Computer will not start past the Windows 98se logo image

[cfmoore]

The computer start up will not proceed past the Windows 98 logo window.

Is this an indicator of something bad with the hard drive?

Chuck

[samcarney]

Hi again  ,
As soon as the logo screen appears (it appears two times, do this during both if necessary) hit the ESC key. This shows the actual dos based black screen hidden under the logo.
Now as the computer freezes, you may see some error messages that may help.

[cfmoore]

Pressing esc did not show any messages.  Pressing esc took the screen back to the boot up screen prior to the Windows 98 logo screen.

I restarted the computer in Safe Mode.  Safe Mode returned messages of

Windows is bypassing startup files

HIMEM is testing extended memory .............done

Missing or corrupted files c:\windows\DBLBIFF.SYS
Missing or corrupted files c:\windows\IFSHLP.SYS

Is reinstalling Windows 98se the next step?

[Annon]

Can you boot up in safe mode?
Carefully vacuum all the dust out of the machine.
Make sure that the fans are all running properly. If not, replace them. If the machine doesn't crash as quickly with the cover off, that's often a sign of overheating.
Remove as many optional hardware components as possible that would still allow the machine to run. If the problem disappeared, I would re-install components until it reappeared, and then remove other components to make sure that the problem was associated with only a specific component.
Re-seat all remaining and accessible connectors and expansion cards - sometimes problems are as simple as a loose connection.

What where you doing before this problem started

[samcarney]

Regarding:

Windows98 failing to boot with messages:
missing or corrupted 0/dblbuff.sys  <--not dblbiff.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.

[cfmoore]

Hi Annon:

this is an old 350mhz that I had atop a book case of old vinyl lps for three years

Sam:

Is msdos.sys supposed to be in the root of c: drive?  The copy command returned a msg that the file could not be found.

[cfmoore]

I forgot to add that I also changed directory to windows  and tried copy command but ms.dos was not there either.  I am glad I kept the DOS manual that came with an Epson printer years ago.

[samcarney]

Is msdos.sys supposed to be in the root of c: drive?

Its been a long time, check the windows folder...
do you have access to another computer with the Same OS?

[cfmoore]

I tried some attib commands but I am not sure what I have now

I tried several attrib commands in the c drive root directory
attrib -r -a -s -h
attrib msdos.sys -s -h -r
attrib -h -s -r msdos.sys
attrib/?
All came back with "bad command or file name" msg.  My old dos manual does not have attrib.

Yet the attrib commands did something. Before the attrib commands the "windows" directory in the boot drive was visible but it is not visible now.  I can still enter a change directory command and "windows" is now part of the command line at the C prompt.  I can view the "windows" directory but no files are visible.  Before the attrib commands some "windows" files displayed.

Any suggestions?

[samcarney]

but ms.dos was not there either

so did you ever find the file?

[cfmoore]

I also typed just "attrib" and an error msg was returned of "Bad command or file name". 

I am getting the hang of Computer Hope for I found this on the website

[cfmoore]

Never found the msdos.sys file.  I did some searching about it's location and it should be in the root directory

[samcarney]

do you have access to another computer with the Same OS?

[cfmoore]

No access to another computer with Windows 98se.

Is it time to reinstall Windows 98se?

[samcarney]

I think so...

if you NEED data off of that drive, put it in another computer and copy.   

[cfmoore]

Ok Sam.  Again thanks for the help.  I would not have gotten this far without the help and having an eventual working the computer.

I would not have taken this old of a computer into the shop yet I did not mind the time rummaging inside the box and trying some dos commands

[samcarney]

Your Welcome!
getting down to the nitty gritty is what makes you better in the long run...

[patio]

If you can rename win.com to win.old and re-install Win98 it will retain all your data and programs...