agferna
asked on
Missing system.ini file when booting up.
I startup my PC running Win98. It loads the memory and boots up and begins starting up Win98, which it is unable to do and the message is for a missing system.ini file. I have tried booting up using the system floppy disk, and apparently transfer some files, but have not been able to start Win98, or get it to use the CDrom with the Win98 CD.
How this happened. My PC has lately been attacked by some commercial software infected off the internet through Internet Explorer, that creates pop-up adds, windows for advertisement, directories and even menu bars. I have deleted the stuff off my hard drive several times and entered the start up configuration to make sure these applications don't start up automatically. It has worked but I have not been able to completely get rid of the bug - it hides somewhere. Last night I got an especially virulent attack with all sort of pop ups flashing and PC resources being drained. I went in and deleted as much as I could, more than usual. But, I may have deleted too much. Before I was finished the PC froze and had to be shut down using the power off button. When starting it can't find the system.ini, though after that hurdle is addresses more trouble is possible.
I have valuable information on the PC and whatever the fix process, I need to recover the information. After that, I would be willing to clean the hard drive and reload everything, if needed.
Thanks,
Tony from Houston
How this happened. My PC has lately been attacked by some commercial software infected off the internet through Internet Explorer, that creates pop-up adds, windows for advertisement, directories and even menu bars. I have deleted the stuff off my hard drive several times and entered the start up configuration to make sure these applications don't start up automatically. It has worked but I have not been able to completely get rid of the bug - it hides somewhere. Last night I got an especially virulent attack with all sort of pop ups flashing and PC resources being drained. I went in and deleted as much as I could, more than usual. But, I may have deleted too much. Before I was finished the PC froze and had to be shut down using the power off button. When starting it can't find the system.ini, though after that hurdle is addresses more trouble is possible.
I have valuable information on the PC and whatever the fix process, I need to recover the information. After that, I would be willing to clean the hard drive and reload everything, if needed.
Thanks,
Tony from Houston
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Do you have acess to another PC ? If so copy the needed data to that pc and then wipe in many cases like this that is the best you can do
Try Scanreg /fix
If you are worried about your data and the possibility of loossing the data, I would buy a hard drive, with an 80 wire cable, set it up as a master, load your windows first, then a cd rom burner. Next I would make the old HD as a slave. thus you would have access to the data. I have one machine set up with two masters. From my large HD I can see the files on the other HD, but not visa versa.
The reason I suggested another HD, is that a PC store will charge 80 dollars just for transferrng your data to another new HD. Since a HD costs so little, the 80 dollars would be better spent on another HD.
gonzal13(Joe)
If you are worried about your data and the possibility of loossing the data, I would buy a hard drive, with an 80 wire cable, set it up as a master, load your windows first, then a cd rom burner. Next I would make the old HD as a slave. thus you would have access to the data. I have one machine set up with two masters. From my large HD I can see the files on the other HD, but not visa versa.
The reason I suggested another HD, is that a PC store will charge 80 dollars just for transferrng your data to another new HD. Since a HD costs so little, the 80 dollars would be better spent on another HD.
gonzal13(Joe)
ASKER
Thank you all for the information, especially Zee and Lee. It took me a while to follow though given my hechtic schedule. I wish I had had more points than the initial 125; believe, my intent was to given them all away on this issue.
I reinstalled Win98. No problem on installation. I them had problems with display. After some research I concluded that I had to relaod the driver for the video card. This definitively solved the blury display problem (it was much more than just a pixel fix). The I proceeded to the websites suggested by Lee for the cleanup. After cleaning out 3 viruses and hundreds of malware files, the PC feels like new. No files were lost in the process. This was quite some task, overall about 8 to 10 hours - of course you can multi-task with other stuff while the PC is at it.
So far the PC has only one more glitch left. Hard to describe, but it is like a mini-freeze. It becomes evident in time-dependent games, in which a 3 second freeze can kill you. It is not random, seems to be kind of regular. I have tried hitting ctrl/alt/del when it happens to try to identify the program that causes it, without success. It had it before the malware crash, though now it the PC is faster, but the glitch is worse - puzzling hah.
Thanks to All.
Tony from Houston
I reinstalled Win98. No problem on installation. I them had problems with display. After some research I concluded that I had to relaod the driver for the video card. This definitively solved the blury display problem (it was much more than just a pixel fix). The I proceeded to the websites suggested by Lee for the cleanup. After cleaning out 3 viruses and hundreds of malware files, the PC feels like new. No files were lost in the process. This was quite some task, overall about 8 to 10 hours - of course you can multi-task with other stuff while the PC is at it.
So far the PC has only one more glitch left. Hard to describe, but it is like a mini-freeze. It becomes evident in time-dependent games, in which a 3 second freeze can kill you. It is not random, seems to be kind of regular. I have tried hitting ctrl/alt/del when it happens to try to identify the program that causes it, without success. It had it before the malware crash, though now it the PC is faster, but the glitch is worse - puzzling hah.
Thanks to All.
Tony from Houston
:)
Great news.
This could be useful for you to try finding some process running that can be the cause for that mini-freeze: Process Explorer, that you can find here:
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml
Cheers,
Zee
Hello!
If only missing "system.ini" file when booting up,you can:
1.Boot your Win98 to command prompt.
2.Change directory to your Windows 98's system directory.
3.Change directory to "sysbckup" directory.
4.In that directory,include four "cab" files,choose one in it,and run command line:"extract /e rb???.cab system.ini /l ..".
5.Reboot your pc.It's finished!
Here is a excellence,it can hold "system.dat","user.dat" and "win.ini".
Good Lucky!
My E-Mail:*** email address removed by LeeTutor, Page Editor ***
If only missing "system.ini" file when booting up,you can:
1.Boot your Win98 to command prompt.
2.Change directory to your Windows 98's system directory.
3.Change directory to "sysbckup" directory.
4.In that directory,include four "cab" files,choose one in it,and run command line:"extract /e rb???.cab system.ini /l ..".
5.Reboot your pc.It's finished!
Here is a excellence,it can hold "system.dat","user.dat" and "win.ini".
Good Lucky!
My E-Mail:*** email address removed by LeeTutor, Page Editor ***
Thanks for trying guys, but not many of you read my posts very carefully
This is a brand new install, never even finished loading programs , never been on the net and never had ANY files added to it that weren't from the company that make the printer, camera, etc, so viruses, spyware are out
I haven''t even finished loading the whole system yet that the customer gave me, and after I reboot after EACH installed program, I have got one of these messages
read my post again, please. This is a brand new install straight from UPS yesterday, each piece from HD to CDRW to CD install disks, all wrapped in plastic. I have built 30 EXACT same systems using my 98SE CD for this company. This is the ONLY one that I have had to reinstall 3 times before I even get his time set and his programs loaded
I just swapped out another clean HD and am formatting it now
JB
This is a brand new install, never even finished loading programs , never been on the net and never had ANY files added to it that weren't from the company that make the printer, camera, etc, so viruses, spyware are out
I haven''t even finished loading the whole system yet that the customer gave me, and after I reboot after EACH installed program, I have got one of these messages
read my post again, please. This is a brand new install straight from UPS yesterday, each piece from HD to CDRW to CD install disks, all wrapped in plastic. I have built 30 EXACT same systems using my 98SE CD for this company. This is the ONLY one that I have had to reinstall 3 times before I even get his time set and his programs loaded
I just swapped out another clean HD and am formatting it now
JB
Sorry about the LAST post. I hastily replied to YOUR post after junping a page from mine, please disregard post from JBMAIL