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re: win.com missing Saturday, July 12, 2003 at 2:32 am Posted by JmC (14166 messages posted) I've listed a link below that includes the instructions to replace the Win.com file. Did something happen to your system prior to this error? Usually when this file is missing, it indicates a Virus, or that system files have been deleted. Is there any other information you can give us? Creating a New Win.com File When You Cannot Start Windows JmC On Saturday, July 12, 2003 at 1:48 am, Mable wrote: >Dear forum, >In trying to get into safe mode by pressing down “ctrl” during boot a message came >up saying “Unable to open Windows. Cannot find win.com” Switching the computer >off and on again gives the same message. Somehow I need to put win.com back into >the computer whilst in DOS. I’m not very familiar with DOS and not a genius (obviously) >but willing to try hard. Any ideas please? >Thanks, Mable > >Windows 98se [Reply or follow-up to this message] Ouch...... Saturday, July 12, 2003 at 3:30 am Posted by JmC (14166 messages posted) I thought the name 'Mable' sounded familiar. I just re-read your last post and you may very well have a bad hard drive. The information in this thread, may help others who respond: Annoyances JmC On Saturday, July 12, 2003 at 1:48 am, Mable wrote: >Dear forum, >In trying to get into safe mode by pressing down “ctrl” during boot a message came >up saying “Unable to open Windows. Cannot find win.com” Switching the computer >off and on again gives the same message. Somehow I need to put win.com back into >the computer whilst in DOS. I’m not very familiar with DOS and not a genius (obviously) >but willing to try hard. Any ideas please? >Thanks, Mable > >Windows 98se [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: win.com missing Saturday, July 12, 2003 at 5:56 am Posted by rob (322 messages posted) Hi Mable. Two possible ways to achieve this. You need a Win98 boot floppy and/or the Win98 CD to get the Win.com file back on the system. 1. If you can access another PC using Win98, then you can Copy the Win.com file from that PC. Copy the Win.com file from C:\Windows << Folder, on a good PC, to your Win98 boot floppy and then, insert the Win98 boot floppy into the Faulty PC's Floppy drive. Turn on the Faulty PC with the Floppy disk inserted. When the 3 option menu appears, select Option 2 Without CD support, press Enter and let it finish loading the Floppy disk. Note: The spaces between the following..... Copy and win.com, win.com and C:\ At the A:\> prompt type in..... Copy win.com C:\Windows press Enter. The file should now be back in Windows and you will be back to the A:\> prompt. Remove the Floppy disk and press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart the PC, hopefully you will now be able to boot into Windows once again. 2. If you cannot access another PC, then you will have to extract the Win.com file from the Windows98 CD. It is called Win.cnf in the CD Cab files and needs to be changed to win.com, which I have given instructions below on how to do it. You will need the Win98 Boot Floppy and the Win98 CD for this. Insert the Win98 boot Floppy into the Faulty PC's Floppy drive. Turn on the Faulty PC and let the Floppy disk load up. When the 3 option menu appears, select Option 1 With CD support, press Enter and let it finish loading the Floppy disk. Make a note of the CD-Rom drive letter it installs. This can be seen, once the Floppy disk has finished loading completely and you will see it in the text just above the A:\> prompt. It will change from your normal drive letter to one letter higher, so if your CD-Rom is normally D:\ then it will become E:\ until you restart the PC again and will then return to the normal CD drive letter again. You should now be at the A:\> prompt. Now insert the Win98 CD into the CD Drive and wait till it stops shuffling. I have substituted the CD-Rom drive letter in the Command below with a Question mark, because I dont know your PC Specs, so you will have to insert the CD-Rom Drive letter with the one you took note of in the above process, to replace the Question mark. Note: The spaces between the following....... extract and ?, cab and win.cnf, cnf and /l << That is an L, and finally /l and C:\ At the A:\> prompt type in........ extract ?:\Win98\Win98_25.cab win.cnf /l C:\Windows press Enter and wait till the file is extracted, it will then go back to the A:\>prompt again. Now you have to rename the file to the correct name. At the A:\> prompt type in....... C: press Enter. Note: The spaces between the following. ren and C:, Win.cnf and Win.com At the C:\> prompt type in....... ren C:\windows\Win.cnf Win.com press Enter. You should now be back at the C:\> prompt. Type in A: press Enter. Remove the Floppy disk and CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart the PC. Hopefully your PC will boot up again. You may want to Print this of for reference. I hope you understand all this, because I am lost, hehe. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: win.com missing Saturday, July 12, 2003 at 3:37 pm Posted by Mable (14 messages posted) Well thanks for the time and care you put in to writing down all the notes. I managed to get a copy of win.com onto a floppy and using “safe mode” copied it from the floppy to the C drive folder “Windows” The file is 24,791 bytes and is there, I’ve checked. Well, after all that help and fiddling when I start-up I STILL get “Cannot find WIN.COM, unable to continue loading windows” On the properties of the file WIN.COM nothing is checked as ARCHIVE or READ ONLY if this makes any difference. Also it is just in the WINDOWS folder and not any special folder inside windows. There are no viruses found on the PC. Anyhow, thanks for trying so hard guys. Mable [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: win.com missing Saturday, July 12, 2003 at 6:19 pm Posted by JmC (14166 messages posted) Now that you are sure the file is in the Windows folder, it could be a problem with the Msdos.sys file. Give this a try, it can't hurt anything. Restart your computer using a Win98 boot disk, select option 2 on the Startup menu and then press ENTER. At the A:\> prompt, type: SYS C: (note the space) and press ENTER. The following files will then be copied to the drive: * IO.SYS * MSDOS.SYS * COMMAND.COM If the procedure is successful, a 'System transferred' message appears. If it is not successful, check to be sure you are typing the correct drive letter for your Host Drive. Remove the boot disk and restart your system. JmC On Saturday, July 12, 2003 at 3:37 pm, Mable wrote: >Well thanks for the time and care you put in to writing down all the notes. >I managed to get a copy of win.com onto a floppy and using “safe mode” copied it >from the floppy to the C drive folder “Windows” The file is 24,791 bytes and is >there, I’ve checked. Well, after all that help and fiddling when I start-up I STILL >get “Cannot find WIN.COM, unable to continue loading windows” On the properties >of the file WIN.COM nothing is checked as ARCHIVE or READ ONLY if this makes any >difference. Also it is just in the WINDOWS folder and not any special folder inside >windows. There are no viruses found on the PC. Anyhow, thanks for trying so hard >guys. >Mable > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: win.com missing Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 2:42 am Posted by Mable (14 messages posted) There is something else to point out. When I switch on the computer (without boot disk) it goes straight into dos. When I type in EXIT, nothing happens. It just stays waiting for a command. Mable On Saturday, July 12, 2003 at 6:19 pm, JmC wrote: > > > > >Now that you are sure the file is in the Windows folder, it could be a problem with >the Msdos.sys file. Give this a try, it can't hurt anything. > > Restart your computer using a Win98 boot disk, select option 2 on the Startup >menu and then press ENTER. > > At the A:\> prompt, type: SYS C: (note the space) and press ENTER. The >following files will then be copied to the drive: > >* IO.SYS >* MSDOS.SYS >* COMMAND.COM > > If the procedure is successful, a 'System transferred' message appears. If it >is not successful, check to be sure you are typing the correct drive letter for your >Host Drive. > > Remove the boot disk and restart your system. > > > > JmC > > > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: win.com missing Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 4:10 am Posted by Lee (243 messages posted) This is normal for systems who have this problem, mable - its actually a good sign. What might be the problem is a messed up Path statement. The Path statement tells DOS where your system files are and if it is wrong then it 'can't find' all kinds of files. Type in the simple word 'set' (no quotes) in DOS mode to see what your system variables are currently set at. You should see (amoung others)Path=C:\Windows:C:\Windows\Command , WinBootDir=C: and bootdir=C: unless you are on a dual boot system. You can try typing 'Set Path=C:\Windows;C:\Windows\Command' (no quotes) and then 'Win', which might get you into Windows where you can add the set path statement to the start of the autoexec.bat file for a temporary fix. Problem may be with msdos.sys file which should have these lines at the very start of it. [Paths] WinDir=C:\WINDOWS WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS HostWinBootDrv=C Often a zero gets in there for some unknown reason and the result is a machine like yours. Just change it back, but msdos.sys is read only, hidden, and system attributed so those have to be changed first and then changed back once you have made the changes using notepad. Do that with a right click and Properties, check boxes at the bottom. Or attrib.exe and edit.com if in DOS mode. Path will need to be set in order for DOS to find those two programs too. These problems can be fixed unless, as JimC alluded to, your hard drive is Kaput. And it happens to the best of us, chin up. On Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 2:42 am, Mable wrote: >There is something else to point out. When I switch on the computer (without boot >disk) it goes straight into dos. When I type in EXIT, nothing happens. It just >stays waiting for a command. >Mable > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: win.com missing Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 4:13 am Posted by rob (322 messages posted) Hi Mable. The Mystery deepens. What is the Prompt letter you see when it goes into Dos without the boot floppy? A, C, other. Did you try Sys C: as suggested by JMC. Any other anomalies occuring, they may all be related and give us a clue to what is going on. Your original error was in Defragging, then it was Win.com not found.... Do you know if the PC uses the Autoexec.bat file when starting the PC and are there any entries in the Autoexec.bat file that you can remember Have you done anything else to the PC recently, it just seems funny a simple Defrag is turning into a nightmare occurance, lol. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: win.com missing Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 8:25 am Posted by Mable (14 messages posted) Mable here, My problem started when I tried doing a defrag in safe mode (ha ha) When the PC opens it is in DOS and reads C:\> “Cannot find win.com, Unable to continue loading Windows” I tried JmC’s tip of doing SYS C and that worked and I got a “System Transferred” message but still opens in DOS. I had a look as path and it gave this PATH=C:\PROGRA~1\WIN98RK;C:\PROGRA~1\WIN98RK;C:\ PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\ULEADS~1\MPEG That is all. I have previously copied Win.com into the windows folder. I am about to try Lee’s suggestions of typing 'Set path=C:\Windows;C:\Windows\Command' (no quotes) and then 'Win' I’m not giving up. Mable On Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 4:10 am, Lee wrote: >This is normal for systems who have this problem, mable - its actually a good sign. > What might be the problem is a messed up Path statement. The Path statement tells >DOS where your system files are and if it is wrong then it 'can't find' all kinds >of files. Type in the simple word 'set' (no quotes) in DOS mode to see what your >system variables are currently set at. You should see (amoung others)Path=C:\Windows:C:\Windows\Command >, WinBootDir=C: and bootdir=C: unless you are on a dual boot system. >You can try typing 'Set Path=C:\Windows;C:\Windows\Command' (no quotes) and then >'Win', which might get you into Windows where you can add the set path statement >to the start of the autoexec.bat file for a temporary fix. Problem may be with msdos.sys >file which should have these lines at the very start of it. >[Paths] >WinDir=C:\WINDOWS >WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS >HostWinBootDrv=C >Often a zero gets in there for some unknown reason and the result is a machine like >yours. Just change it back, but msdos.sys is read only, hidden, and system attributed >so those have to be changed first and then changed back once you have made the changes >using notepad. Do that with a right click and Properties, check boxes at the bottom. > Or attrib.exe and edit.com if in DOS mode. Path will need to be set in order for >DOS to find those two programs too. >These problems can be fixed unless, as JimC alluded to, your hard drive is Kaput. > And it happens to the best of us, chin up. > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Home and dry. Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 10:09 am Posted by Mable (14 messages posted) Well we’ve done it. The final thing that made windows open up again was: “You can try typing 'Set Path=C:\Windows;C:\Windows\Command' (no quotes) and then 'Win'” Thank you all on this fantastic site for your detailed and kind help. I now know so much more about my computer too. Now I'm going to have another go at Defrag in safe mode. Mable [Reply or follow-up to this message] I spoke too soon Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 10:39 am Posted by Mable (14 messages posted) I spoke too soon, After rebooting I got the same old “can’t find win.com” By typing 'Set path=C:\Windows;C:\Windows\Command' and then 'Win' as Lee suggested I get back into normal windows but what do I do to avoid typing this every time I open my computer? Mable [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: I spoke too soon Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 12:29 pm Posted by JmC (14166 messages posted) Things are beginning to dwindle down to the problem Mable. If when you typed PATH, you received this: PATH=C:\PROGRA~1\WIN98RK;C:\PROGRA~1\WIN98RK;C:\ PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\ULEADS~1\MPEG You have a problem and it must be in the Config.sys file. Boot up again and from the C:\> prompt, type these two commands followed by pressing enter after each one. REN CONFIG.SYS CONFIG.OLD (note the two spaces) REN AUTOEXEC.BAT AUTOEXEC.OLD (note the two spaces) Restart the system again........ JmC On Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 10:39 am, Mable wrote: > >I spoke too soon, >After rebooting I got the same old “can’t find win.com” > >By typing 'Set path=C:\Windows;C:\Windows\Command' and then 'Win' as Lee suggested >I get back into normal windows but what do I do to avoid typing this every time I >open my computer? >Mable [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: I spoke too soon Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 1:26 pm Posted by Mable (14 messages posted) Bother!!! After having supper, I come back to my PC to see a black screen with a flashing curser. I re-boot to find "operating system not found" I tried using nortons zip recovery but it stated the partitions have changed. I guess I now give up. Mable [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: I spoke too soon Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 1:52 pm Posted by JmC (14166 messages posted) Well......I'm sorry to hear that Mable. But as I mentioned in my first response to you, "Usually when this file is missing, it indicates a Virus". Maybe a key issue that was missed when you did get back in, 'run a complete Virus scan!' JmC On Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 1:26 pm, Mable wrote: >Bother!!! >After having supper, I come back to my PC to see a black screen with a flashing curser. > I re-boot to find >"operating system not found" >I tried using nortons zip recovery but it stated the partitions have changed. >I guess I now give up. >Mable > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: I spoke too soon Monday, July 14, 2003 at 1:55 am Posted by Lee (243 messages posted) Follow the rest of my advice? Insert the 'Set Path=C:\Windows;C:\Windows\Command' statement into the first line of Autoexec.bat file. Use notepad to do this. This will effectively 'enter' that string on every boot from now on so that you don't have to. It is a temporary fix until you find the real problem, eg. msdos.sys, config.sys or in fact a kludged hard drive. Print out my orginal reply so you can follow it thru all the steps once you are back in Windows - not just the first one or two. Still fixable - I hope. On Sunday, July 13, 2003 at 10:39 am, Mable wrote: > >I spoke too soon, >After rebooting I got the same old “can’t find win.com” > >By typing 'Set path=C:\Windows;C:\Windows\Command' and then 'Win' as Lee suggested >I get back into normal windows but what do I do to avoid typing this every time I >open my computer? >Mable [Reply or follow-up to this message] I think it's sorted Tuesday, July 15, 2003 at 9:33 am Posted by Mable (14 messages posted) Friends, I think it's all sorted out. I ended up re-installing windows 98se and everything is back to normal. Thanks everybody for all your wonderful help. I will certainly reccomend this site. Mable [Reply or follow-up to this message] Tip: Use one of the [Reply or follow-up to this message] links above to add a message to this thread Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows 98 Discussion Forum