io.sys missing or corrupt

[scredsfan]

Yesterday I was in the middle of watching a YouTube video when my Windows XP
machine crashed. The machine then tried to reboot, but stopped and showed the
message: "io.sys missing or corrupt". I tried repooting with the Windows XP
disk - it gave me the option to do a repair reinstall of XP. However, when I
selected that option, the computer doesdn't seem to recognize the XP disk in
my CD drive, meaning it won't let me do a repair reinstall. I've also tried
the Recovery Console, but really don't know where to start with it. Here is
my relevant system info:

-Windows XP SP2 (installed over Windows ME which was in turn installed over
Windows 98)
-2.6 Ghz P4 Processor
-768 MB RAM
-main hard drive Maxtor 40 GB
-IE version 7
-motherboard ABIT SD7-533 running BIOS 10/14/2003 SiS-645-6A6IXA19C-EG

How do I get my machine to boot? Is there a way to replace or repair the
io.sys file? Would it be better to just take it into a computer shop and let
a pro do it? Thanks in advance for any and all help.

 

[Tom [Pepper] Willett]

http://books.google.com/books?id=O8...0tiHfgO&sig=2skx3598w5l8ggR86A1yMJe8iig&hl=en

: Yesterday I was in the middle of watching a YouTube video when my Windows
XP
: machine crashed. The machine then tried to reboot, but stopped and showed
the
: message: "io.sys missing or corrupt". I tried repooting with the Windows
XP
: disk - it gave me the option to do a repair reinstall of XP. However, when
I
: selected that option, the computer doesdn't seem to recognize the XP disk
in
: my CD drive, meaning it won't let me do a repair reinstall. I've also
tried
: the Recovery Console, but really don't know where to start with it. Here
is
: my relevant system info:
:
: -Windows XP SP2 (installed over Windows ME which was in turn installed
over
: Windows 98)
: -2.6 Ghz P4 Processor
: -768 MB RAM
: -main hard drive Maxtor 40 GB
: -IE version 7
: -motherboard ABIT SD7-533 running BIOS 10/14/2003 SiS-645-6A6IXA19C-EG
:
: How do I get my machine to boot? Is there a way to replace or repair the
: io.sys file? Would it be better to just take it into a computer shop and
let
: a pro do it? Thanks in advance for any and all help.

 

[scredsfan]

Thanks for the quick reply - I'll give it a shot when I get home from work
tonight!

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Yesterday I was in the middle of watching a YouTube video when my Windows
XP
machine crashed. The machine then tried to reboot, but stopped and showed
the
message: "io.sys missing or corrupt". I tried repooting with the Windows
XP
disk - it gave me the option to do a repair reinstall of XP. However, when
I
selected that option, the computer doesdn't seem to recognize the XP disk
in
my CD drive, meaning it won't let me do a repair reinstall. I've also
tried
the Recovery Console, but really don't know where to start with it. Here
is
my relevant system info:

-Windows XP SP2 (installed over Windows ME which was in turn installed
over
Windows 98)
-2.6 Ghz P4 Processor
-768 MB RAM
-main hard drive Maxtor 40 GB
-IE version 7
-motherboard ABIT SD7-533 running BIOS 10/14/2003 SiS-645-6A6IXA19C-EG

How do I get my machine to boot? Is there a way to replace or repair the
io.sys file? Would it be better to just take it into a computer shop and
let
a pro do it? Thanks in advance for any and all help.

WinXP does not use io.sys. I suspect you left a floppy disk
in your disk drive.

 

[scredsfan]

That's why I thought it was so odd - I didn't have any disks in any drives.
Could it be because my WinXP is installed over Win ME which is installed over
Win98? Is there any way to get around this messge "io.sys missing or corrupt"
so I can get my machine to boot?

 

[Kardon Coupé]

WinXP does not use io.sys. I suspect you left a floppy disk

in your disk drive.

If windows doesn't use io.sys, why have I got it within my root of C:\ after
a fresh install? it is 0 bytes in size, but it definatley there? could
another program have put it there?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

If windows doesn't use io.sys, why have I got it within my root of C:\
after a fresh install? it is 0 bytes in size, but it definatley there?
could another program have put it there?

Don't know, but WinXP will happily boot without it being there.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You could do this:
1. Boot the machine with a Win98 boot CD from www.bootdisk.com.
2. Type this command: fdisk /mbr
This will restore the Master Boot Record. Contrary to what many
people believe, it is independent of the partition type you have
(FAT32 or NTFS).
If this does not solve your problem then I'll explain how to attempt
a boot-up with a WinXP boot CD. Make sure to have one or two
CD/RWs handy.

 

[PD43]

If windows doesn't use io.sys, why have I got it within my root of C:\ after
a fresh install? it is 0 bytes in size, but it definatley there? could
another program have put it there?

Did you do a clean install or an upgrade?

 

[JohnB]

Mine is a clean install of XP - and I just went to the root and did a attrib
*.sys and IO.sys and MSDOS.sys are there. Pegasus usually knows what he's
talking about here but, I wouldn't want to be the one to test out his theory
that they aren't used. ;-)

 

[Bob I]

in a word, Compatibility

NT Creates MSDOS.SYS and IO.SYS Files on IBM PC-DOS Machines
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/102412/en-us

 

[JohnB]

And apparently XP still puts them there for the same reason that's stated in
the Microsoft article.


in a word, Compatibility

NT Creates MSDOS.SYS and IO.SYS Files on IBM PC-DOS Machines
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/102412/en-us

 

[PD43]

Mine is a clean install of XP - and I just went to the root and did a attrib
*.sys and IO.sys and MSDOS.sys are there. Pegasus usually knows what he's
talking about here but, I wouldn't want to be the one to test out his theory
that they aren't used. ;-)

I'd not worry about them.

Move on to something else

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Mine is a clean install of XP - and I just went to the root and did a
attrib *.sys and IO.sys and MSDOS.sys are there. Pegasus usually knows
what he's talking about here but, I wouldn't want to be the one to test
out his theory that they aren't used. ;-)

It ain't no theory! I have dealt with so many boot problems
in the past that I wasn't in the least worried when deleting
these files a moment ago. Windows XP booted up as usual.

 

[PD43]

It ain't no theory! I have dealt with so many boot problems
in the past that I wasn't in the least worried when deleting
these files a moment ago. Windows XP booted up as usual.

I didn't even worry about it enough to LOOK for them.

Once I learned that autoexec.bat was of no interest to XP, I stopped
looking for other legacy files (I upgraded).

 

[scredsfan]

I can't remember if my Win98 installation is the SE edition. Should I just
use Win98 OEM bootdisk file on bootdisk.com?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Any Win98 boot disk is fine.

 

[scredsfan]

Thanks - I'll give it a try after work

Any Win98 boot disk is fine.

 

[scredsfan]

I tried your suggestion - I put in a Windows boot disk, typed in sys c: and
now all I get is a message indicating Windows 98 and a c prompt. Not sure
what to do now.

 

[scredsfan]

I tried, and now all I get is a message indicating Windows 98 and a c:
prompt. I guess I'm going to need your help with an XP boot disk.