HELP! Suddenly getting error messages

[meow]

Hi- I have a Pentium II-266 home PC, Windows 95. Always worked fine. Then, I turn it on, I get the following messages: "Disk I/O error. The following file is missing or corrupted - Sample.sys- There is an error in your congig.sys file on line 12. Device driver not found 'OEMCD001'. No valid CD Rom device drivers selected. Invalid drive directory. Bad command or file name".....what is all this? I tried rebooting, unplugging , etc. but it keeps saying the same thing? Please explain in plain English as I am computer illiterate! Thanks.

[Alfons]

Hi- I have a Pentium II-266 home PC, Windows 95. Always worked fine. Then, I turn it on, I get the following messages: "Disk I/O error. The following file is missing or corrupted - Sample.sys- There is an error in your congig.sys file on line 12. Device driver not found 'OEMCD001'. No valid CD Rom device drivers selected. Invalid drive directory. Bad command or file name".....what is all this? I tried rebooting, unplugging , etc. but it keeps saying the same thing? Please explain in plain English as I am computer illiterate! Thanks.
Hi meow, I don't know what the SAMPLE.SYS is, but it sounds like you installed and maybe removed some program that had made changes to your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT system configuration files. The OEMCD001 is usually the device name that's given to your CD-ROM by quite a number of programs (DOS Mode), so this part indicates that the particular DOS CD-ROM driver that you're calling - probably from CONFIG.SYS - can't find your CD-ROM, or it's not being set with the proper switches (command parameters). You can right-click on each of the two system configuration files, and use Open With, and then select Notepad, then copy & paste the contents to a post to this forum. That should give us a better indicator as to how to "fix" the problem.

[meow]

Hi meow, I don't know what the SAMPLE.SYS is, but it sounds like you installed and maybe removed some program that had made changes to your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT system configuration files. The OEMCD001 is usually the device name that's given to your CD-ROM by quite a number of programs (DOS Mode), so this part indicates that the particular DOS CD-ROM driver that you're calling - probably from CONFIG.SYS - can't find your CD-ROM, or it's not being set with the proper switches (command parameters). You can right-click on each of the two system configuration files, and use Open With, and then select Notepad, then copy & paste the contents to a post to this forum. That should give us a better indicator as to how to "fix" the problem.

THanks for replying so quickly...how do I right click on the system configuration files? I don't know what they are or where to find them. Keep in mind, I never get my desktop...the error messages come almost immediately when I turn on the computer, I think right after I get the (Press F-2 for setup) screen when it is starting up.

[Murf]

Reboot, Once the screen comes up starting windows tap the F5 key, keep tapping it.

This will by pass these two files.

If it boots to windows, then you can do what Alfons says.

If this doesn't work, try tapping the F8 key and select safe mode. If this works post back and we can walk you thru modifying the files.

[meow]

Well- it wouldn't respond to any f8's or f5's or anything else. There is a loud clicking noise coming from the PC tower (area of CD opening).Now all I get onscreen is a black screen with a white flashing cursor that won't respond to any keystrokes. Is my PC dying?

[Murf]

Load clicking noise ain't good, sorry, that coupled with the error your getting tends to tell us you have a major HARD DRIVE FAILURE.

Try this:

If you have a Windows 95 START-UP disk (Floppy) put it in a boot. You should get to the A:\> prompt, if it doesn't then I suggest you let someone look at it thats knows computers as it appears it is time for a new Hard Drive.

[renegade600]

It does not sound good. Possible hd failure. One thing you can try and it is off the wall, get yourself a can of compress air and blow out the computer. Alot of times there is such buildup of dust that it can cause overheating and other problems. Also make sure all connections and cards are tight.