You should ensure that you're using a 98SE startup diskette as the first
step. This has the correct form of the command.com file for your operating
system. The plain jane Win 98 command.com file is NOT the same. Go to
another PC with internet access and go to bootdisk.com website. Find the
98SE startup disk download. Download it, run the file. Run the resulting
file with a formatted floppy in the diskette drive. Afterwards, you should
have 98SE startup diskette.

The default msdos.sys for the floppy boot diskette is empty of data. Using
"sys c:" command simply copies this to the boot sector of the c: partition.
Yours or anyone else's PC cannot boot Win 98SE using this form of msdos.sys
file. You will only receive an msdos command prompt as you pointed out.

Here is an example of the msdos.sys file for booting to windows:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\WINDOWS
WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS
HostWinBootDrv=C

[Options]
BootMulti=1
BootGUI=1
DoubleBuffer=1
AutoScan=1
WinVer=4.10.2222
;
;The following lines are required for compatibility with other programs.
;Do not remove them (MSDOS.SYS needs to be 1024 bytes).
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxa
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxb
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxc
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxd
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxe
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxf
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxg
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxh
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxi
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxj
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxk
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxl
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxm
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxn
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxo
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxp
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxq
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxr
;xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxs


If you do not have a SCSI adapter, do not use the DoubleBuffer line. You
can use the "edit" command at a dos prompt to modify the msdos.sys file.
You have to remove the attributes first from this file using the "attrib"
command. Then, after completing the edit, place attributes back on the
file. The file should contain RHS attributes (read-only, hidden, system).
At the command prompt, enter attrib /? to learn how to use the switches.
You must designate a file location with either "edit" or "attrib". Example:
"attrib -r -h -s c:\msdos.sys". The "c:\" tells attrib to modify the
msdos.sys file on the c: partition, rather than on the floppy (a:\).
Attrib.exe and edit.com are not on the startup diskette, you can however run
these if you are within the c:\windows\command subdirectory at the dos
prompt.
Sys.com is not on the startup diskette either, simply copy this from the
c:\windows\command subdirectory to the startup diskette. Then run the "sys
c:" from the startup diskette after booting from it.
You may be able to copy attrib to the startup floppy, but due to capacity
restraints of the floppy, and the size of the edit.com file, you will not be
able to copy it to the startup diskette as is.
All this is a bit complicated for the novice, but is doable if you pay
attention to detail and responses after entering a dos command.
"Robert" wrote in message
...
In an effort to open up space on one of our win98se machines my children
(they go back to school Monday) started to delete things "they" thought
were
not needed. I'm not totally sure what it was they deleted but I now have
the
following:

The System:
Pentium w/MMX
233 mhz
92 ram
win98se

When I try to boot up we get the following. "Invalid System Disk." I tried
to get it going with a win98 boot disk and read in the help file that if I
saw the error above that I should run "SYS C:" I did this and it reported
back that the "System Transferred". I then shut the computer off (with the
power switch), took out the boot disk, and attempted to restart the
computer
only to get this: "c:\" and when attempting in safe mode this: "Windows
is
bypassing your startup files". I have also run Scandisk (off of the boot
disk) and it found no errors on "C". Is it possible to get this unit
running
again?

Any help would be appreciated,
Robert