My niece has a Gateway G6-400 computer. It has just developed a major problem. When you power it up it seems to start working properly, but it goes to DOS and says to type in exit to go to Windows 98. When you type in exit or "win" it starts the process all over again. It won't boot into the Windows 98 OS. Any suggestions before they haul it into the shop?
Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations Chriss Miller on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
Computer Boots Up In DOS Only
- Thread starter ANFPS26
- Start date
Have U checked your autoexec.bat file yet, see whats in there and if you notice something that shouldn't be there take it out.
If that doesn't work I would type in at the c:\ prompt "fdisk /mbr". that should work.
What do you guys think, would that do anything.
Don't Be afraid to try NEW things with your computer, they can always be fixed somehow. And Remember "Don't Worry About It"
I'll try to help if I can, but I'm only HUMAN.
If that doesn't work I would type in at the c:\ prompt "fdisk /mbr". that should work.
What do you guys think, would that do anything.
Don't Be afraid to try NEW things with your computer, they can always be fixed somehow. And Remember "Don't Worry About It"
I'll try to help if I can, but I'm only HUMAN.
MercuriusX
Technical User
I had the same thing happen to me a few months ago, I couldn't do anything until I gave my computer a fresh start.
This is how you do that.
Gateway should have given you "recovory disks". One or two based on the amount of pre-installed software. If so there are one of two things you can do.
1. (easiest): If the computer is new enough that it came with recovory disks then start the computer up and put the recovory disk in (disk 1 if there are multiple) and shut the computer down. On some gateways at the start up screen it will tell you to press f2 to boot from floppy/cd and hit "del" to enter cmos (remember cmos for later. It is important if you dont have the recovory disks). Hit f2 or whatever the button is so you can boot from floppy/cd and tell it to boot from cd. A menu should pop up telling you you're about to recover your system and then after answering yes a few times it will restore the computer compleatly to the factory default settings. All software that came with the computer will be installed all drivers will be installed and all your niece will have to do is re-download her internet programs and reinstal games or other programs she may have bought since she got her computer. If you have the disks then you're set if not then read on.
Before you do this check to make sure that you can boot from your cdrom drive by either pressing something at the main gate way screen or by editing the boot sequence in the computers cmos (bios). If not then make a boot floppy on another computer for the operating system you intend to install. DO THIS BEFORE FORMATING!!!!
2. (hard and stupid): First of all, if the computer came with seperate cd's like win 9X and driver disks then gather those up if not then find a full version copy of windows (win98 would do but if you're considering upgrading it might be worth it to buy ME or XP allthough you can only put XP on one computer). Most hardware is Plug and play so if you cant find all the driver disks or dont have any then dont worry just continue on.
Step 1: (format the computer):
*Let dos load and type cd.. till all you see is C:*Type in format c:\ so that it looks like C:\format c:\ and then hit enter.
*it will ask you if you're sure hit y then enter.
Step 2: (booting from the windows cd):
*Now that the HD is clean boot up and enter the cmos like I told you before (hit del or whatever your computer calls for at the very first screen)
*Check and make sure that the boot secuence for the drives are as followed - Cdrom drive (the drive letter), Floppy drive (drive letter A), Hard drive (drive letter C)
*exit cmos and save changes if you had to make any.
*if your computer doenst have that in cmos then you probably just need to hit f2 at the start up screen just like recovering from the gateway disks like I explained above.
*Put the win 98 (or whatever version) cd in the drive and let the computer boot. It should take you directly into the windows setup and install program.
*let windows install and then let it load to desktop. *there should be all kinds of things popping up telling you devices were found, if you can let windows find the drivers on the windows cd and install the drivers.
*depending on if all the drivers were found or not you are either done and just need to reinstall stuff like word or you need to go online for the drivers that were not on the windows cd.
*Drivers can be found .
I had the same proba few months ago, hope this helps
MercuriusX
This is how you do that.
Gateway should have given you "recovory disks". One or two based on the amount of pre-installed software. If so there are one of two things you can do.
1. (easiest): If the computer is new enough that it came with recovory disks then start the computer up and put the recovory disk in (disk 1 if there are multiple) and shut the computer down. On some gateways at the start up screen it will tell you to press f2 to boot from floppy/cd and hit "del" to enter cmos (remember cmos for later. It is important if you dont have the recovory disks). Hit f2 or whatever the button is so you can boot from floppy/cd and tell it to boot from cd. A menu should pop up telling you you're about to recover your system and then after answering yes a few times it will restore the computer compleatly to the factory default settings. All software that came with the computer will be installed all drivers will be installed and all your niece will have to do is re-download her internet programs and reinstal games or other programs she may have bought since she got her computer. If you have the disks then you're set if not then read on.
Before you do this check to make sure that you can boot from your cdrom drive by either pressing something at the main gate way screen or by editing the boot sequence in the computers cmos (bios). If not then make a boot floppy on another computer for the operating system you intend to install. DO THIS BEFORE FORMATING!!!!
2. (hard and stupid): First of all, if the computer came with seperate cd's like win 9X and driver disks then gather those up if not then find a full version copy of windows (win98 would do but if you're considering upgrading it might be worth it to buy ME or XP allthough you can only put XP on one computer). Most hardware is Plug and play so if you cant find all the driver disks or dont have any then dont worry just continue on.
Step 1: (format the computer):
*Let dos load and type cd.. till all you see is C:*Type in format c:\ so that it looks like C:\format c:\ and then hit enter.
*it will ask you if you're sure hit y then enter.
Step 2: (booting from the windows cd):
*Now that the HD is clean boot up and enter the cmos like I told you before (hit del or whatever your computer calls for at the very first screen)
*Check and make sure that the boot secuence for the drives are as followed - Cdrom drive (the drive letter), Floppy drive (drive letter A), Hard drive (drive letter C)
*exit cmos and save changes if you had to make any.
*if your computer doenst have that in cmos then you probably just need to hit f2 at the start up screen just like recovering from the gateway disks like I explained above.
*Put the win 98 (or whatever version) cd in the drive and let the computer boot. It should take you directly into the windows setup and install program.
*let windows install and then let it load to desktop. *there should be all kinds of things popping up telling you devices were found, if you can let windows find the drivers on the windows cd and install the drivers.
*depending on if all the drivers were found or not you are either done and just need to reinstall stuff like word or you need to go online for the drivers that were not on the windows cd.
*Drivers can be found .
I had the same proba few months ago, hope this helps
MercuriusX
It is possible that the system file (MSDOS.SYS) that indicates what operating system to use has been altered to make the computer boot to dos. I think if the BOOT GUI is changed it will not boot in windows. Sometimes it can be changed to Zero. In Win98, it should look like this:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\WINDOWS
WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS
HostWinBootDrv=C
[Options]
BootMulti=1
BootGUI=1
DoubleBuffer=1
AutoScan=1
WinVer=4.10.1998
;
;The following lines are required for compatibility with other programs.
;Do not remove them (MSDOS.SYS needs to be >1024 bytes).
;
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don't mess with the lines!!!!!!!
Try changing this file if the BOOTGUI is not set to 1. Sometimes it is changed to Zero. If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\WINDOWS
WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS
HostWinBootDrv=C
[Options]
BootMulti=1
BootGUI=1
DoubleBuffer=1
AutoScan=1
WinVer=4.10.1998
;
;The following lines are required for compatibility with other programs.
;Do not remove them (MSDOS.SYS needs to be >1024 bytes).
;
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don't mess with the lines!!!!!!!
Try changing this file if the BOOTGUI is not set to 1. Sometimes it is changed to Zero. If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.
There is also at least one virus that causes this problem. Can't remember the name, but I sure remember the 2 days I worked before I found it. If I recall, fdisk /mbr rebuilt the master boot, which was promptly corrupted as it came up on the next boot. Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.
Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.
efair@atlnet.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.
Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks for the ideas, guys. The firt thing I checked was the
MSDOS.SYS and BootGUI was a 1. I also tried the info in the Microsoft bulletin Q136416 that has you delete the winboot.ini file. This didn't help. I've printed out your suggestions and will work with my niece some more on this. I'll post my progress and soon as I can. I'm suspecting a virus, though. Thanks
MSDOS.SYS and BootGUI was a 1. I also tried the info in the Microsoft bulletin Q136416 that has you delete the winboot.ini file. This didn't help. I've printed out your suggestions and will work with my niece some more on this. I'll post my progress and soon as I can. I'm suspecting a virus, though. Thanks
- Thread starter
- #7
After reading the following:
I'm afraid to try the fdisk/mbr command.
I'm afraid to try the fdisk/mbr command.
- Thread starter
- #8
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Question
- Locked
- Question