crashed Win98

Hi All,
I just joined this morning. I'm hoping to get some help with my Acer win98 computer. I deleted some files out of the bootup path and can't start the computer. I can reboot with a floppy disc and am able to format the "C" drive. Should I do that and then reboot with my resource disc or do I have to put the lost files back using a dos path in the A drive?

 

If you have a restore CD, then just put it in, reboot, and follow the screen prompts.

 

I put in the resource disc and it said call a tech!

 

resource cds do that? LOL
Welcome to MajorGeeks

 

I wasn't trying to make light of your problem, but perhaps I don't fully understand! What type of floppy are you booting up with? A Win98 bootdisk? What do you mean by resource disk? Is this an Operating System disk?

If you haven't already formatted your hard drive, you could boot with the floppy and provided that it is a Win98 bootdisk, and after it has finished booting the computer, type sys C: at the A: prompt. This should transfer the system files to the C: drive and allow you to boot Windows. Hope this helps!

 

Thank you for your reply, I'm still learning my way around Major Geek. I booted the computer and typed in sys C: The computer stayed in the A drive and I now have the msg. System transfered then the A prompt returned. The resource disc I have came with the Acer computer. It's suposed to reinstall 98.

 

Now remove the floppy, and restart the computer. Hopefully it will boot into Windows, as transferring the system files from A: to C: should have given you the basics to boot with. If you know what files that you removed from your boot path that caused the problem, then yes, they can be replaced while booted from the boot disk.

As I have no idea of whether your resource disk actually said " call a tech" or not, I have to ask. Did it??

Does the computer actually boot from your resource CD?

 

I did try to restart and it went back to th e A drive. I got the Resource drive to work but when I tried to reinstall win98 it told me to call a tech. I'm not sure that was the exact wording but that was the meaning. I typed in the "a" drive " scandisk/all" and when it finished (about 45 Min.) It said there are fisical problems with the hard drive and I should backup all my work because it usually means an eminent crash of the hard drive. I'm scandisking again now to see if I get the same msg. Thanks for your help.

 

I reran the scandisk/all and now I'm told the C drive is ok. When I reboot with the resource disk I get the msg.
"While initializing device VF backup VF backup could not load VFD.VXD"

Please run setup again

How can I run setup without the resource disk?

Thanks for any help you can give me.
Tom K

 

You might read this, as it is from MicroSoft concerning the error - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/150164. As I have no idea of the files that you removed from the boot path that caused the problem, it might be easier to reformat, or do an install with another Win98 disk. Reinstalling with another disk shouldn't cause problems with the files that you have on the computer.

 

Hi Novice,
Merry Christmas,
I hate to be a pest but you seem to be my best source of info. I got discusted with my win98 computer and quit trying for a while. I took your advice and went to MS support. I was able to get the C drive scandisked and the files cleared up Now I am able to boot up in the safe mode but I end up in the A drive with the msg:

While initializing device VFbackup:
VFbackup could not load VFD.VXD. Please run setup again.

I run the setup and continue to get the same msg.
Can you help ME?
Tom

 

Merry Christmas to you also!

What type of Acer computer is this, a laptop or desktop? Which files did you remove from what directory? Have you reformatted yet? This may seem like a bunch of unnecessary questions but all are relevant. Await your reply!

 

Novice,
Thanks for the reply.
I have an ACER power desktop with win98
I have no idea which files are missing.


I try to format but get a bad command msg.
I change the drive to "C" and typed format.exe, format\c:,
I left it in "A" drive and tried the same commands with no luck

I also tried the ms-dos prompt attrib-r-s-hc:\msdos.sys.
hit enter and get : bad command msg.
This was ms's fix for win95
I'm sorry if I mislead you I have a recovery disk and a resource disk. The recource disk is to replace lost software. I've been using the recovery disk and it does say "call a tech" when I try to load it.

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

You may be having syntax problems with your commands. Spaces and distinguishing between the forward and back slashes are important.

Watch your spaces: attrib-r-s-hc:\msdos.sys becomes attrib -r -s -h c:\msdos.sys

***************

*****************

I think one bit of confusion you may be having is that you are starting from the A: drive. So before you do any formatting can you tell us what happens when you try to start your computer with no disks in the CDROM. Because "Now I am able to boot up in the safe mode but I end up in the A drive with the msg:..." doesn't quite make sense to me--the A: drive should not come into the picture at all here if you are booting from your hard drive. Also could you give your exact model of Acer computer, I'd like to clear up the Recovery disk options available.

 

When I boot with the CDrom I get the msg. call a tech. I have been booting with a 98 floppy disk. when I boot with no disks I get a msg.

"while initializing VFbackup: backup could not load VFD.VXD. Please run setup again".

There is a cursur but no drive number and I can't type anything.
My computer is an: ACER Power 6100

Thanks for all the replys
Tom

 

Tom,

Try reading this link as it is from Acer regarding rebuilding a hard drive, and let me know how you come out! http://www.acersupport.com/desktop/articles/p6100_cpr.html.

 

I went to the ACER site, followed the instrutions with the resource disk and my computer won't boot in the CDrom drive. It flashes like it's going to but then the drive light goes off and the computer reboots from the hard drive. I now get a msg.

vnetsup.vxd
system.ini cannot find a device file needed to run Windows. Windows registry refers to this device file but the file no longer exiests.
This is followed by the same msg. with at least ten more missing files.
ndis2sup.vxd
javasup.vxd

And many more.
Isn't this fun? I'm ready to trash the whole thing.
Tom

 

I wouldn't trash it just yet. Hate the frustration and problems that you are having, but from your last post the CD either isn't bootable or the boot order in the BIOS is wrong. Might read this link while pondering whether to trash it or not! http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q192832/.

 

If you want to reformat the c: drive. Startup with the bootdisk. While still in a: type in format c: then hit enter
This is the command to reformat no \
After reformatting you should be able to reinstall by putting cd in and changing to the d: drive and type setup and hit enter