Help! My mom's machine needs to be rebooted

[EFerrari]

and she needs the dos command, doesn't have those old manuals.

Anyone have a clue? :(

[FormerDittoHead]

1. Unplug it, then plug it back in.

Otherwise, your question was so vauge that's the best I can do.

[EFerrari]

2. Sorry. The vagueness of the clueless and the inept.

So far, I've come up with unplug, ctl+alt+del and don't know where to go from there.

If these don't work, she'll either commit harikari or call me back.

Thank you!

[EFerrari]

3. Okay, somehow she can get to her C drive and now she needs the

DOS command to get Windows up. Is there a dir command for this? I don't know enough to really help.

Apparently, this whole problem stems from loading antispyware she got from Microsoft. :eyes:

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

6. Please identify the version of Windows.

If in Win98, the commands are:

CD /windows (enter) (or whatever directory Windoze is installed into)

win (enter)

[EFerrari]

8. XP n/t

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

16. You cannot boot into the XP GUI from a DOS prompt

Several reasons- the most important being XP does not use "real" DOS- it only emulates it. Booting into "real" XP requires you to simply boot and do nothing (until it gets to a password prompt if one is set up). If it's not booting properly then there are issues that need to be diagnosed and corrected. Such things as corrupt system files or a computer virus may prevent normal bootup. Hardware changes can also freeze an XP machine, no matter how much Microshaft denies it.

As others here know from hard experience, it's extremely difficult to diagnose a sick 'puter by messages in a chat group. An XP machine that doesn't boot needs experienced hands to figure it out.

BTW: "GUI" (as referenced in the message title) simply stands for Graphical User Interface. It's usually pronounced as "gooey".

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

4. If you're saying she needs to boot into DOS

then during bootup, simply hit F8. A menu will come up with the option
of booting to a command line.

If she wants to use the command line from within Windoze (which version???)
there is a Command Prompt (or, if in Win98, it's called a DOS Prompt) in the
START menu, under Accessories.

[EFerrari]

9. Got it. Thank you.

Beth

[bemildred]

5. "C:\Windows\WIN.COM" nt

[EFerrari]

7. Thank you!

My mom doesn't speak English but she does fine on the machine. She's just a little frazzled right now. :hi:

[EFerrari]

10. And, that's not working. It reverts to the C prompt. n/t

[bemildred]

11. Well, you have XP, which may be different.

I don't have it, so can't be sure.
The question would be why does she not boot into the windows GUI in the first place?
I didn't think that XP had a true dos mode in the first place.
She could try typing "exit" at the DOS prompt to see what happens.
That's how you get back to the GUI from a DOS prompt from within Windoze in my experience.

[EFerrari]

13. Thanks, bemildred. I told her to bring me the machine.

This three way stuff is just unworkable. Once it's here, I can take a shot at it.

Thanks for your help.

Beth

[bemildred]

14. I know what you mean. Good luck with that. nt

[LiberalUprising]

12. Look here

Windows XP Professional Product Documentation > Performance and maintenance
Command-line reference A-Z

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/ntcmds.mspx

Google search
http://www.google.com/search?q=dos+command+xp&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[EFerrari]

15. Thank you. I sure will. n/t