Disappearing items in autoexec.bat

I have Windows 98SE but still use some DOS programs (SuperCalc 5.5 and Word Perfect 5.1) through Windows, i.e. not in MS-DOS mode. Presently in Windows I have UK keyboard, but in the DOS programs the keyboard seems to be US - " comes out as @ and vice versa. I tried amending the autoexec.bat to add the necessary instructions for UK keyboard. I did this in Notepad, saved it, exited from Notepad, then opened it and checked the amendments were correct. But when I rebooted the computer my new instructions had disappeared and the autoexec.bat was as if I'd never altered it. How on earth can this be?


Nibor

 

To edit the autoexec.bat file you want to click on Start/Run and type
sysedit and click OK. It will open all the system startup files in a cascade.

**However, if the only time your keyboard is 'misbehaving' is in these DOS programs, I think you should right-click on the shortcut for the program, go to Properties, the Program Tab, and choose MS-DOS mode, and then create an autoexec.bat file for that program's use. Just my opinion....

Good luck!

 

Thanks for your reply, Kimmer13. I could do your 2nd option, but that would mean running the programs in MS-DOS mode, but I'm keen to continue running them through a window so that I can switch between them and other Windows programs. I haven't had any trouble with this before.

I tried your first option and at sysedit the files came up in a cascade, just as you said, all except autoexec.bat; this message appeared: "cannot open c:\autoexec.bat. No explanation was given.

Nibor