Regarding:
Windows98 failing to boot with messages:
missing or corrupted 0/dblbuff.sys <--not dbl
biff.sys
missing or corrupted 0/ifshelp.sys
the procedure is indepth, but it seems like your only choice unless you want to completely reload OS
1. Start your system with the Windows Emergency Disk. If you haven't got an emergency disk use any bootable system disk. You basically have to get to the C:-prompt. Only make sure that you include a path-statement that allows you to use the DOS-functions 'attrib' and 'edit'.
2. Copy the file msdos.sys to msdos.bad. Just in case. We don't want more trouble than we've already got, don't we. (Type in: copy msdos.sys msdos.bad)
3. Remove the system, hidden and read-only attributes of the msdos.sys file. (Type in: attrib msdos.sys -s -h -r). To check the result you can type: attrib msdos.sys, the reponse should be: A MSDOS.SYS C:\MSDOS.SYS)
4. Now you can safely edit the msdos.sys file. (Type in: edit msdos.sys). Way down this file you will find a statement saying:
[Paths]
WinBootDir=0
This is the source of your misery. You just have to remove this text to revive your precious system. In my case there were some 50 hard-return inbetween the last 'real' statement and this malicious code. You can safely remove the hard-return as well. Only make sure that the resulting msdos.sys file is at least 1024 bytes in size.
5. Restore the system, hidden and read-only attributes of your edited msdos.sys file. (Type in: attrib msdos.sys +s +h +r). To see the result you can type: attrib msdos.sys, the reponse should be: A SHR MSDOS.SYS C:\MSDOS.SYS)
6. Now you can reboot your system and everything should be in perfect working order again. That is: when you didn't mess things up too much before trying this solution.
7. There is no imminent danger in the msdos.bad file (You remember, the old file I advised you to back-up, just in case). However, when this solution works you'll probably want to remove the msdos.bad file to prevent it from being restored, and causing the same trouble, ever again.
8. Unlike Jesse there was nothing wrong with my win.com file. Until now I have not been able to find the exact name of the virus or worm that caused this situation because prior to this situation I tested a few small programs and deleted them fortwith. I suspect that one of them was the cause of my problems. Nevertheless I will have my MacAfee antiviral software do a full heuristics scanning this night on my old and slow (500 MHz) system with a recent harddisk (app. 95 GB). That 'll cost some time, but perhaps it will help me pinpoint the offender. When I find the name of the virus I'll send in a new posting.