Invalid setting MSDOS.SYS

[TheOneNOnlyQ]

Hello
I have WindowsME. My daughter was using the internet and registering for a game site. The machine froze. When it reboot, I got (and still get) a longggg beep and it says INVALID SETTING IN MSDOS.SYS filethen lots of very strange characters). This same line repeats, Id say 30+ times, with the random strange characters. It then tries to continue to boot. When I try to boot in safe mode, I get a desktop but no icons. When I do ctrl+alt+del, there arent any programs showing. Logically Id try and replace the msdos.sys file but when I use my boot disk, I get the virtual ram drive not my real c: drive. Any ideas on how to look at and edit my msdos.sys file?
Also, in trying to figure out this problem, I got my hard drive boot disk out and did the self tests. It seems my Maxtor didnt pass the long advanced SMART test. Its under warranty and can be replaced but Id like to get my files off of it first. My feelings are that this Maxtor problem is unrelated to my MSDOS.SYS problem but I thought I should at least mention it.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[edfair]

MSDOS.SYS is a text file on the root directory with s h r attributes that can be removed to allow you to edit it.
I suggest that you find another machine and do a hardcopy of it so you have something to go by. Or post ther relevant lines here and somebody will review it. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.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.

 

[grygst76]

boot from a floppy and the search the c: like this
cd c:
dir msdos.*
then find the newest one created and the second oldest one which might say msdos.bak
then use this command
attrib -s -h -r msdos.sys then hit enter
copy msdos.(whatever backup you found's extension) here is an example

copy msdos.bak msdos.sys

it will then ask if you want to overwrite msdos.sys upon which you will type the Y
then you will do this command
attrib +s +h +r msdos.sys
then reboot you will be all set

 

[TheOneNOnlyQ]

I cant see any of my real C: drives files because Im in a virtual ram drive when I boot with my boot disk.

 

[grygst76]

thats because you need to switch to the c:\ drive

 

[TheOneNOnlyQ]

Maybe Im not understanding you. When I switch fm my A:\ drive to my C:\ (cd c, the C:\ drive IS my RAM drive not my actual C: files.

 

[FlashTag]

Your Ram drive should be D or E the C drive is always
your hard drive. At the a prompt type C: to change to
the C\ drive.

 

[grygst76]

HUH??? what type of bootdisk do you have? ramdrive should be loading a virtual e: or f: NOT c:\ if you can boot into a command prompt I would and then create a simple boot disk by first formatting the disk the then when you format it
type sys a:
then change to the directory of c:
then follow these commands

cd windows
cd command
copy edit.com a:copy xcopy.exe a:then reboot your pc
actually if you can get to command prompt you will not need a boot disk!!
just follow my original post instructions if you still cannot gain access to the drive got to

http://www.bootdisk.com

and download a windows 98 bootdisk yes windows98 and then boot with it and follow my first post

 

[TheOneNOnlyQ]

OK......when I boot fm my start up disk that I made with WinME, I get 4 options. 1. help 2. start with CDRom support 3. start without CDRom support 4. Minimal boot. Help is no help. Starting with minimal boot I get my A prompt. At that point when I type cd c: it says invalid drive specification. When I start with CDRom support, I get my A prompt. I chg to the C drive. When there I type dir. It says Volume in drive C is MS-RAMDrive. Directory of c:\ attrib.exe chkdsk.exe command.com debug.exe edit.com ext.exe extract.exe format.com help.bat mscdex.exe readme.txt scandisk.exe sys.com
D: is one of my CDRoms and E: is the other one.
When I boot without a disk I only get 4 options 1. normal (doesnt help) 2. logged (gets me to a blank desktop) 3. safe mode (blank desktop) 4.step by step (says I have registry problems)
Below that - as my seconds click away - it says Warning Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Use Scanreg to correct.
I am going to bootdisk.com now to download the Win98 bootdisk and see if I can go that way.
BTW - This is not the first time Ive had a WindowsME error. About 1 yr ago I was stuck in the same situation - not able to get into the files to correct the problem because of the MS-RAMDrive. Soooo push come to shove, Ill hook up the drive as a slave to my other machine and go in and chg the file manually as described and pray that fixes it.
Be back with an update...

 

[edfair]

It sounds like your bootdisk is not for ME. There are changes in the media descriptor on the HD that keep other versions of the operating system from seeing it. So the ramdrive takes the next available HD slot, which is C.
You need a bootdisk that will recognize the filesystem type you have so the ramdrive loads higher. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.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.

 

[KarveR]

Either that or your hard disk died.
Maxtor do an app called powermax download it from their webby (

http://www.maxtor.com/SoftwareDownload/main/pwrdiag.exe)

, throw it onto a boot floppy and follow the on screen instruction. it will tell you what state your drive is in and return any error codes.
Write these down as you will need them to get an RMA number from maxtor to replace your drive (

http://www.maxtor.com/product_support/warranty/default.htm).

I rate Maxtor 9/10 for being good at customer service in the drive replacement department, but I guess theres a good chance here that it means bye-bye to your data.

Hope this helps even if it sounds abit harsh. ***************************************
Party on, dudes!

 

[IMRevbudgreen]

Theres the possibility that you are using a DDO as well. When you set up the original hard drive, did you use MaxBlast on it? If so, it probably loaded the DDO program. You won't be able to access c: drive form a boot floppy withoutholding down the [Ctrl] key when the system starts it's boot sequence. A corrupted DDO (Which happens more frequently than you might think) means bye bye data.
Good Luck Not All Who Wander Are Lost

 

[ColdPhreze]

Do the following on another computer with WinME:
1) put blank floppy into drive
2) hit Start->Run
3) type & press enter: command.com
4) when the msdos window appears, goto next step.
5) type & press enter: sys a:
6) type & press enter: copy c:\msdos.sys a:
7) type & press enter: copy c:\windows\command\attrib.exe a:
where windows is the directory windows is in.
8) take floppy to your computer insert into drive
9) Turn on your computer and wait for dos prompt (a:\>)
10) type & press enter: attrib c:\msdos.sys -r -h
If you get an error saying c is not valid drive, you have a problem w/ hard drive.
11) type & press enter: copy msdos.sys c:
12) remove floppy
13) reboot

All should be good.
KyferEz

 

[IMRevbudgreen]

Again, this all depends on whether you are using a DDO. Not All Who Wander Are Lost

 

[ColdPhreze]

Yes, yes, assuming you are not using DDO, my solution will work. Hopefully you aren't; the main reason to is if you have a big HD with older computer, to overcome a BIOS problem.

 

[TheOneNOnlyQ]

OK
Heres the deal.
I made the startup disk using the system. I also downloaded the WinME boot disk fm

http://www.bootdisk.com

(thank you grygst76 They have the same files but I figured -why not, it might have had a damaged file. I used the new boot disk but the same thing happened.
I DID use Maxblast with the drive. I ran the tests already. See in my first post that it came back with an error on the long advanced SMART test. Maxtor will replace the drive no problem - getting my data off the drives another question. I havent tried holding down the CTRL key when booting. Thats the first thing Ill try.
Andddd another thing. I had one of the pieces fm a floppy stuck inside my floppy drive. I already had another floppy to replace it but never took the time to do it until now. Soooooo I replaced the floppy drive AFTER my current problems started. All that to say, on my travel to the blank desktop, I encounter a You have new hardware Would you like to look for a driver? thingy. When I click yes and go to browse for the location of the driver, I can see all of my real hard drive partitions and folders and files. Why did I say that? I dont know. I just thought it was interesting. If I know theyre still there and can see them still there, I should be able to get to them eventually. Right?????

 

[ColdPhreze]

Yeah, one would think that. Here is a possibility: if the drive failed the SMART test, why not try disabling the SMART capability in CMOS? That may be causing some trouble...

Also, try the following:
When you get the option to boot into safe mode, don't do that.
Choose the option to boot into Safe Mode Command Prompt (Option 6 or something).
Then follow my step by step instructions for replacing msdos.sys.
Of course you want to skip the unnecessary steps: 4 and 5, and replace step 9 with this:
9) type and press enter: a:

If you don't get the boot menu, continually pressing F8 when computer first starts booting will get it for you.

Let me know.
KyferEz

 

[TheOneNOnlyQ]

I held CTRL down with the boot disk and again without the boot disk. I still ended up in the same place. Does it matter if I hold it down the whole time she boots or only at a particular point?
Good thought - Ill try disabling SMART.
Now so far as choosing the SafeMode Command Prompt......When I boot without a disk I only get 4 options 1. normal (doesnt help) 2. logged (gets me to a blank desktop) 3. safe mode (blank desktop) 4.step by step With a disk I get 1. help 2. start with CDRom support 3. start without CDRom support 4. minimal boot
OK now the tough question. Why are there so many differences fm the "norm"? I would think ALL WinME would operate the same. I formatted and partitioned the drive with MaxBlast. But if Im loading WinME overtop of the MaxBlast files, why is that still there to cause a problem? I think my problem may utimately be something that has to do with me using the MaxBlast software. The last time I had a major boot problem with this drive, it ended up being that I needed to use the MaxBlast software to restore the boot partition (boot partition is probably the wrong word - it was several months ago). But in the long run, it seems that formatting and partitioning using the manufacturers disk ISNT a good idea?

 

[edfair]

When you boot without the floppy you get the ME version of msdos.sys with the bootmenu=1 line or an other method that specifies it. When you boot with the floppy you get the configurable boot option from DOS.

Since you used maxblast on the hard drive, access to the drive is through that utility and the modifications it makes to the boot sector. To get access to the hard drive from a floppy you need the bootsector modifications on the floppy also. Modifying the floppy to use maxblast is one option of the software.


Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.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.

 

[ColdPhreze]

Correct; it isn't agood idea to use the MaxBlast software, unless it is absolutely necessary. Edfair's idea of using the MaxBlast software on the floppy sounds good too.

As for why the "Norm" differs, not everyone here is talking about WinME and there are many different options for troubleshooting, which we techs must have occasionally.