Help!!!

Try Mikes command with win98_41.cab

 

same error
bad command or file name

 

At the prompt type the following lines.

cd\
cd windows\command
dir /p

Adding the /p switch will cause it to stop rather than scroll through all the files. It will give you a chance to see what's there. Look for a file named extract. If it isn't there and all the files aren't showing it will say press any key at the bottom. Press a key to see the remaining files. Do you see it there?

 

I do not see extract in the list

 

Well, I don't really know what to say. It would appear you don't have the extract program available. Perhaps Mike knows something I don't (quite likely ) . If this is the case and you don't have a floppy drive to run it from the only thing I can think of would be to get the file and burn it to a cd and run it from there. You'd have to first boot from the cd you made choosing to boot with cd support, then put in the cd with the extract file on it, and then run the commands from there. I know you had said it wouldn't boot from the cd. You need to look in the bios to see if you can change it to boot from the cd first. If you decided to try this we probably could find the extract file on the net somewhere or if you have another computer running win98 you could look on that one for it. If all else fails I could email you a copy. I'd hold off a bit here though and see what Mike comes up with. As I said before there's a good chance he knows something I don't.

 

I am clueless about anything in Dos...so I'll hold tight. I don't have 98 on any other computer. I have xp on this one. I do have a cd burner on this computer if burning a cd with files is the way to go.

 

Just discovered something here. On my Win98 setup there is a copy of extract.exe in the same folder as the cab files are in. Check to see if you have it there.

cd\
cd windows\options\cabs
dir /p

 

It's not in there

 

As a wild guess here.

Somethings may not be working correctly because there may be no PATH statement in the autoexec.bat.

Such as

PATH=C:\;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND

With out it, it can be TOUGH to run DOS commands.

Any extract command may need to be something like;

C:\Windows\command\extract etc.etc.

BillyBob

 

Ok!

I'm back!

Kimmi sorry I was wrong on the cab numbers. I just pulled out a copy of win98 and found the krnl386 file it is in win98_45 cab.

The command I gave would search thru all cabs untill it found (but you must begin with a legitimate file) it but I forgot there was no win98_01.

The extract program should be in 3 places
c:\windows
c:\windows\command
or
c:\windows\command\ebd

So

from c:\windows\options\cabs

type

dir win98_45.cab

if it is there, to extract it one of the lines below "NEED" to work

c:\windows\extract /a /d c:\windows\options\cabs\win98_45.cab krnl*.*

c:\windows\command\extract /a /d c:\windows\options\cabs\win98_45.cab krnl*.*

c:\windows\command\ebd\extract /a /d c:\windows\options\cabs\win98_45.cab krnl*.*

Please come back and tell me one of these worked!

Mike

 

I typed

dir win98_45.cab

it found only one file with the same name as above.

I tried the three lines anyway with no luck same "bad command or file name" message

 

Then Kimmi I am afraid the extract command is missing. Without it we are up the creek!

If you had a floppy I could send it to you.

Your best bet is to set the cd to boot and reinsall windows using the overlay process. This way will keep all software and settings.

Do you want to try this.

I feel that this is needed anyway since we don't know what all he did.

Mike

 

can I do even that? It's a Compaq computer that doesn't provide a windows disk...just a recovery disk that reformats the computer.

 

Ok you are right.

You will need to borrow one or get the floppy back in.

If you borrow one you will need the serial number also.

I don't know ComPaq but some have different levels that will restore only windows without bothering the data and settings.

If you tried the idea that Zander had about burning the krnl file to a CD chances are there is going to be even more missing than that one file.

Do you have a friend that has 98se?

Mike

 

We could go the route of burning the file to a cd. Kind of a waste for such a small file but it might save you from having to format it. First we need to know if you can boot from the cd and get cdrom support.

 

I'd rather avoid reformatting if possible. We just moved and I have no idea where some of the cd's are for things like his video card, etc.

I do have the Compaq recovery disk, if necessary.

So how do I find out if I can get it to boot from a cd?

 

I have a serial number somewhere...Compaq provides that. I don't know anyone that has a 98 disk though.

 

You might just try looking at the compaq restore function.

It may offer a windows only option that will not effect the rest of the data and settings.

Just read it carefully before you chose. I would think there are some Compaq users familiar with this function. I am not.

I do know that HP does something similar to Compaq and they have an option to restore the entire HD to original, "OR" only restore windows without bothering the data and settings.

Mike

 

How do I get it to boot to the cdrom then?

 

You have to look in your bios and change the order that it checks the drives for a bootable disk. If it's set to check your hard drive first change the order so that it first checks the cdrom drive. I'm not very familiar with compaqs so I don't know for sure which key you use to access the bios. I do know that some use F10. Boot the computer and right away start tapping the F10 key. If that doesn't work reboot the computer and right at the beginning look for a line that says something like press x (where x is the key it designates) to enter setup. If you see a compaq screen immediately or some other pic, press the esc key to see what's behind it.