Windows Start-up problem

I have a Dell P3, 500 Mhz running Win 98SE that I have just reformatted the harddrive on and re-installed Win 98SE. During start-up, Windows begins loading, I get the Dell splash screen, then a black screen with this:

Starting Windows 98...

C:\SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D3 T4

C:\LH C:\WINDOWS\AU30DOS.COM

VORTEX DOS AUDIO DRIVER (2.000) COPYRIGHT (c) 1997, 98 AUREAL SEMICONDUCTOR PCI AUDIO PRO ENABLED AT PORTS 220-22 Fh, INTERRUPT5, DMA 3, JOYSTICK 201h

C:\>

C:\>



The audio driver is for the Voyetra Turtle Beach PCI sound card. I am assumming that this is part of a "config" or "autoexec" type procedure which is loading prior to Windows. I can type "win" after the C prompt and the machine continues loading Win 98 and runs without a hitch. I have looked at the autoexec and config files but can not seem to find the line where the trouble originates.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Also, any way to get rid of the annoying Dell splash screen that shows up during the startup process? The one with the blue image of the globe and WWW.DELL.COM. Is this an imbedded BIOS thing?

Thanks again.

 

If you want to boot without having to type win at the prompt have a look at your msdos.sys file. It's located in the root of your c: drive. It may be a hidden file (don't remember) so you may have to have windows set to view hidden files in order to see it. Also, it's a read only file so if you have to edit it, before you open it, right click on it and choose properties and then remove the read only attribute. Use notepad to open it and look for a line the says:

BootGUI=1

If your's has a zero in place of the one change it to a one. Close notepad and then reset the read only attribute to the file.

When you see the splash screen pressing esc on your keyboard will clear it. If you want to get rid of it all together look for a file name logo.sys. It too will be in the root of your c: drive. If it's there, rename the file to something else. If you have the file you can open it in Paint to see if it's the one.

A word of warning. Don't get this file mixed up with io.sys. If it's named with capital letters the i will look like a small L (l) so you could accidently get it mixed up with logo.sys if you aren't paying attention. If you rename this file you computer won't boot.

 

trags63

All that stuff is coming from the Autoexec.bat.

By Running Win98 SE IF you have NO DOS programs you do not even need that stuff loading from the Autoexec.bat. Windows itself does not need it.

Also I see no CDROM mentioned so that is no worry. ( it would only be for DOS use anyway )

You can actually rename the Autoexec.bat to something like Autoexec.sav.

Or. You can also add @ECHO OFF as the first line of the autoexec.bat

But use caution as Dell may ( does ) do things differently

BillyBob

 

Thanks Zander. The "BootGUI=1" did the trick!!! The splash screen is still there though, I couldn't find the logo.sys file. No big deal. Hitting escape only shows me the memory test and keyboard/mouse detection dialoge. I'll live with it I guess.

Thanks again for the quick and effective response.

 

trags63
Glad to hear it did the trick for you. As for the Dell splash screen, I was thinking it was coming up later in the boot process. The splash screen you're seeing is loaded from your bios. You should be able to turn it off there. Have a look at the "boot" section in your bios. From what I found in the Google groups you want to enable a setting called "boot diagnostics screen ".