Dinosaur

[Garnetlake]

I looked through the forums and I do not see anything remotely like my situation. I have a Gateway 2000 , Phoenix A486 1.01, 640K base extended 07168K running DOS 6.22 with WIN 3.0.  I have been using this reliable machine for years until a few days ago when the CMOS battery failed and it would not start properly. It came up with a "System missing" error and no C prompt.  I replaced the battery and tried to save the date and time settings in the Bios. Then, like a knucklehead I tried to reinstall DOS from the factory disks but could not get past the first disk before all kinds of error messages came up. I brought it to the local computer people and they got me back  to a C prompt.  Unfortunately it does not operate as before. There are error messages in line 1 of the config.sys file and other issues. I am unable  to edit the autobat file or config.sys file because when I try to edit them at the c prompt it reads "out of memory". Also when I typed "win" at the c prompt it used to launch windows but that is also no longer working. Just bad command message. Is there some strategy I could use to try and get this machine back to it's former self?  I can get to the dosshell and all of the files with dates are still there.  My problem is I do not have a good starting point. I think I probably excaerbated things by trying to install from the diskettes again(panicked). I have one text editing program, Q&A that I am very fond of and has a lot of info in.  It still operates but nothing like before.  Any direction greatly appreciated.  Please ask any questions and I will do my best to answer them.
Sincerley,
Knucklehead with Dinosaur

[GX1_Man]

So you are thinking that some of the BIOS settings are not correct? As well as possibly your DOS is corrupted?

We will have to start with the BIOS. THis could be long and tedious, so we should go screen by screen.

[garnetlake]

Well let me first start by thanking you for responding! Yes I think that definetly sums it up. Screen by screen would be fantastic but this PC is at work and I do not want to take up too much of your time. I am on the east coast so let me know what the most convenent time for you would be if you can really help like that.  The date and time are correct now when I type these at the c prompt. Of course you would be the better judge of that. I think the config file and autoexec file are the real culprits but I don't even know how to edit them because as soon as I type "edit" plus either file name I get the no memory message. It also says the himem file is missing but it is in the directory when I look in the dosshell. Let me know what is good for you and I will work around your schedule. I don't want to impose and I certainly appreciate any help you could give me.  I have grown attached to this machine.
Greg

[GX1_Man]

Make sure at least the following lines are present




NEEDED IN AUTOEXEC.BAT

Path=c:\;C:\dos;c:\windows;
set temp=c:\dos


NEEDED IN CONFIG.SYS

Device=c:\dos\himem.sys
device=C:\dos\emm386.exe
dos=high,umb

[garnetlake]

Morning GX1_Man,
If I type "AUTOEXEC.BAT" at the C:\
it returns the following:

C:\>DS
Bad command or file name
C:\> uhY
bad command or file name

If I type "CONFIG.SYS" at the C:\
it returns the following line:

bad command or file name

If I type "edit" at the C:\

It returns
"out of memory"

This is probably important.
I just discovered something.  If I  view these files in the dosshell I find 6 versions of the autoexec... and 5 versions of the config... files with different extensions.  There are one of each that have a ".old" extension. These look like the commands that came up when I booted the computer in the morning.  Is it possible I use the copy command at the prompt to overwrite the current files it is using with these old versions?
Just a thought.
Greg

[2k_dummy]

Use the type command to print them to the screen:

type autoexec.bat
type config.sys

If the files scroll off the screen, pipe through the more command:

type autoexec.bat | more
type config.sys | more

[garnetlake]

Hi there, thanks for helping.  When I type these commands I do not get text but what appears to be programming symbols. The config.sys line reads DS and what appears to be an oblong happy face symbol. It is not  regular text that I can duplicate with my keyboard.
Greg

[2k_dummy]

Please don't edit a post AFTER someone has posted a reply. Make a new post.
If any of the autoexec or config files appear to be the correct ones, you can use the copy command to overwrite the wrong ones. You can also use the ren command to rename files but the copy command is more simple. For example, if the config.old file appears to be the proper one: copy config.old config.sys and answer yes to the promp to overwrite.

[garnetlake]

2K_dummy, sorry about the edit, that was my fault for sure. I am new to the whole forum thing and I appreciate your help.  Won't happen again.  I will try your instructions as this older file definetly has the text that used to scroll on my machine when it first booted. Thanks again and sorry for the edit.
Greg

[garnetlake]

Well I overwrote the command and almost all of the same text that used to come up was there and then it stalled and now there is only  a flashing cursor and no c prompt. It says there is an error in line 3 mising HIMEM.sys. Any ideas as to how to get back to a c prompt would be appreciated.
Greg

[2k_dummy]

Boot from a floppy and look in your DOS disks for himem.sys and copy it to the c:\dos directory. You should probably place a copy in c:\windows also.

[garnetlake]

Hey, thanks for getting back to me.  I did exactly what you suggested.  I booted from  Microsoft disk 6.22 # 1, found the himem.sy_ file, expanded it to the dos directory as himem.sys file size 14,208. I can see it there in the dosshell. Here is my config file
I am at a loss. It is also in my windows directory as well. What can I be doing wrong?

DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS HIGHSCAN
BUFFER= 30,0
FILES= 50
DOS= UMB
REM= LASTDRIVE E
FCBS= 16,0
DOS= HIGH
DEVICE HIGH/L:1,12048 =C:\DOS\SETVER.EXE
STACKS=9.256
SHELL= C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM C:\DOS\ /P
DEVICEHIGH /L:1,44304 =C:\DOS\DBLSPACE.SYS /MOVE
[COMMON]
REM DEVICE= C:\CDROM\ACERCD.SYS /D:1DEC000
REM LAST DRIVE= N
[COMMON]
DEVICE=C:\CDROM\ACERCD.SYS/ D:IDECD000
LASTDRIVE= N

Greg

[2k_dummy]

There are some extraneous entries but the simplest solution at this point would probably be to run memmaker. It should be in your DOS directory.

[garnetlake]

I  ran memmaker, it was right where you said it would be.  After restart it just hangs at the "starting MS-DOS..."  Back to boot disk?
Greg

[2k_dummy]

Did you let memmaker run to completion? It will normally reboot itself several times.