Command Interpreter

[NewBritG44]

If anyone can help me with my problem, I will be grateful to you forever.I have been working on this computer for the last week and I'm getting very frustated. Here is the problem, I'm trying to upgrade my friends computer-here are the details: 700 mhz Athlon CPU, Chaintech Motherboard, 64 meg ram, floppy drive, CDrom, 13 gig hard drive. I did a partition and format c:/s on the hard drive to install Windows 98. I created and used a boot up disk from another computer. I tried to run setup directly from the CDrom and by copying the files directly to the hard drive and running setup from there - but no luck. I notice that the computer hangs when I restart for the first time during setup. The computer gets to the point where it says "Starting Windows 98" then it hangs or pauses for a real long time. Then I get the message "Type the name of the Command Interpreter". Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong and how I can correct this to get this darn computer working so I can give it back to my friend. Please, help me. If you need more details, please let me know and I'll let you know more information. Thanks to everyone in advance for their help!!!

[NewBritG44]

I apologize for not reading all of the prior postings to this forum before posting my problem. I just noticed my problem is kinda similar to Dukuesa who posted yesterday. The difference is that the floppy drive light does not stay on in my machine. As I mentioned I do get that annoying message about the command interpreter. Thanks

Originally posted by NewBritG44:
If anyone can help me with my problem, I will be grateful to you forever.I have been working on this computer for the last week and I'm getting very frustated. Here is the problem, I'm trying to upgrade my friends computer-here are the details: 700 mhz Athlon CPU, Chaintech Motherboard, 64 meg ram, floppy drive, CDrom, 13 gig hard drive. I did a partition and format c:/s on the hard drive to install Windows 98. I created and used a boot up disk from another computer. I tried to run setup directly from the CDrom and by copying the files directly to the hard drive and running setup from there - but no luck. I notice that the computer hangs when I restart for the first time during setup. The computer gets to the point where it says "Starting Windows 98" then it hangs or pauses for a real long time. Then I get the message "Type the name of the Command Interpreter". Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong and how I can correct this to get this darn computer working so I can give it back to my friend. Please, help me. If you need more details, please let me know and I'll let you know more information. Thanks to everyone in advance for their help!!!

[Donoho]

[/B][/QUOTE]
Try ipling the floppy, that should come up clean. Do C: to change drives to C then do DIR do display the C drive. You should see, in the list, WINDOWS or something close. Do CD the name you saw (WINDOWS on my PC), do dir again. You should see a very long list of files. Do dir com* and one of the files listed should be command.com. I believe this to be the command driver.
I do not know why windows is asking for the command driver but I do believe that you have a bad installation and I don't think you will find the expected programs on the C drive. Reinstall it from the CD and watch very carefully for anything unuseal. It doesn't sound like it is completing installed. As I recall, windows will IPL the system two or three times before the instalation is done. Did this happen. Regards, Jim

[NewBritG44]

Excuse my ignorance-but what is IPLING the floppy? I've never heard that expression before. Thanks


Originally posted by NewBritG44:
If anyone can help me with my problem, I will be grateful to you forever.I have been working on this computer for the last week and I'm getting very frustated. Here is the problem, I'm trying to upgrade my friends computer-here are the details: 700 mhz Athlon CPU, Chaintech Motherboard, 64 meg ram, floppy drive, CDrom, 13 gig hard drive. I did a partition and format c:/s on the hard drive to install Windows 98. I created and used a boot up disk from another computer. I tried to run setup directly from the CDrom and by copying the files directly to the hard drive and running setup from there - but no luck. I notice that the computer hangs when I restart for the first time during setup. The computer gets to the point where it says "Starting Windows 98" then it hangs or pauses for a real long time. Then I get the message "Type the name of the Command Interpreter". Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong and how I can correct this to get this darn computer working so I can give it back to my friend. Please, help me. If you need more details, please let me know and I'll let you know more information. Thanks to everyone in advance for their help!!!

[Donoho]

Originally posted by NewBritG44:
Excuse my ignorance-but what is IPLING the floppy? I've never heard that expression before. Thanks



Initial Program Load = IPL In your origional comment you said something to the effect that you created a bootable disk or maybe a friend gave you one and you BOOTed it. Same thing. BOOT or BOOTLEG or IPL. Boot leg came from the expression of picking ones self up by their own boots. All I'm saying is, when you see the A:> prompt, do not start the CD as you did when you installed windows. Instead, enter dos commands such as C: and DIR and try and determine the condition of your C: drive. I do not believe that you have good IPLable or BOOTable c: DRIVE (hard drive).
You should see several directories, one of which should be windows, which should contain command.com. Enter PATH and you will see the current path envoronment variable. This should include the diregtory C:\WINDOWS;.

[NewBritG44]

Good morning,
Thank you for the explaination. You learn something every day. This is a brand new hard drive. So I did the FDISK and format using
a Windows 98 start up disk that I created from another computer. I check and I do see everything you suggested I look for. At this point I'm just so tired, I don't know that else to do. Should I format again?
Let me ask this-when I format should it be Format C: or format C:/s?
Starting from format what should I do if you don't mind letting me know step by step? In fact, are there certain files that should or should not be on the boot up disk? Thanks
Originally posted by Donoho:
Originally posted by NewBritG44:
Excuse my ignorance-but what is IPLING the floppy? I've never heard that expression before. Thanks



Initial Program Load = IPL In your origional comment you said something to the effect that you created a bootable disk or maybe a friend gave you one and you BOOTed it. Same thing. BOOT or BOOTLEG or IPL. Boot leg came from the expression of picking ones self up by their own boots. All I'm saying is, when you see the A:> prompt, do not start the CD as you did when you installed windows. Instead, enter dos commands such as C: and DIR and try and determine the condition of your C: drive. I do not believe that you have good IPLable or BOOTable c: DRIVE (hard drive).
You should see several directories, one of which should be windows, which should contain command.com. Enter PATH and you will see the current path envoronment variable. This should include the diregtory C:\WINDOWS;.

[Donoho]

[/B][/QUOTE]
You need to follow the instructions that came with the new HD. /s says when the formating is done, put 2 or 3 programs on the HD which makes it bootable. I did not have to do that the last time I installed windows but I don't think it is relevent to your problem. It sounds to that windows did install but did not install correctly. After carefully going through the instructions that came with the hard drive, I would reinstall windows. You should answer several questions about what kind of install you want. You will eventually reach the point where the programs are on your hard drive, you will be asked to remove the floppy, windows will restart and continue the installation and initialization. I don't remember the exact count but this will occure about 3 times. You need to record everything that happens through the process so that you can disscuss it. I'm thinking that something happened during the installation and windows never completely installed. Jim