Invalid settings in msdos files.

[xocal]

I have recently tried to install win98se over an existing installation, got a lot of messages saying "Because you have interrupted setup, the folowing file cannot be found", but in my ignorance, I chose to skip these in the belief that they would be picked up from the original system upon restart but I have come a cropper in that I cannot get windows to start.
I have tried using a boot disk, and have managed to get through /scanreg/restore, but when I remove startup disk and try to restart, I get a black screen which rapidly fills up with the messages "Invalid setting in msdos system files". the screen then changes to show the windows 98 screen in full colour, but with the text "Getting ready to run Windows for the first time"
So obviously I have made a cock-up of it !
Any suggestions on how to rectify the situation would be welcome!

[jay7nt]

Hiya,

Boot off the win98 CD and choose option 2 to start computer with cd rom support. You will eventually get a command prompt. At the prompt type the following pressing enter after each one

C:

cd c:\windows
ren win.com win.old

cd\
md win98

d: (or whatever drive letter your cd is on)
copy win98\*.* c:\win98
c:
c:\win98\setup /is /ie

Run through the setup again. It should fly through it and remember all prevoius settings. If the copy above of all the CAB files onto the local hard drive went ok then you shouldn't have any more file copy errors. If it didn't go ok, get a new CD


Jay :-)
corrected by jtdoom

[jay7nt]

Doh!

Missed something. Before you type "md win98" you need to type..

cd c:\
edit, jt if you do this while on A:\>_ you gets nowhere...)

If you do it the way I said above it will create the win98 folder inside the existing windows folder.


Jay :-)

[xocal]

Hiya,

Boot off the win98 CD and choose option 2 to start computer with cd rom support. You will eventually get a command prompt. At the prompt type the following pressing enter after each one

cd c:\windows
ren win.com win.old

md win98ren win.com win.old

cd d:\win98 (or whatever drive letter your cd is on)
copy *.* c:\win98
cd c:\win98
setup /is /ie

Run through the setup again. It should fly through it and remember all prevoius settings. If the copy above of all the CAB files onto the local hard drive went ok then you shouldn't have any more file copy errors. If it didn't go ok, get a new CD


Jay :-)
Thanks Jay, but I can't boot off win98 cd even tho' it has priority in setup!
Can boot off Floppy ok and end up with command prompt A:\
However can't get past "ren win.com win.old" as doesn't recognise win.com!
Any thoughts?

[Tom]

May need a new copy of msdos.sys before you can load from the cd. At the A:\> prompt, type
sys C: (hit enter)
After the files have transferred, reboot, load the cd, then at the A:\prompt type
setup D: (or the CD-Rom designated drive letter - will be at least E if the bootdisk loaded ramdrive).

[jay7nt]

if you have the prompt a:\ then you need to type the following

cd c:\
cd windows
ren win.com win.old

proceed from there.

Jay :-)

[xocal]

May need a new copy of msdos.sys before you can load from the cd. At the A:\> prompt, type
sys C: (hit enter)
After the files have transferred, reboot, load the cd, then at the A:\prompt type
setup D: (or the CD-Rom designated drive letter - will be at least E if the bootdisk loaded ramdrive).

You say "May need a new copy of msdos!"
Is that supposed to load with sys c: command?
Or is it supposed to load from the cd?
I have searched the win98 cd on another pc and found "old msdos" on the tools folder.
I have managed to get to the setup process and scandisk reports no problems with the hard disk, but it when it gets to loading windows98 files, I get the message "You have interrupted the process", but I have touched nothing.
Thanks for your help, but may get it to a repair shop!

[Tom]

The "sys" command transfers these files from the bootdisk:
command.com
io.sys
msdos.sys
drvspace.bin
The gameplan was to replace any boot files that may have become corrupted, which may have interfered with running setup from the CD-ROM.

[xocal]

I've just about had it with this problem, as I appear to have win98 loaded but can't boot up beyond a screen which just hangs and tells me it is waiting for win98se to load!
I have been given a present of a Linux system disk and have often wondered what it would be like to have this system working.
Does anyone have experience of this system and if so would they think it a good idea to format the existing drive and instal the Linux instead of windows and could he/they advise upon best way to do it?

[Miz]

You'll have better luck with Linux questions in the Linux Forum (http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=27). I imagine they'll be happy to help convert you into a Linux user. ;)

[xocal]

Hiya,

Boot off the win98 CD and choose option 2 to start computer with cd rom support. You will eventually get a command prompt. At the prompt type the following pressing enter after each one

cd c:\windows
ren win.com win.old

md win98

cd d:\win98 (or whatever drive letter your cd is on)
copy *.* c:\win98
cd c:\win98
setup /is /ie

Run through the setup again. It should fly through it and remember all prevoius settings. If the copy above of all the CAB files onto the local hard drive went ok then you shouldn't have any more file copy errors. If it didn't go ok, get a new CD


Jay :-)

Well after trying a few times I finally have win98se up and running!
However, I am not out of the woods yet, as I am stuck witha 640x 480 display mode with a miserable 16 colours!
I have tried to change it as I have in the past, but to no avail.
I also have the following Hardware items for which no software can be found.
PCI Multimedia Audio Device
PCI Communication Device
PCI Serial Controller
I also have just One Comm Port! and have had difficulty finding a modem!
Unfortunately, as my original system crashed totally, I was unable to save anything before I fdisked and formatted the HD, and quite frankly I cannot remember what Modems were loaded originally, so when having to chose one to load, I can't remember the names of the ones that worked !

If some kind soul with probably a similar experience could point me in the right direction to solve my problems, I'ld be very grateful!

Incidentally am running an IBM Thinkpad 570 with win98se.
Many thanks.

[jdc2000]

You will need the video, display, and other drivers for your laptop. Check out the following link:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TPAD-MATRIX

[xocal]

You will need the video, display, and other drivers for your laptop. Check out the following link:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TPAD-MATRIX

I have downloaded everything listed onto a cd and have used this to load them onto my hard drive, with the result that I now have multimedia and modems up and running, however my display settings remain at 640 x 480 and colours at 16 and will not allow change!
My display properties screen shows
" Super vga 1024 x 768 on Standard PCI Graphics Adaptor (VGA)"
and in Device Manager under Display Adaptors I get "Standard PCI Graphics Adaptor(vga)"
Also under Other devices? (Note large yellow ?) I get
?/! PCI Ethernet Controller (The large yellow ? has a black on yellow exclamation mark) !
?/! PCI Serial Controller. same here!
And when I check properties for both, the status is shown as
"The drivers are not installed, click Reinstall Driver"
But when I do so, the computer can't find suitable drivers!
Yet, the devices are found at startup, but fail to find software!

Any further ideas? perhaps I am not loading the IBM downloads correctly?
but I have also downloaded the instructions and feel I am doing it correctly!

[jdc2000]

Did you get the video driver files from the link below?

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=DSHY-3Y5LVT

There is an .exe file to install them and a .txt file with information. The page link also has instructions for installing them.

[xocal]

Did you get the video driver files from the link below?

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=DSHY-3Y5LVT

There is an .exe file to install them and a .txt file with information. The page link also has instructions for installing them.

Yes I have, plus anything else on the IBM page relating to a 570.
I've obviously done something right as I have the Video card recognised and can run graphics, yet cannot change display!
It's almost as if it was in Safe mode!
Will keep trying.
Thanks

[jdc2000]

If the video adapter is still showing as the description you previously posted:
" Super vga 1024 x 768 on Standard PCI Graphics Adaptor (VGA)"
and in Device Manager under Display Adaptors I get "Standard PCI Graphics Adaptor(vga)"
Then it is still not correct. That is what shows when Windows can't determine what the actual adapter in use is.

You may also need a driver change for the Monitor item in Device Manager. There may be a driver for that fro mIBM as well. It should say something like "Laptop Display Panel" or something other than the generic display type.

[xocal]

In conclusion can I thank everyone who tried to help me with this problem.
I ended up, using a program called PCDoc which I downloaded to a floppy and booted off.
This can be used to do a complete diagnosis of the computer, but when the results showed that everything was 100% OK, I lost my cool and used the "ERASE ALL from Hard disk" faclitity included in the program.
This took quite a while to do, but upon completion I stuck in the XP disk which came with my new Dell PC, which loaded as if it were a new computer and enabled me to partition, format and load XP onto my Laptop with no difficulty whatsoever, so am now the proud possesor of a Laptop with a state of the art system which is a dream to use.
And when I think back on the hours spent in trying to do a patch up job, so as to save, what I can only describe as out of date data, I feel a right twit that I didn't do the erase job earlier!!
Mind you, I learnth a lot in the process!! so thanks again to all who tried to help.

[smittyagain]

I have another small annoyance since I loaded a full version WIN98SE to this Thinkpad 600. The new setup shows REMed out the config sys line of the old CD-ROM drivers when starting up. It shows that msg. but keeps on loading up all the way. I just want to stop seeing that line msg shown to me. Should I totally erase the line in config.sys, or just put up with it showing each time?

[jtdoom]

edited a post...

Hiya,

Boot off the win98 CD and choose option 2 to start computer with cd rom support. You will eventually get a command prompt. At the prompt type the following pressing enter after each one

C:

cd c:\windows
ren win.com win.old

cd\
md win98

d: (or whatever drive letter your cd is on)
copy win98\*.* c:\win98
c:
c:\win98\setup /is /ie

Run through the setup again. It should fly through it and remember all prevoius settings. If the copy above of all the CAB files onto the local hard drive went ok then you shouldn't have any more file copy errors. If it didn't go ok, get a new CD


Jay :-)
corrected by jtdoom

[jtdoom]

sigh
I just see I wasted some of my time on this one.

Oh well, had you searched the 98 forum for ten seconds, you would have seen a proper topic stuck at the top.
you could have gotten that 98 up and running rather than doing something what is basically an illegal install of Dell's OEM software.

[smittyagain]

another sigh-
you know when you look many hours for the right drivers to help the old machines that you are trying to polish up. sometimes you overlook topics "stuck at the top", or maybe you have never been there Jaak.

you sounded a bit tough here, and I'll try to remember that sympathy or compassion for one that normally exhausts oneself before coming here to ask for help, can at times be limited.........

[jtdoom]

Smittyagain,
I apologise...
the sigh that triggered my reply was actually mostly because you had gotten poor help.

I have been in bad spots too... and learned a bit from my many mistakes.
That was how I got to know a bit of how to help myself in MsDos.
Later on I saw the basic questions asked so awful many times I played with an idea of putting a collection of questions and answers about setup and bootdisks in one thread.
That thread was posted (about 2001), and had maybe seven posts... It was the early form of that huge monster sticky we have here.

I actually think it needs to be completely overhauled and some splits might do it some good. But it is there. It has some straightforward sequences in MsDOS one can use when one wants to run setup.
For the average reader, it most probably has (way too many...) links to how toos and probably far too deep documentation of what it deals with.

on the other hand, it starts with murfs garage and CTH tutes...
driver issues, it does NOT deal with...
anyhow, I sorta feel sorry to have come over as unsympathetic.

I am not here to win hearts, tho.
Erm, I want my 2 cents back...
:greedy:

[winsong]

You missed the point:

1. You had a problem that could be solved (I know you were getting frustrated, but there was progress).

2. You now have an illegal install, that microsoft will not activate and after thirty days will stop working.

3. You will need to go buy Windows XP and then change the registration key or reinstall XP again.

We have all been in the same sinking ship you were in, at one time or another, and we do understand what you are going through.

We do what we can to help, but we don't give up without a fight.

Sorry Jaak - I'm a slow typer so didn't see your response, b4 I put this out there. Not trying to step on anyones toes. I'm still a new kid on the block. :)

That's all :)

This was directed at 'xocal', not Jaak (I know you know).
Here we are with multiple embeded threads again xocal and smittyagain. :(

[jtdoom]

well, winsong, you jogged my memory about one of the things I was thinking about while at the steelplant.

I figured there are now 2 machines with the same Dell xp software.
If the same key was used... there will eventually be a problem, that is, if it is still running on the DELL it came with.
(as in; running two copies with same key...)
evenso, if this machine is not a DELL, the use of this CD was not exactly legal, even if the dell it came from is in a dustbin.