# Previous dos files not found.



## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

Please be patient. I know this is an easy question but I've searched Google and this site and I've asked Jeeves and been to several tech sites but I can't find the answer.

I have an old Pentium MMX 200MHz. It runs Windows98SE. When I try to start it up, either with a boot disk or without, I get this message: "Your previous ms-dos files were not found" and then something about Windows is unable to start.

Suggestions made to other people are that they edit their msdos.sys file or their autoexec.bat but mine seem okay and had always booted up with them as they are now.

I had ms-dos files on C:\ and in C:\Windows\Command. I deleted the ones on the root drive and all the files in command seem okay. I have command.com in there and himem.sys and sys.com.

Any ideas? Thank you.


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## gurutech (Apr 23, 2004)

You need MSDOS.SYS and IO.SYS in your C:\!!!!


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

Why on earth did you delete system files? You'll probably need to reinstall Windows to get it working again.


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

I _said_ I knew it was an easy\dumb question.









Thanks for answer.


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

Just tried old comp. again. Msdos.sys and Io.sys _are_ there, in boot drive. They are hidden and I only found out when I tried to copy those 2 files to C:\ And attrib won't change them.

So now what can I try please?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Download a W98SE boot floppy from either www.allbootdisks.com or www.bootdisk.com and boot from the floppy. At the MS-DOS prompt, type the following commands.

SYS C:
FDISK /MBR

See if that gets you booting again.


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

Thanks, John. I'm downloading as I speak.....type!


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

Okay but it really didn't help much. 

I need to know what MsDos files are not there and I need to boot into Windows. Seems my cd-rom drive is on the fritz so can't re-install Windows98SE but I just can't work out which MsDos files are missing or which location they are supposed to be in that they're not in.

PLease help.


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

Did you follow JohnWill's advice to the letter, typing each command in correctly? What he posted will actually replace the system files on your hard drive.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

You need to tell us EXACTLY what symptoms you see. You should be able to at least boot into DOS if you did what I told you. If something in Windows is corrupted, you'll need to get your CD-ROM working to access the Windows CD.


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## Dan Penny (Mar 25, 2005)

Post the contents of your msdos.sys and autoexec.bat files.

If when you boot, you end up at the C:\> prompt, type in dir/a/o/p.

If you get a listing, put a blank formatted floppy in the A:\ drive and then type in dir/a/o> a:\cdirlist.txt. Bring this floppy to the machine you're posting on and copy the contents of this file and paste it into your next post.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I think we lost her attention...


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

No, not at all. This is important to me. Just can't get on-line too often @ mo.


Yes, followed John to the letter. System files are on hd. Okay, will post what Dan said, asap. Thanx, guys.

Seems to me that I'll have to re-instal Win98SE because I can get to the A: prompt and the C: prompt. I have the files on another comp. but there are Megabytes of them. Too much to put onto floppies, I think.


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## Dan Penny (Mar 25, 2005)

Remember to be at the C:\> prompt (with a floppy in the drive) when you type in dir/a/o> a:\cdirlist.txt.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

You're saying that the system still doesn't boot from the hard disk after running the fix I suggested? We're not getting enough information about what you're seeing and what you're doing to know how to proceed.


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

OK, when I boot normally....from the hd (C.....it gets as far as "Your previous ms.dos files not found. Re-start Windows. And then the system hangs...........just sits there, doesn't do anything else.

With the boot disk it loads into a: and I can do cd c:\ and see everything that's in c:\ but that's no help because I want windows not c: in dos mode.

Hope that's a bit clearer.


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## Dan Penny (Mar 25, 2005)

OK, when you boot with the bootdisk, (at the A:\> prompt) type in

dir/a/o/p c: and hit ENTER.

Does it show the files in the root directory of C:? (If there's more than one screen just keep hitting ENTER until you get back to the A:\> prompt.)

If it does, remove the bootdisk and put a blank formatted floppy in the A:drive. Type in

dir/a/o c:> a:\cdirlist.txt and hit ENTER.

It should copy the dir listing to a text file on A:.

Next type in

copy/v c:\msdos.sys a:\msdos.txt and hit ENTER.

It should copy your msdos.sys file to the floppy as a text file (which is all it really is anyway).

~IF~ you get an error about command.com or command interpreter, switch the floppies back to your bootdisk and type dir again. This will let the machine know where command.com is. Then switch the floppies back again to copy the msdos file.

Attach those text files to your next post.


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

Okay, thanks Dan. Right now comp. is being awkward. It shows the message "Memory fail" but if I keep trying eventually I can get to the A prompt. 

I also managed to get to Windows in Safe Mode but the comp. closed down within the next few hours.....before I had time to do anything.

So as soon as I can get past this "Memory fail" message I'll follow what you said to do and let you know what happens. And thank-you.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I think it's time to deal with the Memory Fail message first. 

BTW, where do you go for a week, surely the previous recommendations don't take that long to test?


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

"Where do you go to, my lovely, when you're alone in your bed.........?"

Mm, I know the Memory Fail has to be addressed but I thought it was too confusing to bring up a hardware problem here. And the comp. does start after 10 tries; I think maybe when it has warmed up?

I've had a look at the Ram but I really am no good with hardware and I don't want to start pulling modules out and breaking the little clip on the end or not being able to get them back in. 


Thanks, John, you're a star.


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## Dan Penny (Mar 25, 2005)

I agree. If you have bad memory anything you do to the system may make it worse. Disk read/write operations can get jumbled etc.

Download and run MemTest86.

http://www.memtest86.com/memt32.zip

Use the downloaded file to create a bootdisk on one of your floppies. Unzip the files to an empty directory and (with a floppy in your drive) run the install.bat file. When complete, you won't see any files on the floppy, but they are there. Just _*boot the machine with this floppy*_ and run it as long as you can afford to. If there are errors, run it on one memory module at a time to narrow down the possibilities. (ie; Remove all but one module.) You may have to set your bios boot device sequence to boot from the floppy drive first.


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

Another star! Will have a whole galaxy soon. Thanks Dan. Am downloading.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Actually, a better memory test is one of the following, that old one is no longer being maintained.

Microsoft Memory Diagnostic

MEMtest86


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

Ack, I keep posting this and it's not showing up.  Anyway have downloaded those 2 memory programmes. Will boot from Win98 boot disk and then run the mem disks, yeah? (One at a time, yes.)


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## Dan Penny (Mar 25, 2005)

Thank you for that memtest link John.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

You create a boot disk with the memory test and boot it directly.


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

Okay, I've booted from both of them now but I get a load of figures as the programme counts the memory stacks, I guess. I can't see a way to get the data to a text file.


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

Gosh, I really must change my t-shirt. Don't come too close, boys..........


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

All you need to do is to check after a couple of hours and insure that the memory test has found no errors.

What do you need a T-Shirt for?


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)

I thought _you_ insisted on them.


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## *aussie_blondie (Nov 29, 2002)




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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I think we need the T-Shirt back!


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