Flare Sci-Fi Forums: Why does my computer hate me 2?

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Posted by Tahna Los (Member # 33) on July 12, 2001 07:53 AM:

And I wanted to vote for Gore too!!!!

Okay, here's my problem.

Somehow, my autoexec.bat file decided to write its will yesterday, and I've spent all day trying to recover what my batch file did. Apparently, a virus (I think) had overwritten the extension on my batch file and did something so that I could not delete any file with that extension. A friend of mine managed to purge that file as well as run a dos-based virus checker to nail the culprit virus.

Now this leaves me without a batch file, and I basically tried to reassemble my batch file from memory. Here I have a problem:

My work at the computer lab requires me to use many paths to gain access to certain directories without the need to access them separately. I had the following paths:

path c:\dos
path c:\windows
path c:\[insert directory here]
path c:\[insert another directory here]
and so on.

Unfortunately, my Windows will no longer load up. A classmate suggests moving my Windows path down to the bottom. I did so, and it did work, but now I cannot access all the other paths that I need to access.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Posted by Jeff The Card (Member # 411) on July 12, 2001 10:37 AM:

Get a new computer?

Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on July 12, 2001 11:04 AM:

So what you're saying is that you can manage to get Windows to load, but things like your CD-ROM drive and drivers aren't loading?

Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on July 12, 2001 11:19 AM:

Um... IIRC, paths are all supposed to be on one line, with semi-colons between each directory. For example:

SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\DOS;C:\PLEH;D:\

You're effectively telling it to make one directory the single path, then to replace it with another directory, then yet another. That's why only the last one works. You have to put them all in using a single command.

All as is my understanding. I haven't really had to deal with all this in quite some time.

Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on July 12, 2001 11:29 AM:

Well, I opened up my autoexec.bat file and my path setting is:

PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\;C:\CDROM;C:\BRCD\COMMAND;C:\BRCD\BIN

I'm running Windows 98 Second Edition.

If worse comes to worse, you might wanna see if you have old version of the autoexec file still on your hard drive that you could restore. I have two: autoexec.001 and autoexec.002. If you've installed something that has made alterations to your autoexec.bat file, you might to see if you still have the older version. It'll at least get Windows up and running fully again.

And, as is always the last resort, you could try backing up your files and then re-installing Windows. Certainly not a fun prospect (especially if all you have available to back up your stuff is the floppy disk drive).

Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on July 12, 2001 06:19 PM:

Odd. The thing to watch is for path mappings you don't need. . . for instance, installing PCAnywhere 9 re-writes your AUTOEXEC.BAT to make the PCA directory the default, and Windows just doesn't start. Really useful.

Posted by Tahna Los (Member # 33) on July 12, 2001 09:47 PM:

Vogon: I've never had any problems with PCAnywhere 9 or 10 since I was using them when my boss left on a trip.

Siegfried: I just tried that. For some reason I get a "Too many Parameters" on my screen.

Posted by This space for rent, 866-634-7213 (Member # 417) on July 12, 2001 09:56 PM:

Try SET PATH=path;path;path;"%PATH%"

Posted by The_Evil_Lord (Member # 256) on July 13, 2001 03:13 AM:

quote:
Siegfried: I just tried that. For some reason I get a "Too many Parameters" on my screen.

That's because the line has to end with a semi-colon as well, i.e.:

PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\;C:\CDROM;C:\BRCD\COMMAND;C:\BRCD\BIN;

Alternatively you can simply specify PATH=C:\;%PATH% - this will recurse all subdirectories beneath the root.

Posted by MC Infinity (Member # 531) on July 13, 2001 04:00 AM:

I just looked at my AutoExec.bat, and it's well, empty..... there is nothing there whatsoever, I don't know why, and it isn't bothering my computer. I guess I should be happy

Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on July 13, 2001 04:26 AM:

What the hell!? The copy and paste function ate my semicolon!

Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on July 13, 2001 04:33 AM:

I'm not sure why having the PATH file missing would stop Windows from loading the CD drivers and all that. I always thought that the Autoexec.bat file was largely for DOS.

Infinity: Your could be empty if you're running Windows ME or (I think) 2000.

Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on July 13, 2001 04:37 AM:

Is your config.sys file all right?

Posted by Michael_T (Member # 144) on July 13, 2001 06:04 PM:

I am definately glad that my stepdad minored and several of my friends are computer science majors. I would have gone mad by now and would have bought a new Sony Vaio laptop.

Posted by MC Infinity (Member # 531) on July 13, 2001 11:12 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by PsyLiam:

Infinity: Your could be empty if you're running Windows ME or (I think) 2000.

Yes, I'm not in big trouble!!

Thanks