bypassing start up files

Your answer may be found at:

I took a look at that site. However, I do not even have the start menu as an option. The entire screen is black w/the C:/ prompt.
I have to force a hard shutdown every time I want to restart it for troubleshooting purposes.
I ran the scandisk DOS command and that returns with no errors and then it goes back to the black screen that says "Windows is bypassing your startup files" C:/>>

Set the BIOS to A:\ as first boot device, and then Boot to A:\ from Startup disc....(i.e. dont boot to C:\ and then switch to A:\)
Then type
SYS C:

TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs..All involved shall be spared the grief.

HOWEVER;
First go to C:\ ....type
CD Windows
press Enter

(or whatever she/he named the win directory)
now your at C:\Windows
Dir /p /o:n
press Enter

look for System.ini and Win.ini
if found type
Edit System.ini
view it to see if it looks normal
do the same with win.ini

TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs..All involved shall be spared the grief.

also what does your msdos.sys look like? it is a hidden file so you will have to run attrib msdos.sys -s -h -r so you can look at it and possibly edit it if need be...all os this is possible if you can get the system to boot from the startup disk

Buckeye;
That's why i kinda reposted right away;
first, she said that the files were deleted...meaning that she wouldn't be able to get to a command prompt if msdos.sys was not there..
secondly, that message she's getting.
thirdly, the SYS C: command will take care of that(usually), however, -without- System.ini and Win.ini...no Windows..
Yes it couldn't hurt to look and see, and the msdos.sys file is on the Root (C:\) drive, just in case she wants to look.....good call on the attrib stuff, though.

rosie123;
You can "hold" the CTRL key or press F8(repeatedly) while booting...towards the end of POST, (right before Win logo would appear) to get to Win Startup menu,( SafeMode, Bootlog.txt, Step by Step, etc..)

TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs..All involved shall be spared the grief.

To TekTippy4U and Buckeye;

It's been a while since I've seen this type of verbage; but...isn't this indicitive of a 'sticky' F5 key?


To rosie123;

Has any of the above suggestions helped or have you simply reinstalled?

As for the recycle bin--if my memory servers (and sometimes it doesn't)--the files that are placed there are compressed and renamed. I personally would not suggest you attempt a "restore" from the Bin in DOS mode which sounds like what you are saying you want to do.

My suggestion to you falls along the same lines as TekTippy4U.

1) "Bypassing startup files" -- Check the keyboard for sticky keys.

2) "Getting a C: prompt" -- Obviously you have DOS Mode; so it narrows it further to a Windows' problem. (also with #1 above if you press the F5 [or is it F8], you may also get that verbage.) Check following files: Autoexec.bat (last entry should be WIN), Win.com (should exist), System.ini (should have something like:
[boot]
shell=Explorer.exe
:try changing the "Explorer.exe" to "PROGMAN.EXE" and see if you can gain ANY!! access to Windos. (if it does work you can exit program manager by clicking on File/Exit--just don't forget to fix the System.ini file.

Let us know what works and what didn't.

--MiggyD

ok when pressing f8 have u tried step by step confirmation.



I.T Systems Support Engineer
Bsc. (Hons).

I ended up calling in a tech. He re-installed win98 after unsuccessfully trying many other methods. System.ini and Win.ini were missing and autoexec.bat needed to be modified. After 3 hours the workstation is finally up and running.

Thanx for the follow up rosie123, as the info will undoubtedly help us all. Glad to hear it's up and running..

TT4U

Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs..All involved shall be spared the grief.