98SE won't boot :-(

Hi all,

Hoping you can help with my poor laptop issues.

I am having trouble booting up my sony vaio win98SE laptop. I deleted a bunch of temp files the other nite, but when i rebooted (twice) all was well. Then, yesterday, when I booted, i got "128...unknown error (code 5). "

I then got out my recovery disk and tried to do a recovery without reformatting.

No dice. Error messages there too.

Tried again, and got the following prompt:

Choose command prompt and run scanreg.

I followed directions, but it wouldn't allow me to run scanreg.

I emailed sony-no help there. They advised me to "clean the disk and try again," then also gave me a script to try using dos to run the recovery disk.

Again, nada.

I then got a message saying that the following files were missing or corrupt: himem.sys, dbbuff.sys, and ifshlp.sys. Hoping the recovery disk would be able to fix/reinstall those, but no luck.

I went into the Setup mode, and tried to find something that would allow me to boot using the 'last known good' file. It was not there.

So, what i have is a very lovely machine that blinks maddeningly at me with a LOT of new files i've created yet haven't backed up yet (i know, i know).

I am terrified that the only fix will be to totally reformat my C drive....and I am sick over this!!!!!!!!!!!

Any real solutions would be great. I was excited when i saw the previous post, but unlike that lucky person, hitting enter does nothing for me.

(oh and yes, one last message came thru when i choose the confirm option: the win.com file is now missing as well.)

cyberlasagna for anyone who can help!
also: i have not loaded any new programs in forever; i have not changed settings. i have a sinking feeling that something in a temp folder was deleted when it shouldn't have been...and now i am paying big time.

Laurie

 

I do not believe the problem is Windows. ( or not all of it anyway )

If that was indeed the case then there was somthing there that did not belong there.

The files mentioned are all DOS files. And unless I remember wrong are all loaded from the config.sys ahead of Windows. And I believe they are all in the C:\Windows\Command folder.

Nope. I just looked and see that Himem.sys and ifshlp.sys are in the Windows folder. I can not even find dbbuff.sys. I thought that was a Win3.1 file.

Please help me out here folks. It has been a LONG time since I have had to mess with the DOS section of boot up.

BillyBob

 

With the boot disk in drive A>(type in)
Fdisk /MBR (enter)
Fdisk /MBR (enter)
Fdisk /MBR (enter)
You need to do that all 3 times. Notice the space between fdisk /mbr.

Again from A> (type in ) sys C:
See if that helps and post back.

 

Sorry BB...didn't see your post.

 

No problem. It is very easily done. And very hard to prevent.

BillyBob

 

BB
I'm running W98SE and have both those in Windows, but not dbbuff.sys. Guess I shouldn't admit that I can remember using those two sys files Himem and dbbuff. Not sure about W95 but used them back with W3.1

 

mom2boys

A question for you.

Have you ever restarted Windows in the MS-DOS Mode and did anything other than type EXIT to get out of it ?.

What I mean is restarting in the MS-DOS Mode and using Cntrl-Alt-Del or using the reset or on/off button ?

Under certain conditions this WILL mess up the DOS side of Windows. It does not allow DOS & Windows to switch properly.

BillyBob

 

Nope, always used the Exit command. After reading your post I'll be sure that Exit is all I use. If one uses the alt/ctrl/del does it hose things up pretty bad? What's the fix after that?

Thanks BB

 

Yes it can. But it has a lot to do with the settings of ( I think ) the MS-DOS.pif file.

And I HOPE it never happens to me again because I have FORGOTTEN just what the fix was. But I believe I just ran an overtop re-install of 98 AFTER booting to the Startup Floppy.

But I would not bet too heavily on the fact that that is really what I did.

BillyBob

 

Hi guys, not jumping in here to hijack the thread, but the file you are looking for is "dblbuff.sys" NOT dbbuff.sys and is in the Windows directory. Here's a description of it's function:

The Dblbuff.sys device driver is used to perform double buffering which is required to provide compatibility for certain hard-disk controllers that cannot work with memory provided by EMM386 or Windows running in 386 Enhanced mode.

Here's a link for more info on dblbuff.sys: Link

Cheers.

 

JohnB

No problem with setting things straight. I looked again ( more thoroughly ) and I do find Dblbuff.sys is in the C:\Windows folder.

But in any case they are DOS files and are all loaded from the Config.sys before Windows.

BillyBob

 

replies

Wow!

thanks for all the quick responses....

I will try to go thru them all.

Billybob-
NO, i try NEVER to mess with the DOS side of my laptop's life. This happy little critter has my lesson plans, recipes, (mundane, but hey), and other stuff related to my sons' school, sports, etc. So, I pretty much don't tweak the sucker.

UNfortunately , the only bootup disk i recall is the cd that came with the laptop. (i got it christmas 1999, so my old brain cells are scrambling to remember if i made a floppy, and where on earth they could have gone too, cause they aren't in the bag!)

So, I am trying to reboot using the system recovery CD that came with the thing. will try that prompt anyway, just for kicks (changing, of course the prompt to D:\)

i appreciate your help. today, in desperation, i very nearly reformatted the thing...but am trying to exercise patience...something i am NOT known for!



Laurie

 

reply to LDTate

Well,

I tried......i did the fdisk /mbr three times...with the prompt at A:\ and also at D:\....nada.

then i changed back to the A:\ prompt (mostly for kicks, hey, at this point what DO i have to lose??? ) and typed in sys C:. the response was "system transferred" and the blinking cursor. i can't even get OUT of the dos screen now (don't laugh, i forgot the stupid command..and have tried everything 'cept 'get the hellout of dos.exe!')

anyway....that sinking feeling is getting stronger....must....reformat....disk....!

arrrrgh!

;-)
laurie

 

billybob..off topic..but interesting

Marlboro, NY?

lived for quite a bit of time in new windsor..went to NFA, graduated college from the Mt. Small world. Move to the boonies of GA, crash your precious laptop, only to get help from a former neighbor..........

 

Sorry I thought you had the floppy diskette. Never tried the commands from the CD.

Is there a disk in drive A?
When you do the Fdisk /mbr you don't see anything, doesn't look like it's doing anything but it does.

 

mom2boys

WOW !!!

Check your PM.

BB

 

Update

Thanks for all your help, comments, suggestions, etc.

Called my brother, the almighty computer guru. He has generously offered to fix my drive ( i refuse to reformat!!). He's going to pull all the info off the drive, copy it to a million cds for me, and then fix my wacked out hard drive.

Gotta just get some padding to ship it to Tampa!

Thanks again. Cyberlasagna for all.



laurie