Windows 98se

[cdarr]

Hello,

My win98 machine boots to 'invalid system disk'
I booted from a startup disk and got to a system prompt.  from there I changed to the windows directory and typed 'win'.  No HIMEM.sys, so copied it to the directory and reboot.  No avail.  after reading forums and help figured a config.sys file off boot disk and modified it with himem lines. Now it boots to a c:.  change to widows dir and win, vfat error.  add line to config.sys regarding ifshlp.sys and now computer starts to windows.  It took a long time to get started, I fiqured it was rebuilding a file.

Now when I reboot it is back to the 'invalid system disk'.

It seems the config.sys file went away.  

I am at wits end, can anyone help or guide me to some resources in this forum or others?

Thanks very much.

[Computer_Commando]

Win98 does not require a config.sys to boot or to do anything for Windows.  You're probably missing a system file, use Win98 Boot Floppy Disk and from A:>, type:
sys c:
Make sure boot disk is the same version of Win98.
http://www.computerhope.com/syshlp.htm

[cdarr]

Ok thanks for the quick response.

I made a boot disk while I had 98 running, and also have one from bootdisk.com

rebooted before doing the sys c: and got to pci device listing then 'updated escd successfully' then three c prompts.

after running sys c: from boot disk I get to pci device listing then three c prompts.

at least I do not have the error any more.

Any more ideas?

Thanks again

[cdarr]

P.S.

I can change to the windows directory and manually start windows.

[cdarr]

Any way to get an example of a correct msdos.sys file?

all my file has was ';sys' so I rewrote it to match some of the examples I could find.

computer boots to 98 now, just no internet connection?
any ideas where to look?

thanks

[merlin_2]

do you have the win98se install disk ?

[cdarr]

I have one original cd.

Do I need a product number?

[2k dummy]

Example msdos.sys file. =1 means enabled. =0 means disabled. You must remove the read only and hidden attributes in order to edit the file. Open the file Notepad. Reapply them afterward.
WARNING: This an example only. Do not copy and paste this file.

;FORMAT
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\WINDOWS
WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS
HostWinBootDrv=C
UninstallDir=C:\

[Options]
BootMulti=1
BootGUI=1
DoubleBuffer=1
AutoScan=1
WinVer=4.10.2222






























;
;The following lines are required for compatibility with other programs.
;Do not remove them (MSDOS.SYS needs to be >1024 bytes).
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxa
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxb
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxc
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxd
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxe
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxf
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxg
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxh
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxi
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxj
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxk
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxl
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxm
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxn
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxo
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxp
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxq
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxr
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxs
BootMenu=1
Logo=0
BootKeys=1
BootWarn=0
Network=1
DisableLog=0
LoadTop=0

[cdarr]

Yes I do have the 98se CD.  

The system is up and running now with my cobbled msdos.sys file.  I had to enter all of the space filler lines to make the file greater than 1024b to make it work right.  I am not sure if I have all of the correct info in it, but it works.

I had to reinstall the TCP/IP stack to make the internet work right.  All of the tinkering must have messed it up.
Here is a great link for reinstalling the TCP/IP:

http://customersupport.acd.net/admin/articles/reinstall%20tcpip.cfm

Thanks for all of your help