Cmd.exe or Command.com Error?

[ChrisAln]

I've been running XP Pro for a couple of years now and haven't had many problems with it. I've run several DOS programs and games that I've had forever with no troubles at all.

...Until today. I experienced a couple of strange lock-ups which required me to use the reset button. As the computer was booting up after the second lock-up, I let it go through ScanDisk, and it found a few of file errors which it "repaired," one or two involving BitTorrent related files (I was downloading something at the time) and a few more involving a stupid DOS game I was running when the lock-ups occurred.

After the reboot, no DOS programs work, including all of the ones that I've never had problems with before. I can open a command prompt, but the second I try to run a DOS program, I get nothing. If I'm using Run, an empty DOS window pops up and then vanishes in a fraction of a second. If I try to run the command in a cmd.exe window, I just get a couple of blank lines beneath the command and then a new prompt, as if I am trying to run an empty batch file or something. This happens with EVERY DOS program I've tried.

Running SFC didn't seem to help anything. Any other suggestions as to what might've happened?

 

[TekTippy4U]

One of two things podssibly
Check out your _default.pif parameters
and
see this


TT4U

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These are just my thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
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[ChrisAln]

After playing with _default.pif and the settings for the Command Prompt window... nada. I don't think wacky settings are causing this. I'm thinking it's got something to do with a file related to cmd.exe that became corrupted during one of the lock-ups.

Could a corrupt command.com be causing this problem, or is command.com obsolete in XP? I know that if I attempt to run command.com itself I experience the same nothingness as if I try to execute any other DOS program. CMD.exe is the only DOS-related program that will run.

 

[TekTippy4U]

I'm not sure if command.com exists in xp or not;
I'm assuming when you say Scandisk, you're meaning XP on FAT32?
in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder are 2 files related to Cmd.exe (Config.nt and Autoexec.nt)....now they refer to Cmd.exe parameters...and prolly not command.com (if exists).
Did you do an Upgrade from earlier 98/ME?
Still have Config.sys and Autoexec.bat on the HDD?

I can only think to pop in the CDROM and do a Repair fom Recovery Console;

and maybe Check the DOS app Compatibility mode settings in each of the DOS shortcuts - like you did with _default.pif

TT4U

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[TekTippy4U]

see;
"307654 - How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP"

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307654

"Repair XP How to Perform"

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

TT4U

Notification:
These are just my thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
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[gpalmer711]

Two things to check.

1) Event Viewer. This contains a log of events and errors on your system. It can be accessed from Start > Control Panel > Admin Tools > Event Viewer.

Are there any errors around the time you are trying to run cmd.exe?

2) CMD.exe looks at 2 registry values when starting

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\AutoRun

and/or

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\AutoRun

Take a look and see if either of the keys exist.

Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[ChrisAln]

By ScanDisk I meant the disk error checking utility that XP automatically runs at boot-time if the PC was rebooted or shut down unexpectedly. In prior versions of Windows, it was called ScanDisk, and I assumed it still was.

This was a clean install of XP Pro, though it's been running for going on two years now. I had previously already looked in autoexec.nt and config.nt and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Strangely, I do have an autoexec.bat and config.sys in my root directory of c:, though I do not know their origins.

I already tinkered with the DOS compatibility settings with no change in results whatsoever. It was actually one of the first things I tried before posting here.

I have an eye exam shortly, so I can't do the recovery just yet. I will try that later and report back with the results.

Any other suggestions are still welcome in the meantime. =)

 

[ChrisAln]

Oh yeah, meant to say that the event viewer gave no errors relating to CMD.exe or occurring when CMD.exe or any DOS program was run.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\AutoRun exists in my registry, but the value field is blank. On the other hand, HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\AutoRun does not exist.

 

[TekTippy4U]

Ok;
Not an upgrade and not fat32 ?? (unless you chose it during format/install). Post your Autoexec.BAT and .NT and Config.SYS and .NT files;

also try; Rename .SYS and .BAT ones only and reboot (perhaps autoexec.old and config.old).....

Run Chkdsk /r
(this is XP's scandisk called Checkdisk).

After much monkeying around the MS winXP reskit area with NO results...I finally decided to type" XP command.com" (no quotes) into a google search. Here's what's up;

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;314106

http://snakefoot.fateback.com/tweak/winnt/prompt.html

it seems from this info at top (the only useful info on this page) that command.com calls autoexec.BAT (not .NT) and config.NT unless this is a "Typo"???

http://www.winnetmag.com/Article/ArticleID/39566/39566.html

From what MS says about - in the above link - it seems it is INDEED a "Typo".
---------------------------------
From same MS link above too:
-- "Some programs require special settings or drivers to run in the Config.sys or Autoexec.bat file" --
---------------------------------
also may find some useful info here;

http://www.jpsoft.com/help/index.htm?wincmdline.htm

TT4U

Notification:
These are just my thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs