How to Clean Boot a DOS / Windows Machine

Often times, network initialization files, memory managers, and other "terminate and stay resident" (TSR) programs conflict with Windows or Windows applications.

If you are getting errors, you should do a clean boot to trouble-shoot a possible conflict. If everything works properly after a clean boot, that indicates that something in your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS conflicts with either Windows or your application. You should restore lines from your original AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files to the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files on your bootable floppy disk one at a time until you can re-create the original error. When you identify which file causes the conflict, either remove it from your system entirely or find out if there is a new version that is compatible with your Windows software. Note: the following is for Microsoft Windows version 3.1 and later. If you are running Windows previous to 3.1, it is recommended that you update to the newer version. This information also does not take into account other underlying operating systems besides Microsoft DOS, such as IBM OS/2.

1. Format a PREVIOUSLY UNUSED, UNFORMATTED, BLANK disk as a System disk from File Manager or use one of the commands below from the DOS prompt if you're using DOS 5.0. Otherwise, see your DOS manual for instructions.

3.5" high density disk: FORMAT A: /S /F:1.44
3.5" double density disk: FORMAT A: /S /F:720
5.25" high density disk: FORMAT A: /S /F:1.2
5.25" double density disk: FORMAT A: /S /F:360

* You must use the /s option to create a bootable system disk.
* Substitute b: for a: if appropriate.

2. Create a "TEMP" subdirectory on your hard disk if you do not already have one, either by typing "MD TEMP" at the DOS prompt or selecting "Create Directory" from the File menu in the File Manager. Name the subdirectory C:\\TEMP

3. Create an AUTOEXEC.BAT file on this new disk:

Path = C:\\;C:\\DOS;C:\\Windows
Prompt $P$G
SET TEMP=C:\\TEMP

4. Create a CONFIG.SYS on this new system disk:

Device = C:\\Windows\\HiMem.SYS (Type c:\\dos\\himem.sys if using Windows 3.0)
DOS = High
Files = 50
buffers=30
STACKS=9,256

SHELL=C:\\DOS\\COMMAND.COM C:\\DOS /E:1024 /P

5. Make sure the new system disk is in A:. Press and hold down the CTRL-ALT-DEL keys. When you get the "A:\\>" DOS prompt, you have now done a clean DOS level boot.

Run Windows by typing WIN at the DOS prompt and see if the DOS level clean boot solved your problem. If not, it may be necessary to do a clean start of Windows by creating a minimal configuration of the two text files Windows uses for system configuration. These two files are the WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI. If you are running Windows for Workgroups there is an additional configuration file called PROTOCOL.INI. All of these text files with the INI extension are in the Windows directory.

1. Before editing the INI files, try starting Windows in Standard mode instead of 386-Enhanced mode by typing WIN /S at the DOS prompt. This disables the XXX.386 drivers from the system.ini file. Note: this is not possible in Windows for Workgroups 3.11, which only runs in 386 enhanced mode.

2. When you start Windows, all applications with an icon in the StartUp group will run automatically. If you want to boot without running any of the applications in your StartUp group, you can hold down the [Shift] key while Windows starts. When you do, Windows will load, but your StartUp applications won't.

Note that the StartUp group is independent of the

LOAD=

and

RUN=

lines in the WIN.INI file.

If you wish, you can disable the StartUp group by placing the line

STARTUP=

in the [Settings] area of the PROGMAN.INI file. When you leave the entry blank, as shown above, items in the StartUp group won't run.

For more information and for help troubleshooting General Protection Faults, please read Microsoft's Application Note, Troubleshooting GP Faults, #WW0524. This note can be obtained by calling Microsoft Product Support Services Fast Tips service at (206) 637-7098; by searching the Software/Data Library on the word WW0524; or from Microsoft's download service, (206) 936-6735.