lray
asked on
MS-DOS prompt on Win95 start up
Each time I start up my pc I get a MS-DOS box on top of my Win95 Desktop. Inside the DOS box is "Specified Commnad-Search Directory Bad."
Can close the box OK, but how to stop it at every boot up, please.
Thank you.
Can close the box OK, but how to stop it at every boot up, please.
Thank you.
This could be something in your autoexec.bat or Win.ini
You could bootup using the step by step confirmation and keep a watch on everything as it loads and when you get that popup, remember what was loading (may have to do this a couple of times) then "REM" out that command or delete it
You could bootup using the step by step confirmation and keep a watch on everything as it loads and when you get that popup, remember what was loading (may have to do this a couple of times) then "REM" out that command or delete it
ASKER
No MSDOS/White box in Start up, therfore could not delete it. Thank you, regardless, km.
I believe you'll find your answer here:
(from regedit)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
Also...
Check out WIN.INI for the "LOAD=" line
And finally,
Check out SYSTEM.INI
Good luck,
Shawn
(from regedit)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
Also...
Check out WIN.INI for the "LOAD=" line
And finally,
Check out SYSTEM.INI
Good luck,
Shawn
ASKER
Am unfamiliar with regedit; am not at that level of experience yet (60 yrs old). Would you teach me by giving me a step by step? Shouldn't I back up regedit; and if so how do I do that? Thanks Shawn.
Advice:
Regedit is not hard to use at all BUT it is just as easy to make a mistake and screw something up too, so my advice is this is not a place for beginers to play around with. You could follow someones direction to the letter but if there is a place where you misunderstand one statement and click on the wrong thing you could really mess something up. You should always back up your register before making changes.
Now you can use regedit to look and see what setting are or what the values are for different things without making any changes, just remember to hit "cancel" if it asks if you want to save any changes instead of "OK"
Regedit is not hard to use at all BUT it is just as easy to make a mistake and screw something up too, so my advice is this is not a place for beginers to play around with. You could follow someones direction to the letter but if there is a place where you misunderstand one statement and click on the wrong thing you could really mess something up. You should always back up your register before making changes.
Now you can use regedit to look and see what setting are or what the values are for different things without making any changes, just remember to hit "cancel" if it asks if you want to save any changes instead of "OK"
also, you might want to check your startup folder
something might have gotten in there
something might have gotten in there
start>>settings>>taskbar, start meny programs tab, hit advanced then check out programs\startup
d00d27 read the post. The so call answer was allready given, no efect.
Did you have windows in the default directory (C:\WINDOWS)??? does in the WINDOWS directory exist another directory call COMMAND???
Did you have windows in the default directory (C:\WINDOWS)??? does in the WINDOWS directory exist another directory call COMMAND???
ASKER
mconnel-scrolled down in regedit to..."current version\run" but did not see a DOS prompt/white box.
Also checked WIN.INI for LOAD=....there was nothing after =.
Same for SYSTEM.INI. Thank you, regardless.
ravt333-could not call "autoexec.bat" looking in "Find" and in "C" drive.
Do not know how to boot-up doing the step by step confirmation. Could you give me a little lesson on how?
Thanks to you, too.
d00d27-tried gain "settings......advanced...
Still not MS-DOS/white DOS box there.
Thanks for your help, also.
whatboy- am not an experienced user,how would I know if "C:\Windows" is in default directory and if "Windows exists in another directory called "COMMAND?" Do not what you mean here. Please clarify for an old man. Thank you, all.
lray
Also checked WIN.INI for LOAD=....there was nothing after =.
Same for SYSTEM.INI. Thank you, regardless.
ravt333-could not call "autoexec.bat" looking in "Find" and in "C" drive.
Do not know how to boot-up doing the step by step confirmation. Could you give me a little lesson on how?
Thanks to you, too.
d00d27-tried gain "settings......advanced...
Still not MS-DOS/white DOS box there.
Thanks for your help, also.
whatboy- am not an experienced user,how would I know if "C:\Windows" is in default directory and if "Windows exists in another directory called "COMMAND?" Do not what you mean here. Please clarify for an old man. Thank you, all.
lray
>>whatboy- am not an experienced user,how would I know if "C:\Windows" is
>>in default directory and if "Windows exists in another directory called
>>"COMMAND?" Do not what you mean here. Please clarify for an old man.
>>Thank you, all.
sorry, i mean if you installed windows 95 on the default directory (that is C:\Windows), and if in the directory windows exist another directory call command.
You see when you first install windows it ask you for a directory (default=C:\windows) for which to store all the files windows need to run, and inside this directory are a bunch of other directories, one of them had to be named Command.com in wich all the commands files are stored.
>>in default directory and if "Windows exists in another directory called
>>"COMMAND?" Do not what you mean here. Please clarify for an old man.
>>Thank you, all.
sorry, i mean if you installed windows 95 on the default directory (that is C:\Windows), and if in the directory windows exist another directory call command.
You see when you first install windows it ask you for a directory (default=C:\windows) for which to store all the files windows need to run, and inside this directory are a bunch of other directories, one of them had to be named Command.com in wich all the commands files are stored.
ASKER
whatboy-In "MY PC, C:\", found side by side, a MS-DOS COMMAND icon, and a white Command box icon.
Could this be what you are referring to? Can I send the white box Command icon to Recycle, reboot, and see if the bad command box returns?
Could this be what you are referring to? Can I send the white box Command icon to Recycle, reboot, and see if the bad command box returns?
NOOOO!!! if you do that, you'll not be able to reboot. so please don't delete nothing.
ok. can you open explore.exe??? do you have a windows keyboard??? the one that have a windows logo in a key in the middle of the CTRL (Control) and ALT (Altern) keys, if so then:
Press the "windows logo" key and without letting go press the "E" key. Windows explore should appears.
If not then:
Click on "Start" Button go to "Programs" then there should be an icon nemed Windows Explore (The icon has a shape of a folder and a Magnifying glass, click on that icon.
ok. so we're at explore, in the left side (the explore shows to regions, the folders in the left and the cointener of the actual folder in the rigth) there should be a folder in call windows, double click on that folder, it should open with more folders (within windows, like sons) seek for a folder named command (we still in the left side) is it there??? this folder shouldn't have no properties so it wouldn't trouble you at all.
ok. can you open explore.exe??? do you have a windows keyboard??? the one that have a windows logo in a key in the middle of the CTRL (Control) and ALT (Altern) keys, if so then:
Press the "windows logo" key and without letting go press the "E" key. Windows explore should appears.
If not then:
Click on "Start" Button go to "Programs" then there should be an icon nemed Windows Explore (The icon has a shape of a folder and a Magnifying glass, click on that icon.
ok. so we're at explore, in the left side (the explore shows to regions, the folders in the left and the cointener of the actual folder in the rigth) there should be a folder in call windows, double click on that folder, it should open with more folders (within windows, like sons) seek for a folder named command (we still in the left side) is it there??? this folder shouldn't have no properties so it wouldn't trouble you at all.
Iray, If I understand you correctly, when you boot Windows (and finally reach the desktop) a MS-DOS box is opened?
For this to occur, I listed every likely location for a program to autoload.
What is in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
....Also... WIN.INI for the "LOAD=" line??
What you are looking for may not be what you 'think' you are looking for.
As long as you *don't make modifications*, it is safe to run regedit. Remember we are just looking but if you make a change it is written *without* warning. There is no undo (other than having a backup).
The easiest way to backup your registry is by running the program Cfgback.exe and/or ERU.exe (these programs can be found on your Win95 CD). Why MS doesn't automatically install these tools is beyond me!! Another way to backup your registry is from REGEDIT - click from the menu "registry", select "Export Registry File", "Export Range" should be selected on "all", type in a name for this file.
For this to occur, I listed every likely location for a program to autoload.
What is in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
....Also... WIN.INI for the "LOAD=" line??
What you are looking for may not be what you 'think' you are looking for.
As long as you *don't make modifications*, it is safe to run regedit. Remember we are just looking but if you make a change it is written *without* warning. There is no undo (other than having a backup).
The easiest way to backup your registry is by running the program Cfgback.exe and/or ERU.exe (these programs can be found on your Win95 CD). Why MS doesn't automatically install these tools is beyond me!! Another way to backup your registry is from REGEDIT - click from the menu "registry", select "Export Registry File", "Export Range" should be selected on "all", type in a name for this file.
This is a problem with an invalid dos command. Please copy and paste your autoexec.bat file in your root directory
ASKER
whatboy-went "start, programs", clicked on file with magnifying glass", next scrolled down and double clicked on "windows, then still in left pane, got... "application data...cat root...command". "Command" file under properties is a file folder with 1.13MB and 39 files. This is only "command" listed on the left side of "Exploring-C"
Thanks again,whatboy
shawn-went back into registry, scrolled down ...windows\current version\run. "Run" had.. "{defalut}...{value not set}".
Listed here also in order was:
{default}
matrol color control
matrol color ce
matrox diagnostic
nlnit (nortnon uninstaller)
norton auto
nsysten monitor
real tray
system tray
Next went down to "run once"...it also had..."{default}....{value
Thanks, shawn
Beavisandbutthead-I am kind of inexperienced and 60 years old, would you please tell me where and how to find "autoexec.bat file"? I tried typing it in "Find" and "C" and get no find results. Also if I find it, know how to copy and paste, but what and where is "root directory?"
Thank you for your trouble beavisandbutthead
Thanks again,whatboy
shawn-went back into registry, scrolled down ...windows\current version\run. "Run" had.. "{defalut}...{value not set}".
Listed here also in order was:
{default}
matrol color control
matrol color ce
matrox diagnostic
nlnit (nortnon uninstaller)
norton auto
nsysten monitor
real tray
system tray
Next went down to "run once"...it also had..."{default}....{value
Thanks, shawn
Beavisandbutthead-I am kind of inexperienced and 60 years old, would you please tell me where and how to find "autoexec.bat file"? I tried typing it in "Find" and "C" and get no find results. Also if I find it, know how to copy and paste, but what and where is "root directory?"
Thank you for your trouble beavisandbutthead
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Shawn-Have just about screwed up enough courage to delte everything but the system tray. However, how exactly would I get the deleted items back to the registry? You say go to the backup registry branch file in explorer, mine is named ...C:/Registry backup branch", then click on export? OK, I highlight the file in explorer,where is the export key? Tell me more about this aspect please. What does the import file in "Registry" do?
I am just cautious that if I delete something here and can't get it back, that I will not be able to boot up again or worse. Then I would really be in trouble again.
Thanks for your patience.
I am just cautious that if I delete something here and can't get it back, that I will not be able to boot up again or worse. Then I would really be in trouble again.
Thanks for your patience.
Sorry Iray, I've been on holidays.
First of all, there is nothing inside this branch of your registry that would prevent your system from booting up.
There are two ways to bring 'everything' back.
1. The file that you created (of this part of the branch), has the extention ".reg" on it, correct? If so, simply *double click* on it [the reg file you created] from Windows Explorer. There is no "export key". By doing so, this branch will be added in again automatically (without any message). In your particular situation, this is a good thing but be aware that indiscriminately clicking on .reg files can mess up your registry (there is no warning!) to the point where Windows will not load. The point is, in this case it is safe but be careful not to click on files with the .reg extention in the future.
2. The second way is by loading the .reg file from the inport feature within regedit.
Good luck
First of all, there is nothing inside this branch of your registry that would prevent your system from booting up.
There are two ways to bring 'everything' back.
1. The file that you created (of this part of the branch), has the extention ".reg" on it, correct? If so, simply *double click* on it [the reg file you created] from Windows Explorer. There is no "export key". By doing so, this branch will be added in again automatically (without any message). In your particular situation, this is a good thing but be aware that indiscriminately clicking on .reg files can mess up your registry (there is no warning!) to the point where Windows will not load. The point is, in this case it is safe but be careful not to click on files with the .reg extention in the future.
2. The second way is by loading the .reg file from the inport feature within regedit.
Good luck
ASKER
Shawn-The DOS Prompt is gone on my pc upon boot up now! Yea, you!
I deleted everything in the Registry.....Machine/softw
Thanks a million! You have really been patient with me. Now would you please guide me on reinstalling the good and eliminating the bad regristry?
And should I fill out the Accept/Reject form now or wait until you determine which registry entry was bad?
I deleted everything in the Registry.....Machine/softw
Thanks a million! You have really been patient with me. Now would you please guide me on reinstalling the good and eliminating the bad regristry?
And should I fill out the Accept/Reject form now or wait until you determine which registry entry was bad?
Hi Iray, Good Excellent!
I'm wondering if you really need any of those other programs from this branch? They just slow down your system and eat up more memory.
However, if there is a requirement for any of them...use the directions I gave to you to import everything back in again. Delete the following in this order:
{default}
nlnit (nortnon uninstaller)
norton auto
nsysten monitor
real tray
You could probably get rid of the above permanently. Anyone want to comment on these??
Reboot. If the DOS box doesn't appear, you're done! I suspect the DOS box may be caused by 'nlinit' but this is simply a guess.
Otherwise (re-import registry branch) and delete the following:
{default}
matrol color control
matrol color ce
matrox diagnostic
Reboot.
I'm sure you don't need these programs either.
So you may just want to leave everything the way it is.
You can grade the question anytime you wish. I'll still be notified that you've been here and I'll come back to answer any of your questions.
Glad to have helped.
I'm wondering if you really need any of those other programs from this branch? They just slow down your system and eat up more memory.
However, if there is a requirement for any of them...use the directions I gave to you to import everything back in again. Delete the following in this order:
{default}
nlnit (nortnon uninstaller)
norton auto
nsysten monitor
real tray
You could probably get rid of the above permanently. Anyone want to comment on these??
Reboot. If the DOS box doesn't appear, you're done! I suspect the DOS box may be caused by 'nlinit' but this is simply a guess.
Otherwise (re-import registry branch) and delete the following:
{default}
matrol color control
matrol color ce
matrox diagnostic
Reboot.
I'm sure you don't need these programs either.
So you may just want to leave everything the way it is.
You can grade the question anytime you wish. I'll still be notified that you've been here and I'll come back to answer any of your questions.
Glad to have helped.
- Click on "Start Menu Programs" and "Advanced"
- Double-click "Programs" in the big box
- Double-click "Startup" and then look for a command box with MSDOS or a white box. Delete it or move it somewhere else. You can also find out if it is the correct file to delete by double-clicking the file and see if it gives the same error.