[Ham-Computers] Blind Dude Blunders! Help!

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Hi Phil,

The autoexec.bat and config.sys files were both in my C:\ root directory. It 
was not necessary to go to the command prompt and do an 'attrib' command to 
show hidden files.

FYI: (as well as everyone else who did not know), the autoexec.bat and 
config.sys files are not used when using the XP Home Edition or XP Pro 
edition of Windows! If you check the file size, you will see that it is 
'zero'.

They are only used when some DOS functions are active. Whereupon the user 
would configure both files to enable said DOS functions to execute 
correctly.

It is absolutely safe to turn off the computer if you have deleted both the 
autoexec.bat and config.sys files as I did! The computer comes up and runs 
just fine with all programs operational. Aaron Hsu tried it on a virtual 
machine first, then I tried it on my system. No issues whatsoever!



Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
dfischer at usol.com
HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
http://www.w9wze.net
HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
hhrp.w9wze.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Philip, KO6BB" <ndb_fch-344 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Computers (or other) used for amateur radio, communications, or 
experimenting" <ham-computers at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 5:48 PM
Subject: Re: [Ham-Computers] Blind Dude Blunders! Help!


> Duane,
>
> I forgot to add, I don't know how you managed to erase those files in the 
> first place.  By default they are 'hidden' and cannot even be seen unless 
> you go into folder options and tell it to display hidden system files.
>
> Phil, KO6BB
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer at usol.com>
>
>>
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> About midnight I accidentally erased the 'autoexec.bat' and 'config.sys' 
>> files from the C:\ root directory on this Windows XP Home Edition system.
>>
>> I have 'NOT' shut the system off this this happened.
>>
>> Is there any way I can recover these two files from the system yet?
>>
>> If not, can I use the standard 'autoexec.bat' and 'config.sys' files that 
>> come with Windows XP Home Edition from another computer? If I can, would 
>> one of you be willing to send me an e-mail using Word Pad with these two 
>> files pasted into it? Then I will configure them and put them back on the 
>> hard drive.
>>
>> I was told, and I do not know this to be true or not, that if I shut this 
>> system down without those two missing files being present, that it will 
>> not boot up the next time I turn it on. True or not?
>>
>> I do have the original Windows XP Home Edition CD, as I had to buy it! 
>> This Compaq system is a business model and had Win XP Pro on it to begin 
>> with. However, since the screen reading software is $200 more for the XP 
>> Pro then the XP HE version, I decided to put XP Home Edition on this 
>> system. Ridiculous! The screen reading software is identical for both XP 
>> HE and XP Pro, but the manufacturer has it blocked so end users can not 
>> use it for both! You have to pay the extra $200 for the right to use it!
>>
>> The sad part is, I did not get a copy of Windows XP Pro, even though it 
>> came on this system! When I bought the XP HE version, they kept the 
>> other! Somehow that seems illegal to me, as I paid for both, I should 
>> have a copy of both.
>>
>> Anyhow, to the problem at hand. I need help! Thanks.
>
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