everything is gone

i turned my computer on and everything is gone im asked type the name of comand interpreter what do i do please help

 

Hi johnny29554
Welcome to the boards!
I'm not sure I fully understand? Can you give us the full error message please? Perhaps first...do an online virus scan at Housecall?

Daizy

 

Try booting to an original Win98 boot disk and from the dos prompt type:

SYS A: C: <enter>
It should report that the system files were transferred, if not let us know.

Then pull the disk and reboot.

If it still won't boot to the HDD when you try it with the diskette removed, then boot with it in the bay again and from the command prompt type:

FDISK /MBR <enter>

When the prompt returns, pull the disk out and try booting to the HDD again.

If still no joy, post back and report your results and any error messages you get.

ps. Daizy, he can't run any on-line service since he is unbootable.

 

If Zephyr's suggetions doesn't work I would guess it's looking for win.com. If it prompts you to type the name of the command interpreter, type win.com. If it doesn't find it go here to find out how to extract a new one from your windows cd.

 

If it prompts you to type the name of the command interpreter,
type win.com

Unless things have changed greatly in recent times it is looking for COMMAND.COM

Remember, the machine boots into DOS first. Win.com comes after the Autoexec.

I had the same thing happen not too long ago. Upon doing a floppy boot and a DIR of the C: drive the ROOT folder was EMPTY.

And I mean EMPTY Zilch, Nada, nothing.

I know when but not HOW or WHY this happened. But in my case I had to re-install 98 SE to get things back. THne had to re-install my Audio card to get things back into the Autoexec.bat properly.

Also to the SYS. IF it is not done from a floppy with the same version of DOS that Windows has it could spell problems down the road a ways.

The machine may boot and all be fine until Windows goes to DOS.

EDIT/ADD

I was told by a Friend that there is a VIRUS that will do this.

BillyBob

 

Billy Bob
I'm guessing you are probably right about command.com but I remember a long time ago I had to extract a new win.com file for someone else and it seems to me that the error message they were getting was something similar. Could be wrong though as it's been quite a while. I would guess it's one of the two though because you would think that if the system files were gone or the boot record was corrupt you'd get an invalid disk error before it ever got to the point of looking for the command interpreter. Perhaps I goofed and should have seen what I could dig up here about it before posting.

 

Zander

There many different reasons for this and it is VERY hard to say who is right and who is wrong.

I have had the same message come up when booting from a floppy, pulling the floppy out and then trying to switch to the HD without rebooting.

We can only post from our experiences and ideas.

This error can also come up if the wrong version of Command.com is in the root folder.

In other words it may not match MSDOS.SYS and.or IO.SYS.

This is why I mentioned being carefull about which DOS is used to do a SYS command.

MSDOS can be as just as touchy as Windows. Everything must match.

Also I believe the message that comes up may have something to do with how the BIOS is set.

But in any case Command.com is either missing or mis-matched.

If it were WIN.COM and others things are correct the boot up should at least get to the Dos Command prompt.

I think

BillyBob

 

Can't argue with that logic.

 

i tryed

tryed putting in win.com it said can not open we brought this computer second hand and did not get no cd or disk with it trying to use my wifes computer to fix it but everthing said non sys disk

 

Please Post replies in the same Post.
It's the only way to follow.
It also makes the search function a valueble tool here.
Thanks
Rookie
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Previous Post

This Post should be locked.

 

From Johnny29554

Rookie
- -

 

tryed

sorry tryed the win,com and it said can not open we got this computer second hand and did not get no cd or disk with it trying to use wife's computer to fix it but it keep saying non sys disk

 

It is time to stop beating around the bushes and get back to the basics.

Unless you have the FULL SET of Windows setup files on your Wifes' PC that you can use to re-install Windows there very likely is NOTHING you can use that will work.

And not knowing which version of Windows is ( was ) on the PC in question, it is a WASTE of time trying to get bits and pieces from somewhere else.

It is not the same and Windows files ( or most of same ) cannot be COPIED from one PC to the other unless they are the EXACT same version of Windows. And contain the same updates.

The PC in question needs a FULL re-install of Windows. No bits and pieces from anywhere.

Having the Command Interpeter error and now a Non-System disk says it all. Needs a format and then a re-install of Windows.

Also what make is the machine ? Is it a home built or an OEM ( prebuilt Compaq, Del, HP etc. ) machine ? Could make a lot of difference in how things get done.

BillyBob

 

Forgot to add this.

If your Wifes' machine has win98 or higher make a startup disk and see it the machine with problem(s) will boot form it.

BillyBob

 

tryed

tryed to boot from a start up disk from wife's computer thats when we came up with non sys disk i have a gateway 2000 she has a newer mondel of gateway hers came all ready setup didn't get any disk or cd

 

Oh Key Doe Key.

If that is the case then I am outta here. Gateway has their own way of doing things. And only someone that is familiar with a Gateway can help.

But that further confimes my theory of not coping fliles from one to the other. And the two not being the same.

They both appear to have everything needed on the HD. And a good possibility of it being in a special ( maybe hidden ) partiton.

I have only owned one pre-built machine and will NEVER have another.

BillyBob

 

Check the Bios

Make sure the A drive or Floppy is first on the list of boot options.
If it's C: only.
You'll get the nonsystem disk error. Even with a good boot disk.

Rookie
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Having had similar and other problems I keep all of my machines set to the boot sequence of A, C.

Seems to make life a lot easier in cases of problems.

This newer one is set to A, CDROM, C.

But what scared heck out of me the first few times was when I saw the message " BOOT FAILURE " flash by on the screen.

I finally caught the PAUSE key and then saw that it referred to the CDROM. Not scared now.

BillyBob

 

thanks

thanks for the help im done messing with it taking it to the shop let them fix it

 

Sounds more like a bios or boot virus to me. Seen this happen before and the only solution is a new chip with the right bin files or a bios flash from another machine. Be careful when you take this to a shop because this is quite often mis-diagnosed and the first attempt is to wipe your HDD clean and try a new installation - that won't solve the problem, if this is what ails you.