Solved: Win ME will not load

[stormchild99]

I have a compaq presario, ME edition. Recently when I started it, the screen comes up saying "Windows could not ugrade the file % 1 from % 2".
It then continues to repeat this on end.
I have a recovery disk, but am not sure if I should run it, as the files on the computer are not backed up.

has anyone has this problem, and can you help?

 

[kalisun]

Here's the fix for that problem on the MS Website:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q283069

Hope this helps!

 

[stormchild99]

thanks for taking the time to help.
However, I can not get a prompt.
I'll will try to get a startup floppy and try that.
Again thank you for your time.

 

[stormchild99]

I've made some progress. But not much. I made a MS-DOS startup disk and was able to get a prompt on the screen. I then typed c: and got the c prompt. Then I typed cd\windows\command. And then scanreg /restore. I chose a good registry and the computer restored it. But when I restarted, the same old "Windows could not ugrade the file % 1 from % 2", stared again.

Then I tried the MS Website fix, but at the 2nd step when I type "attrib -r -s -h _RESTORE", I get a "bad command" msg.

Could it be that the MS-DOS startup disk is not the same as a ME start up disk?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[kalisun]

Hmmm...it might, so here is a site that has all the different bootdisks:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

download the one for ME and then follow the directions to create the bootdisk and then follow the Microsoft Web sites steps again and see if it works...

Hope this helps!

 

[stormchild99]

Still no luck. So here is where I stand now:
1) When I startup with no disk in A, I get the following:
"Please wait while setup updates your configuration files."
"This may take a few minutes..."
Then it starts with "Windows could not upgrade the file %1 from %2".
This msg will repeat every few seconds, until I shut off the computer.
2) When I put the WinME bootdisk in A: I get the following:
"Non-system disk or disk error". "Replace and strike any key when ready"
3)With a MSDOS startup disk in A:, I can get the Arompt and change it to C:,
but then when I type "attrib -r -s -h _RESTORE", I get a "bad command or file name" msg.

Any other idea?
Thanks.

 

[JSntgRvr]

Click on My Computer. Select C:, then Tools from the menu, then Folder options. Select The View tab and under hidden files and folder select "Show all Files and Folders". Is _Restore now present on screen? If not, proceed with the restof the instructions:

10. Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl in the Open box, and then click OK.
11. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Performance tab, and then click File System.
12. Click the Troubleshooting tab, and then click to select the Disable System Restore check box.
13. Click Apply, click Close two times, and then click Yes to restart the computer.
14. Repeat steps 10 and 11.
15. Click the Troubleshooting tab, and then click to clear the Disable System Restore check box.
16. Click Apply, click Close, and then click File System.
17. In the Settings area, drag the System Restore disk space use slider to the minimum setting of 200 MB.
18. Click Apply, click OK, click Close, and then click Yes to restart the computer.
19. Reinstall the new program or update the program that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section again.

Please note that when you disable System Restore, all restore points will be lost.

 

[JSntgRvr]

When you downloaded the ME startup diskette. Did you download the file directly to the floppy, or did you downloaded the file to a directory in the computer and doubleclicked on the file to extract its components into the floppy disk?

 

[stormchild99]

I downloaded to a computer and then doubledclicked and made a copy.

As for the computer, there is nothing, except an error msg or the Arompt, depending on what disk is in the A:drive, so it is impossible for me to click on anything.

 

[JSntgRvr]

Must try another Boot Disk.

http://freepctech.com/pc/002/files010.shtml

Try this:

Remove any Diskette or CD from the computer. Start the computer. Tap on F8 during Startup to reach the startup menu. Select Safe Mode. Click on My Computer and follow the instructions above.

 

[stormchild99]

After I selected the safe mode, it restarted and did the same thing.

I was looking at another problem that you solved titled "can't recover windows ME. (http://forums.techguy.org/t374247.html)
Do you think this would work in this case?
Here was your solution:

"Boot the computer with a startup for Windows ME. You can download one from www.bootdisk.com. At the menu select Minimum Boot. At the prompt type the following and press Enter after each line (You must need the Windows ME Product Key for this process as Windows will not install without it):

C:
cd\
Dir Precopy*.* /s
Dir Win_13.cab /s

Note: The above command will give you the location of the installation files. Take note of that.

Copy C:\Windows\Command\Xcopy*.*
Copy C:\Windows\Command\Move*.*
Copy C:\Windows\Command\Deltree*.*
md Install

If the loction of the installation files is C:\Windows\Options\Cabs, type the following and press Enter:

Xcopy C:\Windows\Options\Cabs\*.* /s C:\Install

If the loction of the installation files is C:\Windows\Options\Install, type the following and press Enter:

Xcopy C:\Windows\Options\Install\*.* /s C:\Install

Once the file are copied continue with the following: (IF the files are not copied Stop. Do not Continue and let me know the problem)

Move C:\Progra~1 C:\Previous
Move C:\Windows C:\Win001

cd install
Setup

Follow instructions for installation. Have the ME Product Key Handy for activation.
__________________

 

[JSntgRvr]

Well, that will reinstall Windows and for sure will resolve the issue. But that will be the extreme as you will lose your applications.

Boot the computer with the MSDOS boot diskette. At the A:> prompt type the following and press Enter after each line. Let me know if the file or folder exists and its location:

C:
cd\
dir C:_Restore /A:H /S

 

[stormchild99]

After entering the above, it says:
Vol in drive C is LOCAL DISK
Vol Ser # is 2356-11E6
Directory of C:\_RESTORE
temp
archive
logs
sfp
extract
dsinfo
1 files
total files listed:
1 files
5 dir

 

[JSntgRvr]

After entering the above, it says:
Vol in drive C is LOCAL DISK
Vol Ser # is 2356-11E6
Directory of C:\_RESTORE
temp
archive
logs
sfp
extract
dsinfo
1 files
total files listed:
1 files
5 dir

Ok. That means the folder exists. Microsoft fix above calls for renaming the _Restore folder. Lets try to Delete it instead. For this you will need the Deltree command compatible with the Command interpreter in the MSDOS boot diskette.

At the prompt type the following and press Enter:

Deltree C:\_Restore

If you receive an error "Invalid Command or fille", that means the Deltree command does not exists in the Startup Diskette. In that case try the following command:

C:\Windows\Command\Deltree C:\_Restore

If the Command Interpreter in the Startup Diskette is not Windows ME compatible, you will receive an invalid version error.

If any of the errors above occurs, you must create a Windows ME Startup Diskette and copy the Deltree Command into the diskette to delete this folder.

Aren't you able to boot at all? Whether in Normal or Safe Mode? Where you got this MSDOS diskette. Which Operating System this diskette responds to?

 

[stormchild99]

I think I got the ms/dos bootdisk from the boot.com site. No, I'm not able to boot at all.
I can only get to A: prompt with the dos bootdisk, or the WINME Bootdisk I made today from the site you listed in #10 (http://freepctech.com/pc/002/files010.shtml). That's
the disk in A drive now.
I just typed in: Deltree C:\_Restore. Here is the reply:
Delete directory "C:\_Restore" and all its subdirectories? (yn) _

I guess the answer is yes, but I'll wait to be sure.