Help Needed Very SOON Deadline TOMORROW

[mrhobbeys]

Hi I have an older laptop with Win 95 and I was getting an error about an iso file during start up but because I was trying different things I had read on other sites and now I have a bigger problem because I can no longer start in safe mode. I have found a Win 95 cd and was going to just try and repair but I CAN NOT LOOSE ANY DATA!!! Thats not even it I have a presentation due tomorrow and all my work is on this laptop.

INFO:

Compaq Armada 1505DM

Horrible bios with out normal function so I can not boot from the CD

64 MB mem

100-200 mhz

starts with only mem check afterwards Makes noise that suggest I can boot from the floppy (no floppy drive on my computer, although I could put one in if I have too

after that I see the win 95 screen then a few sec later says:

While initializing device IOS:
Error: An I/O subsystem driver failed to load.
Either a file in the .\iosubsys subdirectory is corrupt,
or the system is low on memory.


When safe mode was working one of the things I tried was renaming the suspected folder as I had read that somewhere else I now know that was a huge mistake.

Please help......

[daniel1212]

Renaming the IOSubsys folder is suggested when the problem occurs in W/98,  in which renaming (ren) iosub sys iosubold in  C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM would make Win98 replace it with a fresh copy during reinstallation.   But under Windows 95 it has to do with an incorrect memory setting. MS fix is to edit the System.ini. See   http://support.microsoft.com/kb/225497

Maybe someone else maybe could give you the commands to do so from DOS, and if needed, to also rename the IOSubsys folder back .

You could have tried holding down the F8 key when you booted and chose Command prompt and typed scanreg /restore to rollback the registry, which should have restored  previous versions of system.ini & win.ini.

Note that your data is safe, as you can always do an "over the top" reinstall of Windows, which should keep your date safe. I always recommend a partitioning drive, in which your documents are in a different partition than your OS.   

[DaveLembke]

Being that you dont have a bootable CD Drive and No Floppy and due to its age no USB or definately not a USB boot option.  You will have to fix it from DOS if you can get in that far. Without safemode working, does it kick out to C:\> or error message?

   If error message and no way to get to C:\> you might want to get an external Laptop HD IDE to USB converter case and access your data off of someone elses system. ( aka empty External Hard Drive Case for 2.5" IDE or PATA Drive.

    You can get these 2.5" external enclosures from most larger computer stores, and removing your HD and installing it in the cases are generally an easy task as long as it isnt an el-cheapo case from China where clearances are wrong and assmbly does not come together properly due to run of tolerances and poor quality control.

   Sorry I dont have better news for a suggestion to get you running. At this point I am looking for the way for you to be able to present on the deadline given the circumstances!

Dave

[daniel1212]

I wonder how he made out? If the previous suggestions do not work he could try getting a copy of puppy Linux live Cd and fix his file perhaps, or at least save his data if he could install a floppy. 

[mrhobbeys]

Hey guys I was able to get an extension and worked with one of my friends to redo his project from a few years ago but now I need access to this laptop and I now have access to a floppy drive so I can use the floppy to boot a copy of Win 95 I have on CD and repair it right??

Let me know what to put on the floppy or if there is a better way please let me know.

Thank you