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SYSTEM ini Major issue 1
- Thread starter qwestgirl
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We need to boot your machine to the command prompt. One way is to repeatedly tap the F8 key while booting to windows; another is to boot with a Win98 or Me boot disk.
After you get to the C:\> prompt type cd windows and hit enter. Then type dir system.* and hit enter. You should see a list of files like system.ini, system.bak, system.---and so forth. What do you see? Is system.ini listed?
While you're in DOS; at the c:\windows prompt, type
cd options - hit enter
cd cabs - hit enter
dir *.cab - hit enter
Do you see about thirty files?
Skip
After you get to the C:\> prompt type cd windows and hit enter. Then type dir system.* and hit enter. You should see a list of files like system.ini, system.bak, system.---and so forth. What do you see? Is system.ini listed?
While you're in DOS; at the c:\windows prompt, type
cd options - hit enter
cd cabs - hit enter
dir *.cab - hit enter
Do you see about thirty files?
Skip
- Thread starter
- #4
Skip, I followed your instructions and yes, system.ini is listed however, there are only 16 files and 2 directories...The computer isn't mine but, I was trying to see if it was something that I could fix on my own...I don't think this is possible. Itried to boot from CD....It wouldn't run....I tried floppy and it wasn't recognized either...I am now going to just tell my friend to upgrade to a new computer or have a true PRO look at it...Either way, I think it is time to move onward and upward...Thank you so much for your help! It is truly appreciated!! qwestgirl
OK, if the CABS folder doesn't have a slew of .cab files in it, you can't do a reinstall from the hard drive. Being unable to boot from a floppy doesn't help the situation either.
I've gotta assume that other files necessary to start windows are missing. Reinstalling 98se on top of the current install might solve the problem and might not.
It might be time to find someone who can copy files the owner wants to save and start all over. It's very difficult to tell what happened to cause this from my seat (likely yours too) and without more information, it's also difficult to quide you in the proper direction.
Post back if you want to try anythng else. Best of luck.
Skip
I've gotta assume that other files necessary to start windows are missing. Reinstalling 98se on top of the current install might solve the problem and might not.
It might be time to find someone who can copy files the owner wants to save and start all over. It's very difficult to tell what happened to cause this from my seat (likely yours too) and without more information, it's also difficult to quide you in the proper direction.
Post back if you want to try anythng else. Best of luck.
Skip
- Thread starter
- #7
Well, I can tell you that (according to the computer owner), she was on the computer when it went kaput....I have noticed that everytime I try to boot the system up, I continue to get an error message that the registry or system.ini cannot be found and a slew of other errors associated. The one that has be baffled is the one from AVG...States that a file for AVG is missing...The owner states that she had removed AVG from the system. Things that make you go "HMmmmm"...I tried scanreg/restore however, it wasn't successful because even though it stated that the registry was "good" I still got the errors upon reboot...Like I had said in the earlier post, CD and floppies are not being recognized...On both, the message that I got was to reinsert and hit any key..I tried this about 10 times each...You guys are awesome for helping with this issue.....I am going to give the computer back to her and tell her to type up the death certificate...LOL
qwestgirl,
What Wolluf has stated is fairly simple to do. There are backup copies of the system.ini files (as well as others) in
several cab files located in sysbckup which is a hidden windows directory where restore will retrieve and extract for you. If the restore works for you and windows is able to load correctly you should then install an anti-virus program before rebooting again and scan your system. A virus may have deleted/renamed/moved the system.ini causing your problems.
What Wolluf has stated is fairly simple to do. There are backup copies of the system.ini files (as well as others) in
several cab files located in sysbckup which is a hidden windows directory where restore will retrieve and extract for you. If the restore works for you and windows is able to load correctly you should then install an anti-virus program before rebooting again and scan your system. A virus may have deleted/renamed/moved the system.ini causing your problems.
Yeah, I didn't think scanreg/restore would work...why I didn't bother to mention it.
About the only thing I can offer her now is a copy of "Bad Girl" from ZZ Top.
Skip
About the only thing I can offer her now is a copy of "Bad Girl" from ZZ Top.
Skip
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