Invalid directory/drive problems Win98SE

[RacybabeUK]

I tried to install a copy of my antivirus program to my friends pc and it went through the usual routine - allocating a path c:\ etc but then i got the error message - invalid directory or drive - this does not exist!!

Her computer has been messed up by her kids i think as when you click on start - programs there is nothing there!!! All her programs are on the desktop in folders. I can't work out what has happened and how to get the system back to normal. My friend also had a mad deleting phase one evening so this probably didn't help matters!

It appears there is nothing in c: or it is not recognised - how do I resolve this please?

[Jason Padgett]

I've never heard of that one before...but her mad deleting phase seems to have damaged the Win98 installation. Are there any error messages when she boots up the computer? Do the programs still work if she clicks on them in the folders?

[TwoRails]

I've run into that (or at least something similar) when I moved "My Documents," But didn't let Windows know. That was a brain wrecker!!!

There are a couple other reasons that could happen, but can't think of them off hand. Try the programs Web site, and their KB for that error message and you'll most likely find a cure. If not, post back with the brand and more details on the error.

HTH

TwoRails

[GaryRouth]

"Got kids?"

[Sorry to be humorous when facing these difficulties, but I've got a couple of little computer re/un/de/programmers myself. . . :) ]

Sounds like the kids dragged the contents of C:\Windows\Start Menu folder out to the Desktop - they could have cut and pasted, too. [they may have moved the folders themselves out onto the Desktop, too - to see which they did = if you open the folders, do you see shortcuts to programs, or data files? If you see shortcuts, they dragged the program menu around. If you see data files, they dragged the folders themselves out onto the desktop]

Right-click on the Start button, click on "Explore" and then click on the C drive (is there only one hard drive listed? = good). The drive should show all the usual folders there: Program Files, Windows, etc. At least, that's how it should look if they dragged just the shortcuts. If this is the case, just scroll down in Windows Explorer to the item "Desktop". Select the AWOL shortcut folders, and put them back in C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs. . . you can either drag and drop, or cut and paste.

If they dragged the folders themselves, you'll need to put them back for any shortcuts to work (since all the shortcuts point to their previous positions). If they dragged Program folders, they came from either C:\Program Files or just C:\ . . . you can tell where they are supposed to be if you can find a shortcut for the program = right click on it and select "Properties" = look in the "Target" box to see where the program's folder should be.

It's possible that the anti-virus install couldn't find the C:\Program Files folder because the kids dragged that somewhere else too.

Biggest pointer here: follow the shortcuts. Put everything back as best you can. Then you should see folders with program shortcuts in them on the Start/Programs menu again. And they should work.

If you get everything back without losing your sense of humor, perhaps we should put your thread in the Hall of Fame :)

Best of luck, feel free to post with more questions
. . . Gary

[p.s. if you do perhaps suspect a virus in action, if you've a recent copy of Norton, you can boot the pc with the Norton CD (1st enter Bios Setup and set CDROM as "1st boot device") and run the Emergency scan from DOS - it doesn't matter where everything is, it will get scanned regardless of where the files are scattered]

[hmmm . . . and one more thing: if after most of the folders/shortcuts are back home, some programs seem to pop up with errors due to missing files [possibly connected the the "deleting spree"] - if they are system files, she can replace them with a run of System File Checker (type sfc in the Start/Run box). . . under the Advanced tab, you can have it tell you about deleted files, and offer to let you put in the Win98 cd to restore them - make sure not to restore files that ought to be missing [as a result of IE upgrades, for example] . . . and some programs may need to be uninstalled/reinstalled]

[RacybabeUK]

WOW - thanks for your epic reply!! I have printed it out and will be seeing my friend on Wednesday so will try to sort her pc out then. She was panicking at one stage that she might have to buy a new computer. I did reinstall windows 98SE and she says her computer is fine now with no error messages except for the program problem which i will endeavour to resolve using your tips. Her pc is an old Celeron 433 so not really state of the art. I had a lot of problems trying to get a copy of Rollercoaster tycoon 2 (using emulation - alcohol 120%) to play on her pc and had to install windows installer from a disc as she has never done any windows updates.

My brain hurts now - sometimes computers really **** me off!!!!!

Thanks for everyones help and i will of course report back - would be good to go in the hall of fame for something clever LOL