Editing/Cleaning AutoExec.bat

[Ares]

How would i go about editing and cleaning out some lines that are running on bootup through autoexec.bat?? Win98 system.

When i view autoexec through msconfig it shows me:

line1 : blank
line 2: rem - by windows network - c:\windows net start
line 3: blank w/pencil sign
line 4: blank w/pencil sign

when i view it through notepad it shows me a bunch of code and stuff. When i go to dos and type edit (pathtofile) autoexec.bat it shows me the same gobbled code that i see through notepad. Lines that actually are running on bootup i only see through msconfig.

I know little about autoexec. I've tried google searches but so far no real answers.

When the pc boots up it's trying to scan for boot viruses using a program that it does not have. It displays a series of errors and then hangs for 2 minutes before starting windows.

Any ideas???

 

[lexor]

Check for the start up

If you are using windows 98, this may not from autoexec.bat.

I believe the anti-virus was registered on your startup.

Try this
for the START menu Click RUN then type
msconfig then OK.

on the sytem configuration utility select STARTUP. then search from the list of progra which your windows os executing during start up and search the name of the anti-virus, unchek it.

hope this may help

 

[Ares]

Microbell, that was one of the first things i tried. The line (rem - windows network blah blah) doesn't show up when you view the autoexec through dos. You get a bunch of other stuff that doesn't appear when you view it through msconfig.

Lexor, i tried that too. Everything in the startup list associated with a virus program was disabled. Afterwards the anti virus program was uninstalled from the system. The problem is there are a few lines in auto exec that run on boot up, but i can only view them through msconfig. Msconfig does not let you delete a line , it only lets you clear a line's contents which just leaves a blank line witha pencil icon. The lines are still triggered when the unit boots up, even though it appears the lines are clear through msconfig (clearing it doesn't erase it).

The only logical thing i can think of is something in the registry. Like i said, editing in dos and editing any other way doesn't show me the lines that i need to edit. Replacing autoexec bat didn't do any good either.

I also want to add that although i've been told REM is for a remark, it appears to me that there is something else going on. When that rem statement was removed from the file, the pc could no longer communicate with it's network card. When that rem was added, the problem was fixed.

 

[Lone Wolf]

I also want to add that although i've been told REM is for a remark, it appears to me that there is something else going on. When that rem statement was removed from the file, the pc could no longer communicate with it's network card. When that rem was added, the problem was fixed.

Like MicroBell told you, the comptuer will not process any lines in a batch file w/ a REM in front of it, it's more for the programmers benefit than anything else and purely for remarking purposes.

The only logical thing i can think of is something in the registry. Like i said, editing in dos and editing any other way doesn't show me the lines that i need to edit. Replacing autoexec bat didn't do any good either.

It probably is something in the registry, but before you start fooling around w/ the registry, I would suggest lookin in your Windows start up folder. If that turns up nothing, again, follow MicroBell's suggestion and edit the autoexec.bat file through DOS.

 

[lexor]

you can try the System mechanic program it is a very power ful tool, that let you manage everything on your system and will detect system errors. you can download the free trial at download.com it may help

 

[beedubaya]

With Win98, you don't even need an autoexec.bat unless you have a DOS based anti-virus or something that uses it to boot before Windows. You're pretty much safe even if you delete the file.

 

[Ares]

Hmm. I've never used an autoexec file on my old 98 machine. This pc on the other hand is apparently using it.

I'm taking it back to it's owner tomorrow. For the most part it works now, although it shows a bunch of weird error messages when it boots up. The pc is in bad shape as it is. She gave it to me to clean up a task bar issue, which i did. The rest i did on my own, cleaning up about 25 different spyware programs she had and freeing up 20% more of her memory. I'm just going to tell her she needs a reformat (but she doesn't have the old driver disks and i doubt it would handle xp)... so i'm going to give it to her as it is and talk her into letting me build a unit for her. That's what she needs... to get rid of that piece of garbage. Thanks guys. It's a mystery to me. No one's suggestions helped. I didnt try any programs to clean it or repair it. It's not worth the hassle to me.