How do I start up MS-DOS in WXP?

[PC Duffer]

Actually, that's not what I mean. (I know it's under Accessories etc.)
What I mean to say is how do I start up my PC so it goes to MS-DOS
rather than Windows? I seem to recall pre-XP you could shut down and
restart in DOS mode. Is it still possible? Thanks for the answer,
anyone who knows....

 

[Malke]

Actually, that's not what I mean. (I know it's under Accessories etc.)
What I mean to say is how do I start up my PC so it goes to MS-DOS
rather than Windows? I seem to recall pre-XP you could shut down and
restart in DOS mode. Is it still possible? Thanks for the answer,
anyone who knows....

It isn't possible in XP because unlike Win9x/ME, none of the NT-based
operating systems (NT, Windows 2000, XP, Vista) is based on the MS-DOS
operating system. The only way to boot to MS-DOS with an XP machine is
to have an MS-DOS boot disk and actually boot into the MS-DOS operating
system.

What are you trying to accomplish?


Malke

 

[Arkadiusz 'Black Fox' Artyszuk]

It isn't possible in XP because unlike Win9x/ME, none of the NT-based
operating systems (NT, Windows 2000, XP, Vista) is based on the MS-DOS
operating system. The only way to boot to MS-DOS with an XP machine is
to have an MS-DOS boot disk and actually boot into the MS-DOS operating
system.

The other way to boot DOS using Windows XP is to use virtual machine
like VMware or VirtualPC. ;-)

 

[PC Duffer]

What are you trying to accomplish?

Hi Malke. Thanks for the pointer. The only reason I wanted to do such
a thing is that I have one bad "malware" program in windows/system32.
I try to delete it but it says "in use". So..... I thought if I could
go into DOS and delete it whilst Windows was not running, I would beat
it, but it is too clever for me, ha ha!

 

[Malke]

Hi Malke. Thanks for the pointer. The only reason I wanted to do such
a thing is that I have one bad "malware" program in windows/system32.
I try to delete it but it says "in use". So..... I thought if I could
go into DOS and delete it whilst Windows was not running, I would beat
it, but it is too clever for me, ha ha!

Booting into DOS is unlikely to be of any use in this situation,
particularly if your XP drive is partitioned NTFS since DOS can't
natively read NTFS. Instead, go through these general malware removal
steps systematically:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

Include scanning with David Lipman's Multi_AV and follow instructions to
do all scans in Safe Mode. Please see the special Notes regarding using
Multi_AV in Vista.

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Multi-AV - instructions
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/sicherheit/35905/multi_av_scanning_tool.html
- download site

The site is in German but David's tool is in English so don't let that
worry you. Scroll all the way down to almost the bottom of the page and
you'll see a box titled "Infos Zum Download - Multi-AV Scanning Tool".
You'll see "Download von www pctipp.ch" and the live link to download
Multi_AV.

You can also check to see if there are targeted removal steps for your
malware here:
Bleeping Computer removal how-to's -
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum55.html

When all else fails, run HijackThis and post your log in one of the
specialty forums listed at the first link above (not here, please).

Not all tools used will work in Vista and you will need to run them
elevated. Since Vista is so new, it will be a while before removal
techniques and tools are developed. If you are unable to remove the
infection by following the general steps, register at one of the
HijackThis forums as suggested.

Standard caveat: If the procedures look too complex - and there is no
shame in admitting this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a
professional computer repair shop (not your local version of
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). Please be aware that not all local shops
are skilled at removing malware and even if they are, your computer may
be so infested that Windows will need to be clean-installed. Have all
your data backed up before you take the machine into a shop.


Malke

 

[WaIIy]

Actually, that's not what I mean. (I know it's under Accessories etc.)
What I mean to say is how do I start up my PC so it goes to MS-DOS
rather than Windows? I seem to recall pre-XP you could shut down and
restart in DOS mode. Is it still possible? Thanks for the answer,
anyone who knows....

Get something like 'Delete Doctor' and that will take your file out
on re-boot.

http://www.theabsolute.net/sware/#deletedr

There are several programs that do this, look around.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Actually, that's not what I mean. (I know it's under Accessories etc.)
What I mean to say is how do I start up my PC so it goes to MS-DOS
rather than Windows? I seem to recall pre-XP you could shut down and
restart in DOS mode. Is it still possible?

No, it's not possible. It's not a matter of pre-XP or not. Before XP,
Microsoft made two families of Windows operating systems--the
business-oriented Windows NT family and the consumer-oriented Windows
9x family. The consumer-oriented Windows 9x versions (95, 98, 98SE,
and Me) all ran on top on MS-DOS, and it was possible, as you say, to
boot to DOS without starting Windows. However the NT family (NT, 2000,
XP, and Vista) are not built on top of MS-DOS and there is no MS-DOS
there to boot to.

Now that the two families are united as one (in XP and Vista), the
only way to boot to DOS is by booting from an MS-DOS diskette. But
even there, note that if you hard drive is NTFS (and it is on most XP
systems) it won't be recognized by MS-DOS (at least, not without
special third-party software on your boot diskette) and will be
inaccessible to a DOS boot.

For almost all practical purposes, booting to DOS is a thing of the
past. Why do you want to do this?

 

[PC Duffer]

Thanks to all that responded, for both tips and background info. I
will investigate the products mentioned, but have to admit that I have
always been over cautious about ANY anti-virus software. I've just got
it into my head that they all have their own little spyware programs
included in them! Sorry, can't help it. Doubting Thomas, that's me!
But I will think about trusting them!

It's not as if I am a careless PC user anyway. I stay strictly to the
same few sites, never click on anything dodgy (just not interested!),
run Spybot and AdAware every 2-3 days, clear cache at the end of the
day, (really tidy beaver!), and most importantly, do a search EVERY
day before I turn the PC off, showing me all items with a creation
date of "today". On the few occasions there's been something I haven't
recognised, it gets binned immediately!

In one year, I've only had to do System Restore twice. With this
latest abomination (from god knows where), it was my first thought,
but guess what? The crafty beggars have blanked out ALL past restore
points, and now just says "last known good configuration point" at a
time AFTER the malware was created, so I know it's a hoax!

If I could ever meet these people - grrrrr!!!

Peter

 

[Poprivet`]

Actually, that's not what I mean. (I know it's under Accessories etc.)
What I mean to say is how do I start up my PC so it goes to MS-DOS
rather than Windows? I seem to recall pre-XP you could shut down and
restart in DOS mode. Is it still possible? Thanks for the answer,
anyone who knows....

<groan> You're going to get a bunch of posts about how there is no DOS in XP
form the purist dummies around here. The proper phrase you want to use is
"Command Prompt" instead.

AFAIK you can only access the Command Prompt (DOS windows) from within XP
and as I'm sure others will mention, that's not a true DOS, although most of
the DOS commands and functions will work there, along with batch files,
etc., if they are written compatibly.

If you explain what it is you want to do, I'm sure you'll get some better
targetted responses and whether it'll even work in XP. Your post is too
general, IMO.

HTH

Pop`

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Actually, that's not what I mean. (I know it's under Accessories etc.)
What I mean to say is how do I start up my PC so it goes to MS-DOS
rather than Windows? I seem to recall pre-XP you could shut down and
restart in DOS mode. Is it still possible? Thanks for the answer,
anyone who knows....

There is no way to reboot a WinXP PC into Real Mode DOS unless
you've set up a dual-boot system. The WinNT family of 32-bit (and now
64-bit) graphical desktop operating systems, of which WinXP is the
latest generation, has never used, included, or "ridden upon" MS-DOS.
The Recovery Console's CLI (Command Line Interface) is the closest you
can come to the old "DOS mode."


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[DL]

Doubting Thomas? This extends to critical updates?
If you are that carefull a user and have 'only had to use' system restore
twice, this year, then you are doing something wrong, no matter how
carefully.

 

[Stan Brown]

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 05:49:47 -0800 from Malke

It isn't possible in XP

I think it is (modulo quibbles about "MS-DOS" versus "command
prompt"). Just hit F8 rapidly while the computer is booting, and when
you get the choice of how to boot request command prompt.

(Caveat: I think the key is F8, but it might be F2 -- it's a long
time since I've needed the choice of boot methods.)

However, I agree with Malke that this is the key question:

 

[bojimbo26]

Thanks to all that responded, for both tips and background info. I
will investigate the products mentioned, but have to admit that I have
always been over cautious about ANY anti-virus software. I've just got
it into my head that they all have their own little spyware programs
included in them! Sorry, can't help it. Doubting Thomas, that's me!
But I will think about trusting them!

It's not as if I am a careless PC user anyway. I stay strictly to the
same few sites, never click on anything dodgy (just not interested!),
run Spybot and AdAware every 2-3 days, clear cache at the end of the
day, (really tidy beaver!), and most importantly, do a search EVERY
day before I turn the PC off, showing me all items with a creation
date of "today". On the few occasions there's been something I haven't
recognised, it gets binned immediately!

In one year, I've only had to do System Restore twice. With this
latest abomination (from god knows where), it was my first thought,
but guess what? The crafty beggars have blanked out ALL past restore
points, and now just says "last known good configuration point" at a
time AFTER the malware was created, so I know it's a hoax!

If I could ever meet these people - grrrrr!!!

Peter

What is the program you want to delete ?

 

[Allan]

Hi Malke. Thanks for the pointer. The only reason I wanted to do such
a thing is that I have one bad "malware" program in windows/system32.
I try to delete it but it says "in use". So..... I thought if I could
go into DOS and delete it whilst Windows was not running, I would beat
it, but it is too clever for me, ha ha!

Try booting into Safe Mode to delete a file that is "in use" in regular
mode.

 

[PC Duffer]

What is the program you want to delete ?

It's actually rqrrr.dll (which I see from the web has affected others
too, without resolve).

I tried the recommended "delete doctor" first. Not because it as
freeware - believe me, I have NO qualms about paying for any kind of
fix, I assure you! - but it didn't work. I scheduled it to be deleted
on restart (manual deletion always says "in use"), but lo and behold,
it's still there.

This is a nasty one!

Peter

 

[PC Duffer]

Doubting Thomas? This extends to critical updates?
If you are that carefull a user and have 'only had to use' system restore
twice, this year, then you are doing something wrong, no matter how
carefully.

Well thanks for that, but it doesn't actually help with the current
problem!

 

[Poprivet`]

It's actually rqrrr.dll (which I see from the web has affected others
too, without resolve).

I tried the recommended "delete doctor" first. Not because it as
freeware - believe me, I have NO qualms about paying for any kind of
fix, I assure you! - but it didn't work. I scheduled it to be deleted
on restart (manual deletion always says "in use"), but lo and behold,
it's still there.

This is a nasty one!

Peter

Since you seem familair with DOS command, try this:

You can try deleting it from the Command Prompt, and if that doesn't work,
try:

Use your XP CD to boot the computer. No, you're not going to reinstall
anything.
When it's up and runing, choose R for the Repair Console.
Once into the Repair Console, that's the Command Prompt.

Use your DOS knowledge to navigate to the directory where the file is
located, and try to delete it using hte standard "Del" command. cd, ., ..,
cd c:'path, etc all work. IF any paths have spaces in them, surroung the
whole thing with quotes if you get errors ( "C:\program files\folder" ) If
you're completely up to date you won't have to do that, though.
"HELP" will get you a listing of Helps for the Command Prompt.

You should be able to delete it from there.
Then close the Command Prompt, Repair Console and reboot.

HTH

Pop`

 

[bojimbo26]

It's actually rqrrr.dll (which I see from the web has affected others
too, without resolve).

I tried the recommended "delete doctor" first. Not because it as
freeware - believe me, I have NO qualms about paying for any kind of
fix, I assure you! - but it didn't work. I scheduled it to be deleted
on restart (manual deletion always says "in use"), but lo and behold,
it's still there.

This is a nasty one!

Peter

Which is not a program ; try using * unlocker* ( google for it ) ,
right click on the file , and when it asks , click to * delete on next
reboot * . Which it should do .

 

[PC Duffer]

Which is not a program ; try using * unlocker* ( google for it ) ,
right click on the file , and when it asks , click to * delete on next
reboot * . Which it should do .

Thanks for the tip, but unfortunately it does not work. It is being
used by explorer.exe and lsass.exe (which cannot be modified).

Whoever designed this infernal beast knew what they were doing!

Peter

 

[Poprivet`]

Thanks for the tip, but unfortunately it does not work. It is being
used by explorer.exe and lsass.exe (which cannot be modified).

Whoever designed this infernal beast knew what they were doing!

Peter

Did you try it from the Repair Console? It's likely to work.