How do I stop my PC from starting in Win98 MS-DOS mode?
For some unknown reason it started itself in MS-DOS mode,
and even though it says to type EXIT to return to WIN 98,
this does not work - it just keeps starting in MS-DOS
mode.

Assuming it is at a C: prompt, type: CD windows and hit enter.
At the prompt, type: win and hit enter. If this boots you into
Windows, alter the msdos.sys file so it contains an entry: BootGUI=1 per
this article:

Contents of the Windows Msdos.sys File
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=118579


--
Regards

Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo

"PETE" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2d96e01c46a6d$697e2230$a501280a@phx.gbl...

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the response.

The screen reads:

MS-DOS MODE C:\WINDOWS>

I typed in CD WINDOWS, but all I got was INVALID
DIRECTORY. I typed in WIN, and got the option to return
to normal Windows 98 mode. However, all that happens is
that the PC restarts and the same C:\WINDOWS> prompt
comes up again. The PC has an IBM SCSI hard disk drive
in it. All was working fine until I got back from
holiday, turned the PC on, only to find it started doing
this. Any more info?

Try typing "win /wx".

Ben

"PETE" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:2d96e01c46a6d$697e2230$a501280a@phx.gbl...

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 19:30:10 -0400, "Ben Myers"
Enter the EXIT command

If that doesn't work, one of a few situations apply:

1) PC is set to run in DOS mode

1.1) C:\WINBOOT.INI has a BootGUI=0 line in it
1.2) C:\MSDOS.SYS has a BootGUI=0 line in it
1.3) C:\CONFIG.SYS has a DOS=SINGLE line in it

If (1.3) then fix this by renaming away both C:\CONFIG.SYS and
C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT, as both will be DOS-orientated and inappropriate for
Windows. Keep them renamed away for reference, but in most cases your
PC will run better without those files that with bad ones.

Also, if (1.3) then you really should try EXIT command first!!

2) PC is *unable* to run Windows

2.1) C:\Windows (or other name) is destroyed or damaged
2.2) Core files needed for Windows are missing
2.3) Bad HD sectors cause key code files to fail
2.4) C:\WINBOOT.INI has bad [Paths] info
2.5) C:\MSDOS.SYS has bad [Paths] info
2.6) C:\CONFIG.SYS has bad Set Path= statement
2.7) C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT has bad (Set) Path= statements
2.8) Bad RAM is detected so HiMem.sys can't use XMS

As you can see, causes (2) are far more serious and can put your data
at risk - in such cases, getting Windows to run again may NOT be your
first priority, given that Windows always writes to the (at risk) HD.

Ah, you tries Exit already - good!

If you see the splash screen for Windows, then clearly a DOS mode
session runs, and C:\Config.sys and C:\Autoexec.bat are as for a DOS
mode session (DOS=SINGLE and START C:\WINDOWS\WIN.COM respectively) -
then you have the "double-launch" problem, where you launched a DOS
mode .pif a second time before the first could restart.

In such cases, the C:\*.WOS files that EXIT swaps in as active
"system" startup files aren't the original startup files you want, but
the files from the first instance of the DOS mode .pif you launched.

IOW:

1) System files in effect
2) Instance #1 copies system files to *.WOS, extracts its own
3) Instance #2 copies oops! files to *.WOS, extracts its own
4) EXIT returns via the *.WOS files
5) But oops! these are from Instance #1, not system
6) System files are g-o-n-e

HTH