# IFSHLP.SYS for dummies



## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

Please treat me like a moron. I seem to be that today. This is the third time I've had to type this because I can't even get the daggum forum to work for me.... 
If anyone could help me....
I have a Toshiba Satellite 3005-s303 laptop 
PIII, 850 MHz, 128 MB, 20 GB, Windows Me

When I crank it up it goes to start up screen, and says

"Warning: Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Use SCANREG to correct this error."

If I choose safe mode it says

"The following file is missing or corrupted C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS"

Then I get the blue screen of death that says

"While initializing device IFSMGR
The Microsoft Installable File System Manager cannot find the helper driver. Please ensure that IFSHLP.SYS has been installed.
System halted."

I don't know what to do now.....
help..

mo bello


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## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

Hi..and welcome..
On start up tap..f8..select command prompt..type scanreg/restore
Choose date prior to your problem..not the oldest..
Let us know if that helps...


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

I tried to do that by pressing it once then tried again by pressing it several times-- both times I ended up with this screen:

Microsoft Windows Millenium Startup Menu
================================
1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe Mode
4. Step-by-step confirmation

Enter a choice: 1

F5=Safe mode Shift+F8=Step-bystep confirmation [N]


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Do you have a WinME startup floppy?

You can't get to a DOS prompt in WinME that way. You could do it through a boot disk for WinME and then at the DOS prompt enter:

scanreg /restore

But the IFShlp.sys error is usually a file system problem of some kind, not a registry one.

You may need to follow instructions here to extract a new file:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;129605#4

It needs to be in c:\windows

You should also probably try running

scandisk c:

from the boot floppy.

But you should be prepared for a worst-case scenario.

An OEM WinMe boot disk can be created from the setup file on this site. It must be downloaded to the HARD drive and then run with a floppy in the drive to create it.

http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

I have an emergency boot disk in the drive. Is that the same?


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

If it came with the WinME installation, it's probably good. If not, you'd best create one from the link I just posted above. Otherwise you could have more instructions awaiting you on extracting files, running scanreg etc....

The WinME OEM disk is especially configured for WinME installations.


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## JSntgRvr (Jul 1, 2003)

You can boot with a Windows ME Boot diskette and select Minimum Boot at the Menu. At the prompt type the following and press enter after each line:

C:
cd windows
cd command
scanreg /fix

Upon completion, remove the startup diskette and restart the computer.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

From the error message, it doesn't seem like a problem with a corrupted registry, simply a missing file.

"The Following File Is Missing or Corrupted: C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys"
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=258471


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

I had an issue with my home pc. 

I cannot get a command prompt at all. I am stuck at the menu. When I try to load my emergency boot disk, Me start up screen flashes and then back to the startup menu.

ugh. Should I shoot it?

mo bello


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Are you using a newly created startup floppy? You may need to test a newly created one.

And are you sure the floppy drive is set to first in the BIOS setups?

To see you must press the right key promptly on startup to enter SETUP. Watch the first data on the screen for what key to press. Look for boot order there. The a: drive or floppy drive should be made first to boot with a floppy.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

"I am stuck at the menu." - What menu?
Can you boot to a safe mode command prompt.

From the MS article: 
To resolve this issue, restart the computer with a Windows Millennium Edition Startup disk, and then perform each step until the problem is resolved: 1. Modify the WinBootDir entry in the Msdos.sys file to point to the correct location of the Windows folder.

2. Extract a new copy of the Ifshlp.sys file to the Windows folder and extract a new copy of the Imagehlp.dll file to the Windows\System folder.For additional information about extracting files, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 
129605 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/129605/EN-US/) How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

3. If you determine that the Vmm32.vxd file is missing or corrupt, you must rename the file to Vmm32.old in the C:\Windows\System folder, and then reinstall Windows Millennium Edition to re-create this file.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

>>"Are you using a newly created startup floppy? You may need to test a newly created one."

I downloaded a bootdisk from bootdisk.com

>>"And are you sure the floppy drive is set to first in the BIOS setups?"

I'm not sure about anything at this point, even if I understood what you just asked me.

>>"To see you must press the right key promptly on startup to enter SETUP."
What right key?

>>"Watch the first data on the screen for what key to press. Look for boot order there. The a: drive or floppy drive should be made first to boot with a floppy"

It does say to press "C" to boot from CD-Rom and when I press C, the drive hums and the screen flashes back to the menu:

Microsoft Windows Millenium Startup Menu
================================
1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe Mode
4. Step-by-step confirmation

Enter a choice: 1

F5=Safe mode Shift+F8=Step-bystep confirmation [N]


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

"I downloaded a bootdisk from bootdisk.com"

You downloaded a "setup" file. Did you create the boot disk by running the setup file off the hard drive to copy its files to the floppy? You cannot simply download or copy the download to a floppy.

You don't want to boot a CD-ROM, you want to boot a floppy disk. And I'm not sure where you are seeing that prompt. You want to know how to enter "setup" to configure the boot order, if that needs to be done. The key to press to enter setup is usually given as the first data seen on startup. It may be "del" or "F2" or something else.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

>>"Did you create the boot disk by running the setup file off the hard drive to copy its files to the floppy? "
Yes I did.

>>"You don't want to boot a CD-ROM, you want to boot a floppy disk."
This is a laptop, without a floppy drive.

>>"And I'm not sure where you are seeing that prompt."
No matter what I do, I end up back at the start up menu.

>>"You want to know how to enter "setup" to configure the boot order, if that needs to be done. The key to press to enter setup is usually given as the first data seen on startup. It may be "del" or "F2" or something else."
I have been pressing f2 til my eyeballs bleed.... and it didn't work until just now. Now I'm on a screen:

PhoenixBIOS Setup Utility
Main Advanced Security Power Others Boot Exit


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

> This is a laptop, without a floppy drive.


Lol, I don't think you told us that before, so what the heck were you trying to do with the floppy disk? 

What is the "emergency bootdisk" that you have? I take it this is a CD, what options does it give you?

Otherwise ....

Do you have a CD burner available to you? There are some methods by which a WinME startup disk can be made into a bootable CD:

http://bootdisk.com/nero.htm

It can be done with either Nero or Roxio Easy CD.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

There is also a CD ROM boot image you can download at:
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/software/win_boot.iso

There are a lot of the DOS utilities there that don't normally get added when you make one from Win98. For example Diskcopy, Doskey, Format, More, Move, Sys, Edit, Chkdsk, Deltree, Extract, Updated Fdisk, Attrib, Label, Mem, Scandisk, Scanreg, Smartdrv and Xcopy.

Not only are there more utilities on there but it starts much faster since it doesn't have to create the RAM disk and then expand the cab file from the floppy to that RAM disk.

It automatically loads with support for a generic CD ROM and assigns it the drive letter of X:

In addition to all the other DOS utilities, the CD version also has:
DELPART - For deleting DOS and NTFS partitions. Can delete extended NTFS partitions.
FDISK121 - FDISK with additional options - See the documentation, and 
READNTFS - Read and Copy files on a NTFS partition.

The CD image needs to be burned using a program that recognized ISO images.

A small, free program to do this can be downloaded at:http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/downloads/burncdcc.zip. It is a single executalbe that is under 200k.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

The boot disk I have is on CD. I d/l it from BootDisk.com.

On it are:
ASPI2DOS.SYS
ASPI4DOS.SYS
ASPI8DOS.SYS
ASPI8U2.SYS
ASPICD.SYS
AUTOEXEC.BAT
BTCDROM.SYS
BTDOSM.SYS
CHECKSR.BAT
COMMAND.COM
CONFIG.SYS
COUNTRY.SYS
DISPLAY.SYS
EBD.CAB
EBD.SYS
EBDUNDO.EXE
EGA.CPI
EXTRACT.EXE
FDISK.EXE
FINDRAMD.EXE
FIXIT.BAT
FLASHPT.SYS
HIBINV.EXE
HIMEM.SYS
IO.SYS
MODE.COM
MSDOS.SYS
OAKCDROM.SYS
RAMDRIVE.SYS
README.TXT
SCANDISK.EXE
SCANDISK.INI
SETRAMD.BAT

When I hold F2 down at startup, I get a new screen.

PhoenixBIOS Setup Utility

can i do something from here?


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

Bob Cerelli said:


> There is also a CD ROM boot image you can download at:
> http://www.onecomputerguy.com/software/win_boot.iso


I got this disk in the drive at start up now and it still flutters over to the startup menu.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

mobello said:


> The boot disk I have is on CD. I d/l it from BootDisk.com.
> 
> On it are:
> ASPI2DOS.SYS
> ...


In the bios setup, be sure it says to boot to cdrom first.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

AcaCandy said:


> In the bios setup, be sure it says to boot to cdrom first.


I have looked on every page of the setup utility and don't see where it gives me that option.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

http://www.computerhope.com/help/phoenix.htm#01

Does your bios look like this?

Or this?

http://www.computerhope.com/help/phoenixa.htm


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

AcaCandy said:


> http://www.computerhope.com/help/phoenix.htm#01
> 
> That's it!


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Way back on post #14:


mobello said:


> Now I'm on a screen:
> 
> PhoenixBIOS Setup Utility
> Main Advanced Security Power Others Boot Exit


Wouldn't "Boot" be where you can change your boot order?


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

Bob Cerelli said:


> Way back on post #14:
> 
> Wouldn't "Boot" be where you can change your boot order?


You would think...

On the boot screen I have:

+Removable Devices
Legacy Floppy Drives
+Hard Drive
FUJITSU MHM2200AT-(PM)
CD-ROM DRIVE
Network Boot


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Go to first boot device, and be sure it says cdrom....I think removeable devices is ok as well on some systems. You will need to get the cdrom to the top position by using the up/down arrow keys. If ATAPI cdrom is a choice, choose that one.

I see you posted while I was typing, see if you can get the CDROM to the top of the list by using the up/down arrow keys, you will highlight the first entry, by scrolling down to it.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

You can't change their position you can only enable or disable a device. I have tried to disable Removable Devices and Hard Drive but to no avail.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Look at the instructions at the bottom of the screen from the link you posted. Sometimes it is tricky.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

My boot screen doesn't look like one on that page. I can only enable or disable each thing. Those are my only choices. If I disable everything but my CD-ROM and press <c> to boot from CD-ROM, It comes up with an error related to my ethernet card over and over... but no Me screen. 
I don't know what else to do.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

So what happens if you take out (or disable if it is built-in) the network card.


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

There is no first, second, third .... boot device table?

Can you list EVERY entry you see on the "Boot" tab?


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

On the boot page it says:

+Removable Devices
Legacy Floppy Drives
+Hard Drive
FUJITSU MHM2200AT-(PM)
CD-ROM DRIVE
Network Boot

On the right side it says:

Item Specific Help

Keys used to view or configure devices:
<Enter> expands or collapses devices with a + or -.
<Ctrl+Enter> expands all.
<Shift+1> enables or disables a device.
<F6> and <F5> moves the device up or down.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

<F6> and <F5> moves the device up or down.

Use that until you have the cdrom at the top.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

have a boot disk in the drive, the Windows screen flashes then I'm back to the startup menu with a time limit and this warning: 
"Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Use SCANREG to correct this error."


I thought maybe the CD-ROM drive was bad so I replaced it with a new one. That obviously wasn't the problem.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Were you able to change the bios as I mentioned above? If so, did you save changes coming out?


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

I changed the bios, saved changes, then restarted.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

And if you pop back in now, does the cdrom appear in the number 1 position on the list?


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

it does


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Well, this may be drastic, so wait til the others weigh in with opinions....but at this point I would try a ME overinstallation.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

That is not nearly as drastic as what I was thinking of doin to this #@^$%&* computer......


I'll check back tomorrow. It's late, I'm delirious.

Thank you very much.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I can imagine your frustration.


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

What kind of reinstallation media do you have? It might certainly be a quicker way to resolve this if you have something.

Otherwise, you might want to take an side trip and see if you can boot with that startup CD on the system you are on if it is Win98 or ME. It might even boot on XP but would be non functional.

You would probably have to do some BIOS editing there too.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

Rollin' Rog said:


> What kind of reinstallation media do you have? It might certainly be a quicker way to resolve this if you have something.
> 
> Otherwise, you might want to take an side trip and see if you can boot with that startup CD on the system you are on if it is Win98 or ME. It might even boot on XP but would be non functional.
> 
> You would probably have to do some BIOS editing there too.


I don't have a Me installation disk. My home PC is XP are you saying I should try to boot it with the CD just to see if it works?


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

If it's a bootable CD, you should be able to get to an appropriate prompt for your CD drive with it -- you just won't be able to do anything with it since it is designed for fAT32 file systems, and it won't see your XP hard drive's NTFS files.

On XP you may not need to mess with the BIOS IF your F12 (not F8) boot menu offers the option of booting with the CD drive.

You may be able to reinstall WinME without any recovery media, BUT to do this you have to be able to access the Windows folder -- which can only be done with an emergency startup disk.

I think Bob Cerelli posted a link to his own CD/ISO "startup" disk media -- and you might want to try creating that and see if it will boot. Moreover, I think Bob's disk contains applications which can read NTFS drives, so it might be better test.


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## JSntgRvr (Jul 1, 2003)

mobello said:


> have a boot disk in the drive, the Windows screen flashes then I'm back to the startup menu with a time limit and this warning:
> "Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Use SCANREG to correct this error."
> 
> I thought maybe the CD-ROM drive was bad so I replaced it with a new one. That obviously wasn't the problem.


When this happens, are you able to reach the MSDOS Command Prompt?


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

JS', he's on WinME -- hence all the "ado" about startup disks.


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## JSntgRvr (Jul 1, 2003)

Is he able to boot in Safe Mode? He seems to be reaching the Startup Menu. Is Minimum Boot available in the Menu?

This is what I know:

1. Laptop without a Floppy Disk Drive
2. A bootale CD is available
3. Attempts to set the first bootable device to CD_ROM has failed in the BIOS (Still?)


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

No, he'll get the same error in Safe Mode; the ifshlp.sys file is a show stopper; sometimes these are associated with damaged or missing msdos.sys files, but when that is the case there are usually other errors as well. He may have drive errors in the mix too.

Without being able to get to a DOS prompt or having external recovery media that is bootable, I don't know what you can do about this.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

HE?! Well, what can I expect with the name mo? Hi, I'm mo the GIRL, nice to meet you! 

Anyway, Everyhing I do sends this thing back to the startup menu. I cannot get any of the 3 different boot disks I've made to work and I'm beginning to think this is a lost cause. At this point I would be willing to lose everything just to get it to work again.

mo bello


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Can you try booting with the ME disk and see what happens?


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

> I cannot get any of the 3 different boot disks I've made to work


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

You have a Windows ME installation cd?

EDIT: I see you said that above. You should have some cds that came with the system......


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

No. 
I have downloaded boot disks from 3 different places. I think that I need to boot up a 12 gauge.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I edited my post above. What did the computer come with? 

I'm all for the 12 gauge  Actually, in Mexico we prefer AK-47s


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

AcaCandy said:


> You have a Windows ME installation cd?
> 
> EDIT: I see you said that above. You should have some cds that came with the system......


I can't even find the floppy drive, much less old recovery disks.



> I'm all for the 12 gauge Actually, in Mexico we prefer AK-47s [QUOTE/]
> 
> I'm from the deep south honey, I could shoot the fur off a squirrel's big toe from 150 feet, with my eyes closed.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Why would you want to shoot at squirrels? 


Well, I think you are going to have to come up with an operating installation cd at this point.


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

I could get one of those from....


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

EBay? Dig really deep into your closets and find the missing one?


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

should i get full installation?


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I would.

Depending on the system capabilities, if you mentioned them prior, ram, cpu type, etc. I apologize for not looking back thru, I would go with XP instead of ME.

Have I mentioned that I hate ME


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

AcaCandy said:


> Have I mentioned that I hate ME


Don't be so hard on yourself.....


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)




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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

Windows 2000 is cheap, would it work? I hate Me too, but XP is $150 more.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

It should work. What are your system specs?


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

PIII 850MHz, 256 MB SDRAM....


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Have you tested to see whether one of those bootdisks will boot on another system? After all there could be a problem with the way you are creating them.

You need to put one in the CD tray, and restart and see if it gets you a ROM drive prompt at the very least. If you just end up at Windows, it has not been "seen" or cannot be read as a bootable disk.

And don't forget, even if you get another OS CD, you are still going to need to get that CD-ROM to work -- so that needs to be ruled out as the issue.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I guess I assumed that the cdrom was working prior


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

mobello said:


> PIII 850MHz, 256 MB SDRAM....


Specs should be fine. I just looked at post #1 again. Sorry to make you repeat it. Long day.


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## JSntgRvr (Jul 1, 2003)

Second Opinion:


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## mobello (Jun 15, 2005)

Well guys, I thank you for everything... I believe this one is headed for the auction block, in pieces.

mo bello


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Or at least try to donate it to a worthwhile charity.


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