Windows95 config.sys file missing/damaged??

[Jerry350X]

Hello all, I'm a descent puter skilled user as far as my needs go but have a problem with another puter that's beyond my experience & I've looked & looked for help but have not been to the right place yet. My situation is that I'm trying to solve a problem with a Windows 95 System so atleast I can start the puter up & copy some files from it & then I'm planning to let my 7 yr old nephew have it to learn typing etc..
Ok all that said my question for the forum is: Does anyone know of any reliable/free ways I could get some support for a Windows 95 System? I'll appreciate anything that anyone might suggest cause the puter is really got me stumped.
My issue/problem with the system is...When I boot up Windows 95 I get these messages: The following file is either missing or corrupted C:\DEV\ATAPI_CD.SYS then the machine shuts down before it hardly even gets started. Right before the screen goes blank I see:There is an error in your config.sys file on line 1, for a brief second or two. This has me worried as far as my knowledge goes so I'm desperate here for finding anyone who might have any good ideas. Thanks ALL

 

[mattjurado]

Tap the f8 key just before the windows splash screen pops up to load windows.

You should get a boot menu.

Choose DOS mode.
Once its done, type the following you should be at a c: prompt.

cdedit config.sys

This will launch an editor, and you will be viewing the file.

Find the line containing C:\DEV\ATAPI_CD.SYS
Should be the first line. Type the word REM in front of it, so it should read

REM C:\DEV\ATAPI_CD.SYS

On the keyboard, hold the ALT key, hit F, then S
(saves file)

Then hold ALT, then hit F, then X
(exits file)

Hit control alt delete to reboot computer, and give it a go.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[Jerry350X]

Thank you "Very...Very Much" MatJ for your quick reply. It was very surpriseing that anyone would reply so quickly & want to help a fella out in my situation. I'm badly in need of bed rest(LOL) for now but do plan on following your directions tomorrow starting around 12:00 est. I'm afraid I shouldn't be getting too technical right now & tomorrow will be a fresher mind for me to hopefully use to follow your suggestion & maybe get this problem fixed the first time around. Thank You Again!

 

[mattjurado]

If you find it helpful, we all here appreciate helpful votes (the purple stars), and if you still have issues, post back. The wife usually has me doing yardwork and home repairs on the weekend, but I check posts on occasion. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here to help too.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[Jerry350X]

MatJ I had to give the advise a try early this morning since you went as far as to post for me & accepted the situation. I did exactly what you listed on this machine but still no luck booting normally. It's strictly "Safe Mode" or nothing. The only changes I've noticed are now I see...Loading Windows 95 but the message:Bad Command or File Name appears twice during the supposed loading. Also right before the computer displays the "Safe To Shutdown" screen I see for a split second:Error loading mssound.drv You must reinstall Windows. I can't say that's the exact message because it only appears in a flash but I'm sure it close atleast. The system is working exactly as in my original post other than the "Bad Command etc." message & the "Reinstall Windows" message. The "Reinstall" message appears right when the "Error In Config.sys" message would appear in my original post which is an instant before shutdown. Thanks for any help or suggestions & hope I gave descent descriptions here. I'm all for giving credit where credit is due...just to mention.

 

[jrbarnett]

Jerry

You have to press F8 when you get the message "Starting Windows 95..." on the screen in plain text - it is before the graphical Windows 95 startup screen opens, you only have a couple of seconds to do it.

John

 

[edfair]

The config.sys file is a setup file to load special device drivers for those items that 95 doesn't support directly.
You probably could rename it to something like config.org and have windows boot without those special drivers.
Error messages coming from processing config.sys are usually due to loss or damage to the files that the file calls. Look in it to see what is called, then look at the directory where the file is supposed to be and verify that it is there.

But it is also possible that you have messages coming from two other files that are processed on startup: c:\windows\win.ini or c:\windows\system.ini.

You could also use the boot menu as described above to single step through the commands in the bootup files, or use the bootlog choice to save a copy of everything that is loading for view on the next boot.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Jerry350X]

Hello again MattJ...I'm back at it here for a while tonight. I followed your directions exactly & the only line that appears after I modified is:REM C:\DEV\ATAPI_CD.SYS. This machine is really messing with my head & I still have to believe the problem is no doubt simple for someone other than me who recognizes certain problems/errors. I would really appreciate any more suggestions because I can't see anything much else happening that could be worse so I'm willing to try all possabilities here. Thanks again!
Ed & Jr I thank you guys also & have made notes & hopefully you guys are still willing to throw me anything ya got. .

 

[Jerry350X]

Hello again those who are tryin to help me out with my Windows95 "confuser". I thought I'd just sort of repost what's going on incase I've been giving bad info about my current problem.
I have a Windows 95 machine that I'd love to get operating for a young family member of mine but it has something wrong that keeps Windows from loading up. I can power up the puter & it seems to be booting normally but then takes a turn for the worse. The "Startup Menu" appears instead of my desktop. If I choose the "normal" option for booting the puter seems to hang for several seconds but still appears that it could be booting up until suddenly it actually powers down & shows the "Safe to Turn Off" screen
. This has me puzzled bigtime & I'm really depending & really hopeing someone here at the forums can give my the solution weather it's a longshot or not because I'm not too good at figureing something like this out apparently.
To mention, I can boot into "Safe Mode" alright but "Cannot" boot with a 3.5 boot disk. The puter doesn't even seem to know a 3.5 is even in when I power it up. The "Safe Mode" is the only access I can perform myself & have really no good idea what I might do in Safe Mode even that might help this situation.
Thanks in advance to anyone who cares to get involved in trying this puzzle..it's good to find those who are waiting/willing to share their skills & knowledge to others who have the near skills & knowledge but sometimes need the help of someone who has a more understanding of OS & Puters in general.

 

[edfair]

Your 3" disk problem may be a setting in CMOS. One thing computers can do is change their operation at your whim. If you can check and see if the boot order includes "a: c:" or some variant will allow a floppy to take control.

Leave your boot menu as it is. You can change it later, but for troubleshooting it is invaluable.

How about trying a step by step boot, or a bootlog boot and tell us about the results. The bootlog creates a file "bootlog.txt" that will be readable on the next standard or command line boot. The file will be hidden, and on the root of the drive.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[micker377]

The puter doesn't even seem to know a 3.5 is even in"

Does the BIOS screen show the 3.5 as present during boot-up? (hit the "pause" key to stop a screen and the "spacebar" to resume the boot-up, you can do this as many times as you wish to see everthing listed at boot time)If not we are fighting a different problem.

 

[Jerry350X]

Posatively I "cannot" get the computer to boot from a"3.5". I have found info about the Award Bios & I followed the settings listed exact.I have tried didd boot sequences & diff boot diska(95-98)& still the same ol...same ol. Thanks guys & I can post any details you think I might need to just please be specific about how to round em up.I'm wering myself out setting up nights but gotta fix this puter if at al possable.

 

[edfair]

You may be able to set the BIOS for seek on boot, which causes the FD to crank up for a second or so during POST. And so with that set you should see the light come on twice and a step in and out during the POST test, kind of a zip-zip sound.
If no light and no sound check your cables and power and make sure the FD controller is activated in BIOS.

And the FD could be bad. Ther are selling under $10 now.


Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Jerry350X]

I have gotten the 3.5 Boot Disk to be seen by Windows...finally! I don't know the steps beyond that though to use the disk.
To hopefuliy be a little more to the point & descriptive here's the situation again. I boot up Windows95...the machine "seems" to be loading normally but instead goes to the BootMenue. I "can" choose "Safe Mode" & go there ok. I f I choose "Normal Bootup" the system takes several seconds thinking time as if something is gonna happen but ends up shutting itself down. I see "Safe To Turn Off Computer". Just before the screen goes blank I see "cannot load mssound.drv You need to reinstall Windows. That's the problem that isn't changing at all except for the end message which at my first post was a message about "Config.sys". I have made a Boot Disk but do not know how to use it or do any other processes from the disk. When I try to boot with the disk in I see a:\ & don't go any further not knowing where to from that point. Thanks all & hope I'm making descent sence & descriptions here.

 

[Jerry350X]

Sorry that file mssound.drv I gave that was being displayed in a flash message before the screen goes blank with shutdown was wrong. The file mentioned is actually "msound.drv. My eyes were the blame that time.

 

[edfair]

How about trying item 5 (step by step) and tell us where it croaks. And don't be too fast on the steps because sometimes it takes a while to finish between them.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Jerry350X]

Ed I went through 5.Step bye Step & was asked 6 questions about loading certain things. I chose (Y)Yes to all 6 & the machine quickly turned around & shut down. There was a screen for a few seconds but I couldn't see anything there about errors or anything, just looked like a confirmation maybe of the steps I just answered Y to. Same thing before the computer powered down I saw "failed to load msound.drv" & then got the "Safe To Turn Off" Screen. This is a shame that I have a machine that could be used as a donation or several things even though it's out of date. I seriously think it's fixable & am still planning to give it to a nephew but would never give to anyone unless it operated properly or atleast very close to properly. Thank You

 

[edfair]

The step by step is just the first one to eliminate something in config.sys and autoexec.bat as the problem.

Nest boot you do a bootlog choice. It will make a file listing everything that is started. It will upchuck and shut down the same way as always.

The next boot you do a command prompt only. That will put you into dos at the root of the drive. You
"attrib -s -h -r bootlog.txt" to make it visible, then
"type bootlog.txt | more" to get it to show you on a page by page listing of what is starting up during boot. Somewhere there you will see a listing of a file that fails to load. This is a huge file, so don't get discouraged by the size. Once the problem is identified you will go into the registry to examine what is supposed to be there. And don't panic, somebody will walk you through the changes in the registry. Or of deletion of hardware, or whatever.

And the worst case, if you get tired of learning, is to wipe the hard drive off, and start over with a new install.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Jerry350X]

I would be all for doing a new install. I'm not able to run or see anything when I put a CD in the CD Drive though in Safe Mode as far as my knowledge goes. How could I test to see if it would be safe to delete everything & be able to use the Windows CD? Thanks

 

[Jerry350X]

Ed sorry I didn't reply here sooner. I'm about worn down for the night but I'll get back at it tomorrow sometime. As to the last post you made...I'm 95% confused about what you were trying to tell me & how it's done...sorry but I get thrown off quite a bit with computers when it's comes to techinal issues like you are suggesting. Could you please post again & maybe detail a little more torward someone who doesn't really know their stuff when the going gets tough? Thank You