can't get dos prompt

[mittene]

When I try to access the MS-Dos prompt program, I get an error message that states "A device attached to the system is not functioning." I also cannot exit to MS-Dos from Windows from the start menu. The only way that I have managed to enter dos mode so far is to start with the emergency Windows95 start-up floppy disk. All .pif files do not seem to work. How do I get the prompt back?
In a related mess, I have just found out the hard way that it is not a good idea to install Winsockets2 for Windows95 unless it is really necessary. Since I have installed it, in addition to some minor conflicts with some of my previosly installed programs, I cannot access web sites, even though I am able to connect to AOL and read my e-mail and newsgroups. I cannot run the uninstalling batch file for the sockets because the troubles with my dos mode, so I am really stuck here.
I have:
MS-Dos 7.1
Windows95 (osr2)
200 MHz Pentium with MMX


Any information will be greatly appreciated, Thanks!

[davidgsmith]

Hi,
Could most likely be a problem with your command.com file.

http://discussions.virtualdr.com/For...ML/000378.html

http://discussions.virtualdr.com/For...ML/001181.html

Good Luck,
Dave


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Is V.Dr. a great site, or what??

Windows Tips

[mittene]

Thanks for the links! I'll look into it. Microsoft tech support has been of no help so far. They finally called back after about a week and a half of waiting, and I missed the call!

[RHARR23]

You should have a Startup disk for Windows98. Put it in your A drive, type SYS C: That will make sure you have all the correct system files on your hard drive.
Next, place your mouse arrow in a blank area of your screen, click the right mouse button. put your mouse arrow on NEW, in the window menu that drops down, click on folder, and type in COMMAND.COM A DOS ICON will take its place, and from then on, all you have to do is double click on the DOS icon to be in DOS. However, don't forget you have just shelled out to DOS and are still in Windows. To go back to Window type EXIT, and when you want to shut down, don't ever turn off your PC when you are shelled out of Windows to DOS. First go back to windows, then shut down the regular way.

[mittene]

Originally posted by RHARR23:
You should have a Startup disk for Windows98. Put it in your A drive, type SYS C: That will make sure you have all the correct system files on your hard drive.
Next, place your mouse arrow in a blank area of your screen, click the right mouse button. put your mouse arrow on NEW, in the window menu that drops down, click on folder, and type in COMMAND.COM A DOS ICON will take its place, and from then on, all you have to do is double click on the DOS icon to be in DOS. However, don't forget you have just shelled out to DOS and are still in Windows. To go back to Window type EXIT, and when you want to shut down, don't ever turn off your PC when you are shelled out of Windows to DOS. First go back to windows, then shut down the regular way.

will this work with a startup disk for Windows95, or does it have to be 98?

[davidgsmith]

Hi Mitene,
It will not work. They are 2 different versions of the sys files. As far as I know.
Do it with your 95 disk and not a 98 disk.
Also in my Win95a in the Windows directory is an icon called "Exit to DOS" Check for that, the properties dialogue box should show the path of c:\windows\command.com.
Good Luck,
Dave


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Is V.Dr. a great site, or what??


Windows Tips

[This message has been edited by davidgsmith (edited 04-14-2000).]

[Techguy]

You should get a good command.com file. If you have a boot disk try getting to DOS from there. Or, try typing the following in your Start-->Run box:
C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\COMMAND.COM
C:\COMMAND.COM
If any of these work replace the rest with a working one and see what happens..

------------------
TechGuy, System Administrator
Email: [email protected]

Quote of the day: "In Microsoft Windows the two most widely used items are windows and buttons. - System Admin explaining to a newbie"

[mittene]

Thanks to all who have responded. Here's what has happened...
As for the dos prompt problem, it turns out that I was missing a file in my system folder called winoa386.mod. I extracted this file from the cab file from both the hard drive and the windows95 cd, and both times when I tried the dos prompt command from windows, I got a message stating that I had mismatched components in my system. Apparently, the cd that came along with my system had an older version of windows95 than the one that was preinstalled when I bought the computer. Even worse, this causes the setup program on the cd to be disabled unless I wanted to wipe-out everything on my system and use the older version.
Even though I was able to run the uninstalling batch file from dos (pressing the F8 key at startup), I was left with the same problem of no web connection (among other program conflicts) despite no error messages popping up after running the batch file.
Microsoft's special tech support finally called me after about 2 weeks of waiting, and after explaining everything and trying other ways to troubleshoot, I got him to send me a free copy of Windows98SE, and hopefully this will take care of both problems.
BTW DUN 1.3 has not done anything to solve the internet problem, and I am unable to reinstall the Winsock2 program for whatever reason.