# Solved: "Exit" from DOS window freezes computer



## CarolinaBill (Jan 1, 2006)

Recently I have had a persistent problem with a Windows 98SE computeer when I try to exit from a DOS window, whether I enter it by using Run/Command or from an MSDOS Prompt. When I type "exit", the computer freezes, the screen turns black except for a few spots along the taxkbar, and the mouse does not respond. I cannot break from this using Ctrl/Alt/Del. All I have been able to do is turn off the power and reboot. I have run a virus check on my C-drive and nothing shows up. I also replaced all of the files in the Windows/Command folder from another computer that is working okay.

Any suggestions?


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## ChuckE (Aug 30, 2004)

I'm thinking that it may not be frozen, but instead, stuck in a full-screen display mode.
Try pressing Alt+Enter to switch display mode between full screen and a DOS window.
Let me know what happens.

If you are looking at the DOS window, as a window on your Windows desktop, it might give you a better idea of what is happening when you type in 'exit'
The DOS window will, or should, go away. But, if my guess is right, I think you will just see the blackness in the DOS window, on your Windows desktop.


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## CarolinaBill (Jan 1, 2006)

I tried clicking on MSDOS Prompt which I have set up for full screen and when I entered Alt/Esc, I got the same black screen as I described above. The Start button was displayed, the icons at the right end of the task bar were displayed, and the MSDOS icon on a black screen. I could enter Ctrl/Alt/Del once which showed that Explorer was not responding, then when I clicked to end that task, nothing else happened and I had to power-off. When I booted again, I changed the properties for MSDOS Prompt to open a Windows window which it did. Interestingly, I could not resize that window, but I could type in "exit" and the window closed immediately. So you are right in the "exit" is not triggering the freezing of the machine itself, but rather the process of returning from the full DOS screen to the Windows desktop. To check further, I entered DOS but clicking on "run" then "command". A full DOS screen came up but again, when I tried to change out of that with Alt/Esc, the computer froze again.


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## ChuckE (Aug 30, 2004)

Alt/Esc? who said anything about that? If you mean Alt+Esc (holding down Alt and then pressing Esc) all that does is bring other windows to the foreground. What I had said to do was Alt+Enter (holding down Alt and then press the Enter key one time). That is what toggles a DOS windows between a full screen and a window.

You have not mentioned which OS you are using, but you mentioned that when you brought up the Task Manager (you said "Ctrl/Alt/Del" but it is more correctly written as "Ctrl+Alt+Del" which I assume you mean). If you are seeing the Explorer in your Task Manager, I think maybe you are running Windows 98, since I don't think you see Explorer as a running application in Windows XP. It is a running process, but does not show as an application where it says anything at all about the Status, like "Running" or "Not responding"

If you are running Win98, and your DOS windows are in any way screwing up, I would have to guess that there is something wrong with your DOS files. And since Win98 is built on DOS, you may have a munged file there. If that is true, then perhaps just re-installing Win98 over top of the existing Win98. If you install over the existing install then you will not lose anything, all your current applications will continue to run, not needing any re-install of them.

The best way of doing a re-install of Win98 involves a slight alteration (a removal, or rename) of one existing crucial Windows file. I'd have to go back and look at notes to see what that filename is, but you could just as easily discover it yourself by Googling for the answer. It is mentioned lots of places when asking about re-installing Windows 98.

You might try re-installing without the file alteration, but if it does not work - since a simple re-install does not replace all of your existing Windows system files, you would then have to try the method I am suggesting anyway. Good luck.


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## CarolinaBill (Jan 1, 2006)

Sorry, I misread your message and thought you said Alt+Esc instead of Alt+Enter (I was using "Alt/Esc", "Alt/Enter", "Ctrl/Alt/Del" as an equivalent shorthand for the combined strokes since they are often written that way). I tested the Alt+Enter on my DOS window and indeed, as you said, it switched to full screen, but using the same combination again brought me to the same frozen state as before. I also get an error message for an illegal operation and clicking on details, there was an page error with WinOldAP. As to my OS, I mentioned in my first query that this was coming up in Windows 98SE.


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## ChuckE (Aug 30, 2004)

WinSE, yes, I see you did mention it, sorry. But you see I diagnosed it correctly anyway.
Now, time to re-install ... ?


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## springbrk200 (Aug 27, 2004)

I am having the same problem. My freshly installed xp comp freezes every time I exit a full screen dos or windows console mode. I have tried returning to non full screen mode by hitting alt+enter, and that will cause it to freeze, and I have also tried simply exiting the program, that also causes it to freeze. If I attempt to return to a non full screen by hitting alt+enter the screen goes black, if I then hit alt+enter it will return to full screen. I don't want to reinstall windows as I did that recently.


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## ZeRealBigBoss (Mar 17, 2007)

Try Alt-TAB to return to the Windows screen, then right-click on the DOS marker in the taskbar and click "close". Maybe that does not hang, because you are back in Windows before closing and close it from there. Also try then Alt-Ctrl-Del and close the process that way.


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## jianyemike (Jul 29, 2008)

it might be caused by some system errors,so my idea is reinstall the windows.

http://anglemike.blogspot.com


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## Yanto (Jul 16, 2008)

Try changing the buffer size by right clicking on your MS-DOS prompt icon or shortcut, then click Properties.
After that click Options. Try increasing the buffer size and the number of buffer. Increase to 100 and 16.

http://acespower.blogspot.com


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