Problem with an ancient computer......

I'm looking at an old computer..........

486DX
16 mb ram
Windows 3.1
2 gig HD

I know.....it's worthless, but it's all she has. Here's the problem........
Windows will not boot. During POST, everything appears to be fine, then she gets the following message:

Testing extended memory..........done.

bad command or file name

C:/


I have tried typing in various DOS commands at the C prompt, but keep getting the "bad command" error. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance,
Al

 

If you could, open up the autoexec.bat and post it. also try typing win at the c prompt to access windows

 

also make sure that Command.com is loaded onto the computer. have you tried booting with a boot disk?

 

By all means check if command.com is present, but I doubt you would get a c:\ prompt if it wasnt present. you would most likely get an error that there was no operating system installed or you might get invalid system disk error

unless command.com is corrupted but still slightly functional

 

It sounds like the path statement is missing or in error from autoexec.bat. You need to post up your autoexec.bat file.

 

I tried typing in win from the c:/ and got the same error. How do I open autoexec.bat?
Sorry guys.......still learning here.

 

No worries. type edit autoexec.bat

 

make sure your printer is connected and OK. From the C: prompt, type in

TYPE AUTOXEC.BAT > PRN

Note space after the word TYPE and after BAT and after the right arrow >.

This should print out the contents of your AUTOEXEC.BAT

Do exactly the same with CONFIG.SYS as follows

TYPE CONFIG.SYS > PRN

Same spaces, same results hopefully.

Post both printouts back to us in this thread. Bazza

 

or you could do that too...

 

Obviously A computer is working for you. The "copy" command should still be working. You can copy the file C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT to a disk so you can post it here. Or try this:

At "C:\>" (or "C:/"), type: C:\DOS\EDIT.COM C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT
Look for a line that says "PATH" or "SET PATH" at the beginning. If there isn't one, type it in so that the line reads "PATH C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS".
Press Alt-F. (A menu should appear sprouting from the word "File" in top left.)
Press S. (for "Save")
Press Alt-F. (Just like before.)
Press X. (for "eXit)
Reboot

This should get you up&running.