Creating a New Win.com File When You Cannot Start Windows 95

• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release version 2

SYMPTOMS

When you try to start Windows 95, you may receive one of the following error messages and be returned to the MS-DOS prompt:

• The following file is missing or corrupted: Win.com
• The following file is missing or corrupted: Win.com Program too big to fit in memory
• Cannot find Win.com, unable to continue loading Windows

CAUSE

The Win.com file is missing or damaged. Check the file to see if it is the correct size of 22,679 bytes.

NOTE: In Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2, the Win.com file is 24,503 bytes.

RESOLUTION

Create a new Win.com file by extracting the Win.cnf file from your Windows 95 disks or CD-ROM and then renaming it to Win.com. To do so, follow these steps:

1. At an MS-DOS command prompt, type the following line and then press ENTER

         cd <drive>:\<windows>\command
   

   where <drive> is the drive containing the Windows folder and <windows> is the Windows 95 folder.

2. To extract the Win.cnf file, follow these steps:

       - From disk 3 of the original Windows 95 disks:
   

         Insert the disk in the appropriate drive and type the following line
   

            extract <drive>:\win95_03.cab win.cnf /L c:\windows
   
         where <drive> is the drive letter of the floppy disk drive and the
         Windows folder is named Windows and is located on drive C.
   
       - From the Windows 95 CD-ROM:
   
         Insert the CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive and type the following line
   
            extract <cdrom>:\win95\win95_03.cab win.cnf /L c:\windows 
   
         where <cdrom> is the drive letter of the CD-ROM drive and the
         Windows 95 folder is named Windows and is located on drive C.
   
   

3. Rename the Win.cnf file in the Windows folder to Win.com.

4. Restart your computer.

MORE INFORMATION

If the Win.com file is too small, you receive the first error message listed above. If the Win.com file is too large, you receive the second error message. If the Win.com file is missing, you receive the third error message.

For additional information about the EXTRACT command, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q129605
   TITLE     : How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files