System Halted

I have an IBM aptiva 2139 running Win 98. I was
installing a driver for a joy stick and everthing seemed to go well. At some point in time after I was done I hit some wrong key and the computer shut down. Now when I try to start it I get warning messages:

"invalid dynamic link call from vwin32(01) + 00000714 to device 0009 service.
Run setup program again to correct program. "

I ran the computer from the Win 98 start up disk and keep getting the following
when I try to start windows:

VFAT Device initial failed. Device or resource required by VAT is not available.
System Halted. Now every time I try to start windows it says VFAT DEVICE INTIALIZATION FAILED
System Halted appears.

I did a step by step start up log and it said 2 files are missing:
C:\windows\DBL Bluff.sys
C:\windows\IFSHLP.sys.

I am lost as to what to do. I hooked up the original HD to run the computer.

If I cannot save the system I was thinking of putting the bad hard drive to my secondary IDE then go into it to retrieve date. Then I would run the IBM recovery disk to restore the bad hard drive to original condition. This would cause me to loose all the programs I installed after the computer was new.

Is there any way short of format to fix this problem.

Thanks, Jerry

 

Take a look here to see if this helps.

 

You didn't try to start windows or enter with the bootdisk. The vfat error can occur if you attempt to start your computer using the Windows 98 Startup disk, and then attempt to start Windows 98.

Try a safemode bootup:
startup and at windows logo tap the F8 to get to the startup menu.

Choose safemode.

This F8 entry is a matter of timing and may take more than once to get just right.

When in safemode you can use sfc to extract these two files if they are truly missing.

I suspect your system didn't like the joystick drivers. you may need to remove these, this.

======
Doing the above may also need backed up unaffected registry and system files (dependant upon your scanreg.ini tweaking and if you have included the other system files this tool will backup)

If this is corrupted sys/registry problem:
You can restart in dosmode and do the old scanreg /restore command at the c prompt. From the popup choose a date that predates the joystick catastrophe.

This command can also be done using the win98 emergency bootdisk and choosing the c prompt option or using the F8 tap dance to the startup menu and choosing c prompt.

 

Ann & Kevin,
Thanks for your quick reply. Kevin the site you
pointed to was a gold mind. One question. I
have to use a win 98 start up disk to get into
safe mode then select safe mode command prompt
only and get into the text editor and open the
config.sys. 1. What command do I type to open
the text editor. 2. I have to put:
DEVICE=C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys into the config.sys
using the text editor. Save, close and restart.
I do not have a win 98 disk. All the files are
in C:\Cabs folder. I am wondering if that
statement is already in the config.sys should
I rem that statement so the computer will start.
If that Ifshlp statement IS missing will windows
on start up find and load the file after I type
in the statement in the config.sys

I got a warning message that two files were missing: C:\windows\IFSHP.SYS and
C:\windows\DBL Bluff.sys

I know what to do with the IFSHP.SYS file but
have no information on the DBL Bluff.sys file.
What is this file and how do I install it??

I do have a win 98se upgrade CD disk. Would those
2 files be the same in the win 98se disk and in
win 98 (no se)??

As I see it what I have to do is get the IFSHP
statement into the config. sys without windows
being able to start then hope it starts, and
find out the the DBL Bluff.sys file is and how
to install it.

Any directions on this will be welcome.

Thanks, Jerry

 

edit c:\config.sys

No, you don't. It is loaded from Io.Sys, the Io.Sys file is loaded as part of the boot process, then it loads Himem.Sys and Ifshlp.Sys. Sometimes Himem.Sys is also loaded in the Config.Sys. Your Io.Sys seem to be corrupt, use these commands to replace, using the boot floppy. The second command rebuilds the MBR, it may not be a bad idea, note this command appears to do nothing.
sys a: c:
fdisk /mbr
About Dblbuff.Sys and Ifshlp.Sys missing, use these commands to replace.
c:
cd\windows
extract /y c:\cabs\win98_52.cab dblbuff.sys ifshlp.sys
The dos prompt should be like this, C:\Windows> , for this to work correctly. Note the placement of / and \ in the command.

 

TO MARK

Mark I followed all your directions and put the
following line at C:\windows
extract /y c:\cabs\win98_52.cab dblbuff.sys ifshlp.sys
I got a message "cannot open file c: "

I used the text editor and tried to open the
config.sys. The editor opened the screen
titled config.sys. The screen was BLANK?
It appears I have no config.sys on C:\.

This HD is a mirror image of my smaller HD.
I can still run the old HD. I was thinking
of making a printed copy of the config.sys
from the old HD, then get back the the large
HD and use editor to open up the config.sys.
Then I would type in the config.sys taken off
the old hard drive.

Would this work?

Thanks, Jerry

 

Windows 98 will work with a blank Config.Sys, as Io.Sys will load the files that Win98 needs to run.

If you do this command, it will show if the c:\cabs\win98_52.cab file exists.
dir c:\cabs\win98_52.cab
Your 'cannot open c:' does sound like a type was made, such as a space between c: and \ .

 

config.safe

This IBM aptiva E5D 2139 computer that has
given me so much trouble came with config.safe
installed. This program will roll the computer
back in time to before the computer failed.
Trouble is I cannot get into windows. This IBM
config.safe program can be opened and operated
in DOS. I am not sure how to run open and run
it in DOS. Can anyone tell me how to operate
the program in DOS. Maybe this will solve my
computer problem.

Thanks, Jerry

 

http://www.imaginelan.com/support/faqs/configsafe.html
According to that page, this command starts it.
C:\CFGSAFE\SOS.EXE
Also from that page;
ConfigSafe does not archive files, except those related to the system configuration. If a non-configuration file gets deleted or corrupted it will be necessary to restore that file from backups, or the original installation media.
I believe this is saying dblbuff.sys and ifshlp.sys will not be restored.
Do this extract command instead,
extract /a /y c:\cabs\win98_22.cab dblbuff.sys
extract /a /y c:\cabs\win98_22.cab ifshlp.sys
This will search through all the cab files, instead of targeting one.
If nothing happens do this command to verify the files are in the C:\Cabs folder.
dir c:\cabs\

 

PARTIAL SUCCESS

I gave up the ghost. I have partial success. Everything that anyone
suggested did not work. So I did the following: With the old HD connect to the
primary IDE I hooked up the bad HD to the DVD connection that goes to
the secondary IDE, but left my CD-RW connected. In windows explorer the
bad HD was showed as drive "E" I opened it up and using the CD-RW copied
6 CDs of data and took every thing I want. I am going to make a mirror
image of the old HD to the bad HD. I have the MAXTOR disks to do
the transfer. I am not sure yet how the cables are hooked up for a mirror
image. Are both HDs on the same cable to the primary IDE with the bad
hard drive set to slave and connected to the middle spot on the cable?
Or do I have one HD hooked to the secondary HD. I am going to call
MAXTOR support. If you know the correct cable hookup let me know.

Thanks, Jerry

 

The middle connection is for the Master Drive.
The end connection is for the Slave Drive.
They must be jumpered accordingly, or use the CS [Cable Select] jumper setting, where the position where the drive is connected on the ribbon determines Master or Slave.
Cannot have two drives jumpered as Slave on the same ribbon.

 

Marc, the end of the cable is for the Master, the middle for slave.
Although it probably don't matter anyway as long as jumpers are set properly.

Best