Post by thread:[OT]: Laptop Fun

Ah the joys of relatives. :o) One of my relatives has sent me a laptop to "repair", which is giving me no end of frustration. It is an IBM Thinkpad, that will boot up in safe mode or command prompt mode, but will not go into Win95. It just says "starting win 95" then gives a command prompt. Obviously something in windows has been corrupted? Now if I boot up in ANY mode I can get working, I try to run setup.exe on his Win95 disk to reinstall windows, and it says; "Setup cannot be run from msdos mode with a private configuration. Either run setup from windows or shut down windows and run setup from msdos". Hmm, now I can't shut down windows as windows will not run. And I AM running from msdos!! Even if I boot from a known good boot floppy in msdos mode I get the same message when trying to run the CD setup. I have even booted with a sys floppy with command.com io.sys etc from a different version of dos and get the same message. Yes the CD drive does read ok, and I have tried many config.sys and autoexec.bat setups. What is REALLY annoying is that the Laptop is modular, and I have to pull it apart to put the floppy drive in and again to swap the floppy for the CD drive. No it can't have both operating at once! :o( Now the hard drive, CD, floppy, etc all work as normal in dos mode. I'm quite prepared to delete windows and just run the thing in dos mode so I can reinstall Win95 from his CD. BUT the windows setup on the CD will not run! Does anyone have a clue what went wrong with the Laptop or (maybe) how to fix it? -Roman -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> From: Roman Black [spam_OUTfastvidTakeThisOuTEZY.NET.AU] > Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 9:32 AM > > Ah the joys of relatives. :o) > > One of my relatives has sent me a laptop to > "repair", which is giving me no end of frustration. > > It is an IBM Thinkpad, that will boot up in safe > mode or command prompt mode, but will not go into > Win95. It just says "starting win 95" then gives > a command prompt. Obviously something in windows > has been corrupted? One of the differences between safe mode and normal mode (unsafe or dangerous mode) is that all the programs in the run and run once sections of the registry are not run. It's possible that one of the programs that is supposed to run at start-up is missing or damaged. If you have a program like Norton Utilities it can check for the programs that don't exist and remove their entries. Searching for a damaged program is much harder. You might have to manually edit the registry and remove entries until things work. With that said, it's possible that you would have spent time trying to fix something that wasn't the problem. Good thing this is all fun. -Mike -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

In the brief instant I thought about it, I'd go about it this way: Boot to windows safe mode with the CDROM. Copy all files from the \win95\ directory (lots of .cab files) to a new directory at the root of the hard drive. Turn off, insert floppy drive and boot back up to safe mode (or dos) Make a bootable floppy disk (should be able to do from safe mode explorer or the dos prompt with "format a: /s") or on another computer Use floppy disk to boot computer straight into dos. At this point you can either delete every directory and file other than the CD files, or you can leave everything like it is. Run setup from the directory with the CD files. If it's a problem with the boot up files (boot sector, msdos.sys, io.sys, etc) then delete them and go through setup again, or do a "sys c:" from the A: drive (copy sys.com from the windows\command\ directory before deleting it) If that doesn't work then get a boot disk with fdisk, format, sys, and the interlnk files on it. Hook that computer to another computer using a null modem or laplink printer cable to copy the cd files to the newly fdisk'ed, formatted and sys'ed hard drive. Then boot to the hard drive and run setup. -Adam Roman Black wrote: {Quote hidden}>Ah the joys of relatives. :o) > >One of my relatives has sent me a laptop to >"repair", which is giving me no end of frustration. > >It is an IBM Thinkpad, that will boot up in safe >mode or command prompt mode, but will not go into >Win95. It just says "starting win 95" then gives >a command prompt. Obviously something in windows >has been corrupted? > >Now if I boot up in ANY mode I can get working, I >try to run setup.exe on his Win95 disk to reinstall >windows, and it says; "Setup cannot be run from msdos >mode with a private configuration. Either run setup >from windows or shut down windows and run setup from >msdos". > >Hmm, now I can't shut down windows as windows will not >run. And I AM running from msdos!! Even if I boot from >a known good boot floppy in msdos mode I get the same >message when trying to run the CD setup. > >I have even booted with a sys floppy with command.com >io.sys etc from a different version of dos and get >the same message. Yes the CD drive does read ok, and >I have tried many config.sys and autoexec.bat setups. > >What is REALLY annoying is that the Laptop is modular, >and I have to pull it apart to put the floppy drive in >and again to swap the floppy for the CD drive. No it >can't have both operating at once! :o( > >Now the hard drive, CD, floppy, etc all work as normal >in dos mode. I'm quite prepared to delete windows >and just run the thing in dos mode so I can reinstall >Win95 from his CD. BUT the windows setup on the CD will >not run! > >Does anyone have a clue what went wrong with the Laptop >or (maybe) how to fix it? >-Roman > >-- >http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different >ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > > > > > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Hi Roman, Ain't it just great being the family tech :-) This sounds like the MS-DOS mode infinite loop problem. I haven't seen it for years but I do remember it used to occur on my nieces PC. They had a bunch of Kids CD's that required MS-DOS mode to run. If the DOS app crashed in just the right way it would get their PC stuck in an infinite loop where it always came up to a DOS prompt in MS-DOS mode. I can't remember the details of how I used to fix it but, I do know I fixed it without re-installing Win95. I think it was due to the settings in the MS-DOS.SYS configuration file (in Win95+ MSDOS.SYS is not an executable it is simply a plain text file of configuration settings). The MS knowledge base has some good info on MS-DOS.SYS. I also seem to remember something getting set wrong in CONFIG.SYS. Looking at the MS-DOS.SYS files I have here I think it may be do to these settings in the "Options" section: BootGUI=0 and/or BootWin=0 they should both be 1 or not present at all. In CONFIG.SYS I seem to recall part of the problem being a "DOS=SINGLE" line. Hope this helps, Paul >{Original Message removed}

On Wed, 2002-09-11 at 10:32, Roman Black wrote: > Ah the joys of relatives. :o) > > One of my relatives has sent me a laptop to > "repair", which is giving me no end of frustration. First off, consider sending them back a Mac. I started recommending Mac's to relatives that only needed web-surfing, e-mail and the like, and the phone calls ended after a few purchased them. (GRIN) > It is an IBM Thinkpad, that will boot up in safe > mode or command prompt mode, but will not go into > Win95. It just says "starting win 95" then gives > a command prompt. Obviously something in windows > has been corrupted? Can you single step through the boot process and find which specific thing is making it die? {Quote hidden}> Now if I boot up in ANY mode I can get working, I > try to run setup.exe on his Win95 disk to reinstall > windows, and it says; "Setup cannot be run from msdos > mode with a private configuration. Either run setup > from windows or shut down windows and run setup from > msdos". > > Hmm, now I can't shut down windows as windows will not > run. And I AM running from msdos!! Even if I boot from > a known good boot floppy in msdos mode I get the same > message when trying to run the CD setup. > > I have even booted with a sys floppy with command.com > io.sys etc from a different version of dos and get > the same message. Yes the CD drive does read ok, and > I have tried many config.sys and autoexec.bat setups. > > What is REALLY annoying is that the Laptop is modular, > and I have to pull it apart to put the floppy drive in > and again to swap the floppy for the CD drive. No it > can't have both operating at once! :o( Most laptops have a cable header for the floppy to be put in an external case and run with the internal CD drive inside the machine at the same time. Did they forget to send you that gadget? :-) > Now the hard drive, CD, floppy, etc all work as normal > in dos mode. I'm quite prepared to delete windows > and just run the thing in dos mode so I can reinstall > Win95 from his CD. BUT the windows setup on the CD will > not run! > > Does anyone have a clue what went wrong with the Laptop > or (maybe) how to fix it? > -Roman Try a different tactic... if you can't reload Windows, try seeing if you can boot to the mode that allows for single-stepping through the startup process. I fixed a machine for a customer once this way when we found that an old version of software had deleted a system file... grabbed a version of that file from the Windows CD from inside a CAB file, copied that to floppy and onto his machine, and it was up and running... then we found online the warnings he had missed about clashes with this old software and newer versions of Windows... I'm normally a Linux guy, so take all Windows advice with a grain of salt... (GRIN). -- Nate Duehr, .....nateKILLspam@spam@natetech.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Used to have this problem all the time. Try this procedure: 1. Press the F8 key when you see "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Safe Mdoe Command Prompt Only from the menu that appears. 2. Type "win /wx" (without quotation marks) at the command prompt, and then press ENTER. This is the automatic recover method. If this doesn't work there are a few other things you can try, but this usally does the trick. *********************************************************************** * Jeffrey W. Mericle, MT * * Systems Administrator * * Morehead Memorial Hospital * *********************************************************************** Roman Black wrote: {Quote hidden}> Ah the joys of relatives. :o) > > One of my relatives has sent me a laptop to > "repair", which is giving me no end of frustration. > > It is an IBM Thinkpad, that will boot up in safe > mode or command prompt mode, but will not go into > Win95. It just says "starting win 95" then gives > a command prompt. Obviously something in windows > has been corrupted? > > Now if I boot up in ANY mode I can get working, I > try to run setup.exe on his Win95 disk to reinstall > windows, and it says; "Setup cannot be run from msdos > mode with a private configuration. Either run setup > from windows or shut down windows and run setup from > msdos". > > Hmm, now I can't shut down windows as windows will not > run. And I AM running from msdos!! Even if I boot from > a known good boot floppy in msdos mode I get the same > message when trying to run the CD setup. > > I have even booted with a sys floppy with command.com > io.sys etc from a different version of dos and get > the same message. Yes the CD drive does read ok, and > I have tried many config.sys and autoexec.bat setups. > > What is REALLY annoying is that the Laptop is modular, > and I have to pull it apart to put the floppy drive in > and again to swap the floppy for the CD drive. No it > can't have both operating at once! :o( > > Now the hard drive, CD, floppy, etc all work as normal > in dos mode. I'm quite prepared to delete windows > and just run the thing in dos mode so I can reinstall > Win95 from his CD. BUT the windows setup on the CD will > not run! > > Does anyone have a clue what went wrong with the Laptop > or (maybe) how to fix it? > -Roman > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. -- -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

When this things happen, I use the Win98 install boot disk, that comes with CDROM drivers, and then start using the Win95 CD. This, off course, on systems that have both floppy and CD drives. Can you hot-swap them? Francisco Roman Black wrote: {Quote hidden}>Ah the joys of relatives. :o) > >One of my relatives has sent me a laptop to >"repair", which is giving me no end of frustration. > >It is an IBM Thinkpad, that will boot up in safe >mode or command prompt mode, but will not go into >Win95. It just says "starting win 95" then gives >a command prompt. Obviously something in windows >has been corrupted? > >Now if I boot up in ANY mode I can get working, I >try to run setup.exe on his Win95 disk to reinstall >windows, and it says; "Setup cannot be run from msdos >mode with a private configuration. Either run setup >from windows or shut down windows and run setup from >msdos". > >Hmm, now I can't shut down windows as windows will not >run. And I AM running from msdos!! Even if I boot from >a known good boot floppy in msdos mode I get the same >message when trying to run the CD setup. > >I have even booted with a sys floppy with command.com >io.sys etc from a different version of dos and get >the same message. Yes the CD drive does read ok, and >I have tried many config.sys and autoexec.bat setups. > >What is REALLY annoying is that the Laptop is modular, >and I have to pull it apart to put the floppy drive in >and again to swap the floppy for the CD drive. No it >can't have both operating at once! :o( > >Now the hard drive, CD, floppy, etc all work as normal >in dos mode. I'm quite prepared to delete windows >and just run the thing in dos mode so I can reinstall >Win95 from his CD. BUT the windows setup on the CD will >not run! > >Does anyone have a clue what went wrong with the Laptop >or (maybe) how to fix it? >-Roman > >-- >http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different >ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > > > > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

One thing to think about - IBM machines will come with a red or blue (depending on model) system restore disk. this will have the win9x image on it. assuming the Laptops OS has not been er fiddled with :) it is quite possible that IBM like ALL Compaqs have a hidden partition with proprietory info on it. Erase this and strange things will occur unless a vanilla copy of WinXX is loaded. So if you can get hold of the restore CD this should have the appropriate tools to allow a reload. Now if this is a 95/98 machine the CD is red in colour. The bad news is depending on the actual model the CD may only give the choice of reformat and load and not just a reload option. There are ways around this and the tools are on the CD but you need IBM tech help/knowledge to use them as they are enabled by access codes and key combinations. IBM will charge A$25.00 (oh $27.50inc) per question/incident for non warranty items. The other thing is if you can get into the BIOS (F1 or F2 if I recall for IBM's) make sure Rapid Resume is disabled and if possible change the boot sequence to floppy first. Rapid Resume while nice is a pain when things go wrong and if you're floppyable then doing the above it won't check the C or CD drive first and find the special software and then stop and moan. If you are unable to get the image CD then try using a win98 boot CD to just get in. I wouldn't recommend using cluster level utilities as it is possible to make the condition worse. If a non IBM version of Windoze(sic) has been loaded then you will almost certainly only have the option to reformat and reload. Remember that Win95 had 3 retail versions and two OEM versions and you often need the right boot disk for each version. If there is no information that needs to be retrieved then if Win98 boot disk with floppy as the first boot device won't let you get to a command prompt then Nortons gdisk should allow you to FDISK and Format in the one go and then you'll be able to re-load a vanilla copy of windows. Feel free to email me if you need any further help colin -- cdb, bodgy1KILLspamoptusnet.com.au on 12/09/2002 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> What is REALLY annoying is that the Laptop is modular, > and I have to pull it apart to put the floppy drive in > and again to swap the floppy for the CD drive. No it > can't have both operating at once! :o( I encountered same problem with "window can't install from dos ..." with one of my compaq CD, but with other window CD is no problem. I am not sure is that the problem. You might want to see if the floppy drive has a cable that can be pulled out. If there is, you can connect that to the parallel port of the laptop. It took me quite a while to discover that for the 2nd-hand HP laptop I bought. Enjoy ... Cheers, Ling SM -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email .....listservKILLspam.....mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

THANK YOU EVERYONE for the suggestions with the darn laptop. I'm beginning to think there is a special file missing/damaged/not loaded which is specific to that laptop's hardware, ie, not a windows or dos fault at all. Since a couple of people have already "had a go at it" the config files are a real mess, and some of that mess is hardware specific. I'll fiddle tonight and then leave it for the weekend as i'm having a couple of days off. :o) Thanks again! :o) -Roman -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email EraseMElistservspam_OUTTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

Oh, and Roman, Stay as far away from MACs as you can :P -----Original Message----- From: pic microcontroller discussion list [PICLISTspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Roman Black Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 12:32 PM To: @spam@PICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: [OT]: Laptop Fun Ah the joys of relatives. :o) One of my relatives has sent me a laptop to "repair", which is giving me no end of frustration. It is an IBM Thinkpad, that will boot up in safe mode or command prompt mode, but will not go into Win95. It just says "starting win 95" then gives a command prompt. Obviously something in windows has been corrupted? Now if I boot up in ANY mode I can get working, I try to run setup.exe on his Win95 disk to reinstall windows, and it says; "Setup cannot be run from msdos mode with a private configuration. Either run setup from windows or shut down windows and run setup from msdos". Hmm, now I can't shut down windows as windows will not run. And I AM running from msdos!! Even if I boot from a known good boot floppy in msdos mode I get the same message when trying to run the CD setup. I have even booted with a sys floppy with command.com io.sys etc from a different version of dos and get the same message. Yes the CD drive does read ok, and I have tried many config.sys and autoexec.bat setups. What is REALLY annoying is that the Laptop is modular, and I have to pull it apart to put the floppy drive in and again to swap the floppy for the CD drive. No it can't have both operating at once! :o( Now the hard drive, CD, floppy, etc all work as normal in dos mode. I'm quite prepared to delete windows and just run the thing in dos mode so I can reinstall Win95 from his CD. BUT the windows setup on the CD will not run! Does anyone have a clue what went wrong with the Laptop or (maybe) how to fix it? -Roman -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList KILLspampiclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspammitvma.mit.edu