Help!! How do I make my computer to start in normal operation again?

[2p]

I have a Windows98 computer that is used to run great. I wanted to copy all the data into a another hard drive in case of hard drive failure. So I used XCOPY32 c:\*.*d:\ /h/e/c/k/y Results: I am was not able to get to windows98 in any of the two hard drives: (Drive C or Drive D)
To isolate my hard drive problems, I have disconnected "D" drive or Primary Slave and I left my original hard drive, Western Digital, in the original configuration, Primary master. So now when I start my PC the computer goes into Microsoft Windows 98 Start Up Menu and option 5 is highlighted, Commamd Prompt Only, and the following message is displayed: Warning: Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Choose, Commamd prompt only and run SCANREG. After several seconds this message comes up, "The following file is missing or corrupted: C:\WINDOWS\DBLBUFF.SYS The following file is missing or corrupted: C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS and continurs with the last line, C:\>set classpath=C:\Program Files\PhotoDeluxe 2.0\AdobeConnectables and goes to "C" prompt again.
If a type "Edit" and open MSDOS.SYS file I will get the following lines:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\WINDOWS
WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS
HostWinBootDrv=C
UninstallDir=C:\ (Do I need to delete this line in order to fix the problem? Because I have received a reply of how these lines are supposted be, UninstallDir=C:\ is not listed in the example I have received. I was not informed if I needed to delete this line or not. The rest of the lines are the same, all the way to the last line or:
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxS

[Options]
BootMulti=1
BootGUI=1
DoubleBuffer=1
AutoScan=1
WinVer=4.10.222
Please advise what do I need to do in order to make computer to start to Windows98 again. I do not want to do anything that will delete all my work files, fdisk or reformat is not an option.
I will appreciated all the help you can give me.
Thank you!

P.S. I have ran from "A" prompt, SYS C: This advise was performed when my "C" drive was displaying, "Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press enter." and this only happened right after the transferring the files from "C" to "D" drive and when I started the computer.

 

[wolluf]

Have you run scanreg?

 

[compuveg]

I don't know what all those switches you used do, but something else must have happenned if you can't even boot now. XCOPY32 c:\*.*d:\ /h/e/c/k/y, from memory, will copy everything from C to D, including hidden files(/h), recurse all subdirs(/e), continue copying through errors(/c), and not prompt on overwriting files(/y)... But I don't know what /k will do. Regardless, I can't imagine the xcopy command you posted causing any problems like you've described.

Did you run fdisk, changing the active partition? Make sure C is the active one...

Also, did you delete any files... I was guessing that you thought you were on the D drive, and deleted a bunch of files, but you were really on the C drive... leading to my next suggestion...

If you just reinstall Win98, that should restore any corrupt system files, but you will probably have to reinstall all your applications, not to mention all of the windows updates. However, it shouldn't touch any of your datafiles. They should be backed up to the D drive anyway judging from the xcopy command posted.

 

[2p]

Hi wolluf, yes I have ran SCANREG, the monitor turns into blue screen, and C:\> prompt and the words "Microsoft Registry Checker" is displayed. Nothing happens, this scene remains on the desktop without any activity! almost indefinitely. I have exit it to avoid something else.
Hello compuveg, I do not know much about xcopy32 commamd nor I know the meaming of its parameters, this advise was given to me as an alternative to third party clone software because I requested it.
I did scandisk and format the "D" drive prior to copying files from "C" to "D" ("D" drive has 24 files and 17 dir(s) and its disconnected from my computer for now until I find the solution to main drive "C".
No, I did not delete any files.
I did notice however during the transferring of files from C to D that two messages appeared, "error copying file c:\IO.sys to d:\IO.sys and error copying file C:\windows\win 386.swp" I believe this data transfer procedure has possibly erradicate some vital commamds and that's the reason my computer goes into, Commamd prompt only and run SCANREG.
I do not know what files are missing in my hard drive/system, but if I insert a boot disk and type DIR, I do noticed all my files/documents, etc., present in my Western Digital disk. (Total of 25 files and 17 dir(s) AND I have also noticed, Config DOS 0 and Config SYS 0. Am I missing any files here? Or any where else?? and if I do, How do I fix it?
Final question, Does the extra line, UninstalledDir=C:\, has anything to do with my current problem?
Thank you all for your advises.
P.S. I do not want to do anything that may causes data to be lost or reisntalled because I believe this problem can be corrected with a the proper restoring feature(s)

 

[compuveg]

Well, the errors copying the files IO.SYS,and Win386.sys aren't a big deal. I don't understand why IO.sys wouldn't copy, but the Win386.swp file would't copy because that' Window's virtual memory file, which it had opened exclusively. I checked on a Win98 PC here, and the /k just copies attributes. From what you've told me, the problem wasn't caused by XCopying the files.

Also, you listed the contents of your MSDOS.sys file. This file MUST be bigger than 1024k. If it isn't, add the line

;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxS

to it until it is at least that size.

Also, what happens if you just choose to boot 'normally', or '1' from the boot menu?

What about safe mode? Will that work?

 

[2p]

Compuveg, this is how the lines look like, just exactly the same as the ones I received from Encryted. I copied them from his post and pasted them here on this page so you can see them. The only difference is that I have an extra line after HostWinBoot, or UnistalledDir=C:[Paths]
WinDir=C:\WINDOWS
WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS
HostWinBootDrv=C
UninstalledDir=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).
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxa
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxb
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxc
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxd
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxe
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxf
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxg
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxh
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxi
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxj
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxk
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxl
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxm
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxn
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxo
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxp
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxq
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxr
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxs

I have several questions however, not answered yet. 1. Do you know if I am missing any files from the system or hard drive? because when I look at "C" drive I noticed Congig DOS 0(Zero) and Congig SYS 0(zero) Are these files supposed be 0(Zero)in size?
Final question, 2. Does the extra line, UninstalledDir=C:\, has anything to do with my current problem? 3. How do I fix any of the above if they are the present problem.
4. How do I know if there are 1024 or more bytes listed there? Do you count all those x's?
If I choose 1. I will this, The following file is missing or corrupted:
Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Choose, Commamd prompt only and run SCANREG.
C:\WINDOWS\DBLBUFF.SYS. The following file is missing or corrupted:C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
C:\Set classpath=c:\Program Files\PhotoDeluxe 2.0\AdobeConnectables
and it goes to "C" prompt. Sector not found reading drive c.

If I choose 3. Safe mode, the message is as follows:
Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Choose, Commamd prompt only and run SCANREG.
HIMEM is testing extended memory...done
C:\WINDOWS\DBLBUFF.SYS. The following file is missing or corrupted:C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
Sector not found reading drive C.
Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail?
On all of these tests I see the windows98 logo for a few seconds and then goes into Microsoft Windows 98 Start Up Menu.

 

[Enkrypted]

2P,

Here are a couple more suggestions that you might want to try.

First would be to download the manufacturers hard drive diagnostic program and run it on your hard drives just to make sure that the drive is not defective. I know from personal experiences of my own that there are times scandisk will report nothing wrong with the drive whereas the manufacturers diagnostic program will produce a failure code of some sort.

The next thing I would recommend is to copy both those files<dblbuff.sys and ifshlp.sys> off the computer you are using now and try copying them to your other computers windows directory. This might work since both these files won't change. Enkrypted
A+
Let others know how much help they are by marking the helpful posts.

 

[compuveg]

From the 'sector not found' error, it sounds like your C drive is toast. The config.dos is a backup version of your config.sys. config.sys on Win9x machines is best when it is empty, 0 bytes. (Yes, they both should be 0 bytes in size.)

You can find the size of the msdos.sys file by doing a 'dir /ah msdos.sys'

 

[2p]

Thank you guys for your help.
I believe there is nothing wrong with my WD hard drive because if I boot up from a boot disk and I will do a DIR I will see all my files are there or 25 files 8,405,706 bytes 17 dir(s) 4,102,86 MB free.
Also if I install back the Bigfoot hard drive and if I do a DIR I will get 24 files 8,404,012 bytes 17 dir(s) 10,011,27 MB free. However, both hard drive have become disabled that is I cannot get to windows98! What could have happened is that this procedure (XCOPY32 c:\*.*d:\ /h/e/c/k/y) of transferring the data from one hard drive to another might have eradicated, misplaced or fragmented one or couple of vital commands needed to make the system boot up normally. What we need is a special command, or software that will detect and/or restore any possibly damaged files in the system and without deleting any of my data. Today, I just tried scanreg /fix, I see the following on the blue screen
C:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT
Looking for valid sytem registry keys
checking system registry structure
rebuilding system registry
But I do not see or hear any activity. These messages are just being displayed there on the screen.
I wondering could it be possible that we left out the *.* following d: because I have received this message, &quot;This is what I use to copy from one disk to the other: xcopy c:\*.* d:\*.* /s/e/v/k/h/r/y/c To me it looks like you left out the *.* following d:&quot;
I would like follow your advise and copy files<dblbuff.sys and ifshlp.sys because after all these files are missing or corrupted, but I really do not know how to begin. I will appreciated the step by step aproach.
Thank again for your help.
I have hope that my pc will talk back to me again.

 

[2p]

Thank you guys for your help.
I believe there is nothing wrong with my WD hard drive because if I boot up from a boot disk and I will do a DIR I will see all my files are there or 25 files 8,405,706 bytes 17 dir(s) 4,102,86 MB free.
Also if I install back the Bigfoot hard drive and if I do a DIR I will get 24 files 8,404,012 bytes 17 dir(s) 10,011,27 MB free. However, both hard drive have become disabled that is I cannot get to windows98! What could have happened is that this procedure (XCOPY32 c:\*.*d:\ /h/e/c/k/y) of transferring the data from one hard drive to another might have eradicated, misplaced or fragmented one or couple of vital commands needed to make the system boot up normally. What we need is a special command, or software that will detect and/or restore any possibly damaged files in the system and without deleting any of my data. Today, I just tried scanreg /fix, I see the following on the blue screen
C:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT
Looking for valid sytem registry keys
checking system registry structure
rebuilding system registry
But I do not see or hear any activity. These messages are just being displayed there on the screen.
I wondering could it be possible that we left out the *.* following d: because I have received this message, &quot;This is what I use to copy from one disk to the other: xcopy c:\*.* d:\*.* /s/e/v/k/h/r/y/c To me it looks like you left out the *.* following d:&quot;

I would like follow your advise and copy files<dblbuff.sys and ifshlp.sys because after all these files are missing or corrupted, but I really do not know how to begin. I will appreciated the step by step aproach.
I have hope that my pc will talk back to me again.