himem.sys file causing windows not to load

[joshuu]

First the windows could not load at all ,'invalid system disk' is what the machine would say .Now after using startup disk and typing sys c:(to restore files needed to boot up),the windows loads to half way and takes me to the command prompt and when I try to go to windows from there it prompts me to make sure the himem.sys is available as it can't be located,I try fix the registry it tells me the same fiile is misssing and try copy it from windows folder to the config.sys file.Is there something that can be done to this.

[DMR]

...and try copy it from windows folder to the config.sys file.

Um, I'm not sure what you're trying to say there, but you can't copy himem.sys to config.sys. I'm sure you mean something else.

- If you have a boot floppy, boot from that and try the following command at the A:> prompt:

copy himem.sys C:\winodows

If you get a prompt saying that himem.sys already exists, choose to overwrite the existing file.

If you don't have a boot floppy, try the following suggestions:

"To install a fresh copy of the himem.sys, you will require the Windows setup CD or a copy of the setup .cab files, specifically you will be requiring the base4.cab file. If you have a boot disk, please start the system with it, otherwise start the computer and press F8 function key to bring up the safe mode menu and select the MS Dos mode. Once in the MS Dos prompt, go to the location where the setup .cab files are and run the command "extract /a /y /e /l c:\windows base4.cab himem.sys". This will extract a fresh copy of himem.sys file to c:\windows. You can find the setup .cab files in any of the following locations:

1) If you have an OEM installation you will find the Windows 98 installation .cab file in c:\window\Options\cabs.

2) If you have taken a copy of the \win98 folder from the installation disk to any of your drives i.e. c:\win98 etc, then run the command from that location.

3) You can run the command from the Win98 directory of the installation CD.

As an optional solution, you can reinstall Windows from the installation CD.

To do this, just start the system with the win98 CD and run the setup.

When asked for the installation directory, specify the directory where your current Windows is installed (usually c:\windows).

This will install Windows on top without affecting your installed programs and settings."

[joshuu]

Well ,I do have a boot disk and I have copied the himem.sys file and I choose to overwrite the existing file but the problem is as it was b4 and is like nothing has happened.It prompts me to make sure the himem.sys file is in the windows directory.

[DMR]

Can you post the contents of your config.sys file please?

[joshuu]

sorry,I didn't have any success in getting those config file contents,I was not able to get them through the dos
anyway I have another computer and i thought I could use this disk as a slave disk there and try to do something when Iam on that computer.any suggestions?

[DMR]

The following command would not not open the file in the DOS editor?:

edit C:\config.sys

[joshuu]

okey ,when I open the config directory in windows directory ,I get only one file "GENERAL.IDF".If I type the above command in dos editor,it opens that blue editor window blank(I don't know if it should be like this cos I thought it would open the config.sys contents at that point).I don't know if this helps much.thanx

[joshuu]

okey ,when I open the config directory in windows directory ,I get only one file "GENERAL.IDF".If I type the above command in dos editor,it opens that blue editor window blank(I don't know if it should be like this cos I thought it would open the config.sys contents at that point)and I have to go through file>open to get the config dir' .I don't know if this helps much.thanx

[DuncanIdaho]

It's been 4 or so years since I've had a Windows 9x machine, however I'll comment, even though I'm a bit rusty. :)

You probably have no Config.sys, as if you don't use Dos, you don't really need it. Same for autoexec.bat, Windows 9x really doesn't need those, unless you are set up to use MS-Dos as well. I'm going out on a limb here, but if Edit works, but you end up with an empty file when you type edit c:\config.sys, then I'd have to guess you simply have none, which normally is no problem.

If that's so, you're probably thinking, then why is it giving this error? I propose that Windows is trying to boot into Safe mode. Windows 9x automatically tries to load himem.sys if you are trying to start in safe mode. That is the only time Win9x requires himem.sys to be loaded, so the problem you're having is decidedly odd.

Figured I should toss this bit of info into the mix here, it may help someone figure out what's going on.

[DMR]

It's been 4 or so years since I've had a Windows 9x machine, however I'll comment, even though I'm a bit rusty. :)

You probably have no Config.sys, as if you don't use Dos, you don't really need it. Same for autoexec.bat, Windows 9x really doesn't need those, unless you are set up to use MS-Dos as well. I'm going out on a limb here, but if Edit works, but you end up with an empty file when you type edit c:\config.sys, then I'd have to guess you simply have none, which normally is no problem.

If that's so, you're probably thinking, then why is it giving this error? I propose that Windows is trying to boot into Safe mode. Windows 9x automatically tries to load himem.sys if you are trying to start in safe mode. That is the only time Win9x requires himem.sys to be loaded, so the problem you're having is decidedly odd.

Figured I should toss this bit of info into the mix here, it may help someone figure out what's going on.

Yeah, I think all of the above can be true- config.sys and/or autoexec.bat don't need to be present, and very well may not be present on your particular system. If config.sys does not exist, the "edit" command would indeed open a new, blank file named config.sys.

I'm pretty rusty on Win 9.x as well, so I'll have to Google around a bit for more ideas.

[DuncanIdaho]

Any chance this disk got sys'd with a bootdisk from a different version of Windows? You might get some pretty strange errors doing that. Same could be said for the himem.sys file, if perhaps Windows is trying to boot safe mode.

Just tossing out a few thoughts. Never know.

[joshuu]

Any chance this disk got sys'd with a bootdisk from a different version of Windows? You might get some pretty strange errors doing that. Same could be said for the himem.sys file, if perhaps Windows is trying to boot safe mode. /QUOTE]

Sorry,that was not very clear

[Catweazle]

He means, is there any chance that the system files were written back to the hard drive with a startup disk from a different Windows version? If so, it needs to be redone using a Windows 98 startup disk.

[DuncanIdaho]

Yup, that's the gist of it. ;)

[Catweazle]

LOL

(No, not at you, joshuu. Ya had to be there! :))

[DMR]

Yup, that's the gist of it. ;)

Oh no!:

It's viral! It can spread across threads! Be afraid! Be very afraid!

:mrgreen: