's booting to the DOS prompt instead of booting to Win98. If that's not your problem, don't bother to read what's below.

I only know two ways of automatically running pure DOS everytime you turn on Win98, which is adding a string to autoexec.bat or editing msdos.sys(or choosing "restart in dos mode" when shutting down). Sometimes using the "exit" command in the DOS prompt can make the system reboot in Win98 mode. If this doesn't work, maybe you can check if everything is ok in the msdos.sys file. Edit it(it's a hidden, system file) and check if there's a line called "BootGUI", and make sure it's set to "1".

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**Betamax** · January 23rd, 2002, 23:10

Not nesesarily. If eg he has a TSR program in his autoexec.bat file it would need command.com loaded in order to be executed. IIRC the exit command is built into command.com so it won't work if the system can't find command.com.

If you are unsure with the extract command you could also visit www.bootdisk.com and download the win98 boot disk and copy the file from that.

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Superior marketing of an inferior product will always win over inferior marketing of a superior product.

**Zephon** · January 24th, 2002, 09:31

I think he already has command.com working fine, since he can already see the C:\> prompt.

__________________
But there is someone who remembers you
Someone waiting for a sign that leads the way to you
There is someone who will die for you
Keep that in mind when the hope fails

SgtGhost · January 24th, 2002, 15:47

You may have a problem with your msdos.sys file. If the file has been renamed or corrupted, you’ll end up with an error about your command.com missing or corrupted.

In order to verify if you have your msdos.sys file, go back in WinXP and look in the root of the win98 installation partition. Make sure you have “show hidden files” check in the tool / folder option / view menu in windows explorer.

If you are unable to boot in WinXP , you’ll need to use a bootdisk, then go at the c:\> prompt and type attrib –r –a –s –h (hit enter), then type dir. You should be able to see the msdos.sys file. If the file is missing, I strongly suggest getting another and placing it in the root of C drive.

That should fix your boot problem and your command.com problem too.

Just so you don’t get confuse though. It doesn’t matter if your command.com is missing. Has long that you have the msdos.sys file in the root of the win98 folder. That’s the most important file for win98 in order to make it boot.

Zephon mention that the command line BootGUI in the msdos.sys file should be set at 1. That doesn’t really matter. What will happen is that your pc will boot at the c:\> prompt and you’ll need to do type WIN in order to start win98.

Here’s an excellent explanation of the MSDOS.SYS File

I strongly suggest to any win98 users to have a backup of that file somewhere and it would be a good thing to study it, very intersting stuff in there.

Later!
Sarge

__________________
Later!
Sarge

aoshi · January 27th, 2002, 23:51

sorry for the late reply, my PC is very screwed-up right now and all the modems i connect to it don't seem to function correctly. tanks for the suggestions I'll go try them out.

__________________
tech head with a poor budget

January 23rd, 2002, 00:55	#1
aoshi poor loser Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Pilipinas Posts: 310	win98 *ed up I had my PC set up for a win98 winXP dual boot aand it was pretty ok but one day I tried to play ePSXe in win98, ePSXe won't even start at all, so I rebboted to XP and tried to see if it had the same case but ePSXe ran fine, so i rebooted to 98 to check the problem but now I had this problem in boot-up, something about locating the windows command interpreter command.com and a C> prompt. So I entered the location of my command.com but nothing happened, the same prompt repeats itself. wtf is wrong? I think XP messed up my win98, any way of solving this? thanks in advance __________________ tech head with a poor budget

January 27th, 2002, 23:51	#7
aoshi poor loser Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Pilipinas Posts: 310	sorry sorry for the late reply, my PC is very screwed-up right now and all the modems i connect to it don't seem to function correctly. tanks for the suggestions I'll go try them out. __________________ tech head with a poor budget

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January 23rd, 2002, 04:53	#2
Demigod これはバタスです Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,332	The COMMAND.COM file is a DOS command interpreter. AFAIK Windows 98 does not require it to function. The COMMAND.COM file is required for the DOS box in Windows and also in pure DOS. It seems it is corrupt or missing, which means you cannot enter any DOS commands, but it shouldn't prevent you from booting into Windows 98. If the file is corrupt then try replacing it from your Windows 98 CABs. I run a dual-boot with Windows 98 SE and Windows XP and everything works fine. __________________ CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 Mobo: Intel DX48BT2 Memory: 4096 MB PC10600 DDR3 Videocard: PNY Geforce 9800 GX2 Soundcard: On-board SigmaTel High Definition Audio Hard drive: 120 GB OCZ RevoDrive PCI-E SSD & 1 TB Hitachi Optical drive: LG GGW-H20L (2x BD-R DL) PSU: Nexus 1000 Watt PSU OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit) Proud millionaire folder of the NGEmu folding team

January 23rd, 2002, 09:47	#3
Zephon Key To The Universe Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Stratosphere Posts: 2,712	I don't know if I understood correctly, but I think that you meant that it's booting to the DOS prompt instead of booting to Win98. If that's not your problem, don't bother to read what's below. I only know two ways of automatically running pure DOS everytime you turn on Win98, which is adding a string to autoexec.bat or editing msdos.sys(or choosing "restart in dos mode" when shutting down). Sometimes using the "exit" command in the DOS prompt can make the system reboot in Win98 mode. If this doesn't work, maybe you can check if everything is ok in the msdos.sys file. Edit it(it's a hidden, system file) and check if there's a line called "BootGUI", and make sure it's set to "1". __________________ But there is someone who remembers you Someone waiting for a sign that leads the way to you There is someone who will die for you Keep that in mind when the hope fails

January 23rd, 2002, 23:10	#4
Betamax Resident Movie Critic Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland Posts: 9,506	Not nesesarily. If eg he has a TSR program in his autoexec.bat file it would need command.com loaded in order to be executed. IIRC the exit command is built into command.com so it won't work if the system can't find command.com. If you are unsure with the extract command you could also visit www.bootdisk.com and download the win98 boot disk and copy the file from that. __________________ Superior marketing of an inferior product will always win over inferior marketing of a superior product.

January 24th, 2002, 09:31	#5
Zephon Key To The Universe Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Stratosphere Posts: 2,712	I think he already has command.com working fine, since he can already see the C:\> prompt. __________________ But there is someone who remembers you Someone waiting for a sign that leads the way to you There is someone who will die for you Keep that in mind when the hope fails

January 24th, 2002, 15:47	#6
SgtGhost Registered User Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: CA - QC - MTL Posts: 69	You may have a problem with your msdos.sys file. If the file has been renamed or corrupted, you’ll end up with an error about your command.com missing or corrupted. In order to verify if you have your msdos.sys file, go back in WinXP and look in the root of the win98 installation partition. Make sure you have “show hidden files” check in the tool / folder option / view menu in windows explorer. If you are unable to boot in WinXP , you’ll need to use a bootdisk, then go at the c:\> prompt and type attrib –r –a –s –h (hit enter), then type dir. You should be able to see the msdos.sys file. If the file is missing, I strongly suggest getting another and placing it in the root of C drive. That should fix your boot problem and your command.com problem too. Just so you don’t get confuse though. It doesn’t matter if your command.com is missing. Has long that you have the msdos.sys file in the root of the win98 folder. That’s the most important file for win98 in order to make it boot. Zephon mention that the command line BootGUI in the msdos.sys file should be set at 1. That doesn’t really matter. What will happen is that your pc will boot at the c:\> prompt and you’ll need to do type WIN in order to start win98. Here’s an excellent explanation of the MSDOS.SYS File I strongly suggest to any win98 users to have a backup of that file somewhere and it would be a good thing to study it, very intersting stuff in there. Later! Sarge __________________ Later! Sarge