Won't restart in MS-DOS!

[Needtoknow]

Hello,
Running Win98-se, Gigabyte7ZXE mobo, when I try to restart in MSDOS, the screen goes black and that's it.
Also, getting message during boot-up c:\rem win network, something like that, I know it;s in the autoexec.bat file, but I can't boot to DOS to do anything.
Also, when I go to sysedit to look, I am getting a bsod about 2 seconds after arrival(?)
Help..
Thanks

[Videoguru]

You can edit the Autoexec.bat when you are in Windows.
right click->edit
Another way to get into dos mode.
reboot. after bios press F8. You'll get a menu where you can select to start in MS-DOS mode.

[Needtoknow]

Hello Videoguru,
Quote-
"You can edit the Autoexec.bat when you are in Windows.
right click->edit"
Right click edit on what??
ps
Holding f8 down didn't slow it down, it still booted up into windows.(???)
Thanks,

[Videoguru]

Sorry, right click on the autoexec.bat

[Needtoknow]

Hello,
Sorry to be an idiot, but autoexec.bat where?
also, see above
thanks

[mike breck]

What are your system specs?

Have you ever been able to boot into MS-DOS during this Windows installation?

Try holding down the Ctrl key when the PC is booting. That should bring you to the Startup Menu where you can choose MS-DOS.

Sometimes the BIOS will not assign an IRQ to the video card for DOS and that can stop you booting into it. Go into the BIOS (with an Award BIOS this means hitting Del when the PC is booting - otherwise the key will be stated briefly when the PC is booting) and look for a setting to "Assign IRQ to VGA". Assign it to the same IRQ which is listed for the video card in Device Manager.

Exit saving changes, and see if that helps.

You can also examine the autoexec.bat file in Windows by going to Start menu>Run and typing msconfig.

By selecting "Selective Startup" you will be able to stop items from running by unticking them. This is good for troubleshooting.

Have you recently started networking this PC?

[Videoguru]

c:\autoexec.bat
It's located directly on C:\ normally

Did you try the F8 thing already. Maybe you've got to try it several time, if you miss the correct time to press the button, then the menu won't show up.

[reboot]

A restart to DOS does not use autoexec.bat, it uses dosstart.bat.
Delete everything out of that file, and you'll get your restart. There's something in there causing the computer to hang.
To get a Win98 machine to give you the startup menu, you hold down the CTRL key, not F8. If you're quick enough, you can repeatedly tap the F8 key to get the menu as well, but CTRL works better.

[Needtoknow]

Hello,
Win98se, athlon xp 1700, gigabyte 7zxe mobo(i think, am at work)
just loaded the os not sure if it ever went to dos on this install,
should I reinstall.
What is the network message at bootup, ?
I don't have the exact message with me.

Reboot,
walk me through what you are describing please, if you have a second.. I am confusing myself?
thanks

[mike breck]

Open Notepad
File>Open and in the "Look in" drop-down list select the C:>Windows folder
In the "Files of Type" drop-down box at the bottom choose "All Files"
Find and highlight "dosstart" (which is dosstart.bat) and then click "Open"
This will open dosstart in Notepad
According to Reboot, delete everything and click "Save".

Before you delete the contents, you may wish to make a copy of dosstart by selecting "Save As" and then saving the copy to another location.

Then you can always replace the edited dosstart with the original again, if necessary.

HTH

[Needtoknow]

Hello,
Followed instructions, but not finding dosstart.bat in windows?
Looked more than once, it's not there?, and maybe that's the prob? Maybe I am missing a file.?
thanks
ps /edit
I zapped the network message, now betwen the splash screen and desktop, it is hanging for about 5 seconds showing two c prompts, one over the other, flashing. Then it boots to desktop.
It will not go into safe mode when I hold the control key, it isn't even offering me the option. It goes into Windows no matter what.
Also, I looked again for the dosstart.bat file with no luck..?
Will a reinstall help???
Getting a touch frustrated here.
Thanks



Update/edit
Okay I got it to go to the menu for DOS and safe mode. Went to command prompt
and had 3, C:\ flashing at me
only one of which was usable...

also, still can't find the dosstart.bat file, not on the Win98 disk either
help

[mike breck]

If no one comes up with a better idea, I would say your easiest course of action is to back up your data and format and do a clean install of Windows.

It needs to be done every year or two anyway, to clear out the debris.

HTH

[Needtoknow]

Hello,
Okay Mike, I am good with that suggestion.
I have a question though concerning the back up. I have a cdrw, when I do a back up, won't it bring whatever this is , with it?
I mean if there is a problem with this install of windows, aren't I just replicating it when I reinstall from the back up?
I am a bit confused.
Thanks

[mike breck]

Hi again Needtoknow,

When I say backup, I mean backup any data such as personal documents (Word etc), zip files of programs you've downloaded from the net, music files, photos, your IE Favourites Folder, any address books, Outlook Express Windows Address Book - in fact any "data" you have gathered and wish to keep.

You do not have to back up Windows files as you will be creating a fresh install. Therefore, any problems with Windows will be eliminated.

Have you ever installed Windows yourself from scratch?

[reboot]

Try this first. Open Notepad, then go to file, save as, in C:\Windows, and call it dosstart.bat
Don't type anything in it, just leave it completely blank.
Restart, then try a restart in DOS.

[Needtoknow]

Hello,
I have done fresh install with Windows(too many times) I was not logically thinking about backup and not understanding the various prompts in Nero. It just says "back up HDD" I figured that was the whole thing. Now I see, sorta, how to back up just the partition that has files, not os, on it.
Reboot,
I am at work now, but I will try your suggestion before reformat.
Why the two c: prompts after splash screen?
Thanks all.

[reboot]

There could just be blank lines (with a CR/LF) in Autoexec.bat causing the prompts. Nothing to worry about.

[Needtoknow]

Hello,
Reboot, I tried creating the file as above. It created it, now there is a dosstart.bat file, but the thing still hangs with a black screen when I try to reboot to DOS.
I tried backing up using Seagate program on win98, it keeps telling me the media is write protected, I tried cdrw, both formatted and unformatted and write only, I still get the same result. As I said above the Nero program only offers to backup the entire hdd so I am assuming that means the os also, and I don't want the os.
I know a clean install is ideal, but I really don't feel up to reloading all this software, would a reinstall over the old (bad,bad,bad, I know) really hurt. I only just got all these prgrams loaded and reloading and downloading etc sounds like a pain, but I will if i must.
And I am wondering if a reinstall would solve the prob.
Thanks.

Update/
Well I tried to reinstall,bad idea, no help- the system seemd to be steadily less stable, weird messages in weird places.
So, I bit the bullet and reformatted. Much better now, should have stopped whining hours earlier and done it!!
Thanks all.