Himem disabled?

if you type "win" (without the quotes), what happens?  Does it try to go into windows?

try this:

from the c: prompt (c:\>)  type:    cd windows     hit enter

type:    cd command      hit enter

type:    scanreg /restore      hit enter

then, when the registry checker utility comes up, choose a date prior to all of this happening (meaning, choose a date when everything worked), then hit enter.  You scroll through the dates by using your up and down arrow keys on your keyboard.

Once it restores the registry, reboot and test.

Mark

Check the config.sys file in the root folder.  From a command prompt enter:  C:\>edit config.sys  .  In the text editor you should see:

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DOS=HIGH,UMB

If those lines are not there type them in then press Alt+F then Alt+X then select YES to save and exit.

A bootdisk is a disk that allows you to access features to fix up Windows from DOS. Therefore, a bootdisk is pretty useless for booting windows. Try what Mark has told you.

If windows boots, then open C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT in Notepad (or C:\>EDIT C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT if in DOS) and add to the bottom of the file WIN

Hope this helps,
Craig.

Thanks! When I get back to my puter; I will do what was advised,Thanks!Charles.

I did the registry restore and it went fine and says no errors,but no change...The config.sys looks the same as u posted...Can't I simply re-install 98SE over itself to fix it? I can get to my CR-ROM drive and get to the SETUP.EXE file of the disk.Are there anymore things I should be concentrating on to make sure they are correct ? like win.com,mdos.sys,or autoexec.bat.I don't know for sure what these files should indicate...Thanks,Charles.

Back up any thing if you can . But a clean install should fix it, straighten it.

If you have those lines in your config.sys file, then extended memory is enabled and DOS is loading into extended memory.  The autoexec.bat file sets the parameters for DOS functions, but you don't need it to run Windows.  Win.ini and System.ini are important.  One thing you could try is to edit the system.ini file.  Change the line that says shell=explorer.exe to shell=winfile.exe .  Then reboot the computer and see if it will start the File Manager.  From there you can check other files.  Look in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder and see if you have a file named shdocvw.dll.  If not, see if you can find a file named shdocvw.bak.  If shdocvw.dll is missing you will probably also find that the setupx.dll file is corrupt and will have to be replaced.

Ok,here we go.

1)MSDOS.SYS does only contain ;sys at this moment.
2)When I type win.com,enter; it boots a little then I get a screen that says "VFAT Device initialization halted.Device/Resource not found or unavailable"
3)I changed the system.ini line "Shell=exporer.exe to Shell=winfile.exe
and reboot.NO change so I changed it back.
4)Shdocvw.dll is in there and seems to be ok .There is NO Shdocvw.bak file found.
5)There is NO win.cnf file found.

6)I find 4 AUTOEXEC.XXX files.
1.AUTOEXEC.BAT = 262 bytes and says:

@echo off
rem
rem *** DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE***
rem
rem This file was created by the system
rem configuration utility as a placeholder
rem for your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.Your actual
rem AUTOEXEC.BAT file has been saved under
rem the name AUTOEXEC.TSH

2.AUTOEXEC.TSH = 6 bytes and is EMPTY
3.AUTOEXEC.BAK = 615 bytes and says what I USED to see on the screen when I started the computer right before it boots to windows.
4.AUTOEXEC.SYD = EXACT same as AUTOEXEC.BAK

7) I find 3 CONFIG.XXX Files.
1.CONFIG.SYS = 134 bytes and says

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
;DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS/
MOVE

2.CONFIG.SYD =127 bytes and says the same as CONFIG.SYS except there is NO ; that begins that last line.

3.CONFIG.BAK = 50 bytes and ONLY says

DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS/
MOVE

Any other files contents I should post?
I hope all that helps someone to tell me something.THANKS! Charles.

I notice that the line ;DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE is disabled in your config.sys file.  This loads the driver for a compressed drive into the upper memory area.  If the driver is not moved it could cause a conflict.  Try deleting the ; at the beginning of the line.

http://users.cybercity.dk/~bse26236/batutil/help/DRVSPA_N.HTM

Fixed It.Somehow the MSDOS.SYS file was changed to read ;SYS only. I entered it in DOS and put in what I was told to put in by someone I know.All is well.caza13 gets the points.Thanks,Charles.