only command.log and scandisk file on c:\??!!

[norge]

Hei all,
Having some problems with win 98. Windows won't start any more so I tried to start if with bootdisk. Unfortunately only A and C promt are given here, no safe mode possibility. Also tried to run scanreg /restore and scanreg /fix, but the message shows that there are no recovery files found. So here are my options: when typing in c:\dir there are only two files given: command.log and a scandisk file. When starting scandisk from bootdisk there are no errors found, but I still can't start windows! What are my options here? Is there still a chance of recovering any files from my pc or can I only install windows new?

Thanks in advance! Norge

[Nick Grana]

What led up to this event?
Most disks don't just lose all data without some warning of impending doom.
Type c:\dir /s
Do you get a bunch of files now?
Type c:\windows
Did it have a Windows directory?
Type dir
Any files?
If no, use your backup to reinstall system.
If yes, try bootdisk and type a:\sys c:
Reboot.
What up?:fyi:

[norge]

Don't know exactly what happened since it's my friends pc, but he claims that while performing a scandisk operation the pc shut down....
So when I offered him my help, the only reaction was as mentioned in the previous text. Will have a look again tomorrow but I'm affraid windows won't be able to be recovered since scanreg couldn't restore windows. Surely will try your ideas then and post the results. If you have any other ideas i'm looking forward to read them!
Norge

[Nick Grana]

Sorry. Being a little facetious with:
"If no, use your backup to reinstall system."
If you don't have a system restore disk or have made backups all along, and you have lost all your data, you're friend may have lost more than his mind.
Many people are not surprised anymore when a backup is recommended and the answer is, "Backup? What Backup"
Get as much info as possible.
Good luck.

[norge]

I ended up with deleting the primairy dos partition in FDISK, creating a new one, formatting the c:, and finally installing win 98 fresh. So everything went fine until during the setup, or more specifically, during the copying of the files in the installation process, the pc didn't go further again. After being very paciently, I tried to reboot the pc, did the whole process of deleting, formatting and installing all over again with the minimal installation this time, but it still hang up after a while. I understand it might be that the pc is just to old and slow, but the thing is that it did have win 98 installed before! So, perhaps anyone has some experience with this error during the installation process...I would be happy to hear from you!
Thanx,
Norge.

[Nick Grana]

Be curious to know at what point the install failed?
Being an older PC, it could have hardware probs coming to surface with new install.
Try cleaning out the system of dust and re seating all cables, boards, mem, cpu, etc. Check fans, etc. Clean the CD.
Then clean fdisk again removing all partitions using you bootdisk.
Don't forget to make the primary dos partition active.
Format and then use CD to run setup.
While CD is installing, one wrong bit will give the whole operation, and you, a headache. It very rare but stranger things have happened. I still doubt it.
Try these basic things and see what happens.
Luck.:wave: