Tupin
Experienced Member
I get this error when I try to load a floppy. I have some extra 5.25 inch drives, should I just replace it?
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Bad or missing command interpreter on Compaq Portable II?
- Thread starter Tupin
- Start date
Command.com is either missing or corrupt. Check the disk for bad sectors, and simply add or replace command.com
No, not quite.
Its old machine speak for "bad or missing command interpretor" ie command.com not there or corrupt (if you are using DOS). ;D
strollin
Experienced Member
Most likely the disk you are trying to boot from has a corrupted or even missing command.com in which case you simply need to copy command.com to that disk.
You can also get that message when you boot from a disk with command.com, then insert a disk without command.com and execute a program from it. When you exit from that program, DOS wants to reload command.com but, of course, can't find it on the current disk, hence the message. One way around it is to create a RAM disk when you boot, then copy command.com to the RAM disk in autoexec.bat. Also, in autoexec.bat add a line like SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM to point to command.com on the C: RAM drive. This is only useful on a floppy only system where the disk with command.com may have been removed from the drive. It isn't necessary on a system with a hard drive.
You can also get that message when you boot from a disk with command.com, then insert a disk without command.com and execute a program from it. When you exit from that program, DOS wants to reload command.com but, of course, can't find it on the current disk, hence the message. One way around it is to create a RAM disk when you boot, then copy command.com to the RAM disk in autoexec.bat. Also, in autoexec.bat add a line like SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM to point to command.com on the C: RAM drive. This is only useful on a floppy only system where the disk with command.com may have been removed from the drive. It isn't necessary on a system with a hard drive.
Last edited:
Captain Midnight
Experienced Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2010
- Messages
- 52
I guess maybe another question to ask is, what kind of floppy are you trying to load? DOS? A game? Lotus 123? I'm just wondering if you are trying to load a floppy that's not a system disk.