IFSHLP.SYS

saw977ssaw977s
edited June 2009 in Science & Tech
Hi,

I appreciate you guys that help on this site. I don't show up a lot, but was helped here greatly in the past with a spyware/malware issue, so I value this site.

I have a Windows ME computer my son uses. At this point we are getting a message that IFSHLP.SYS cannot be found. I tried downloading the Windows ME OEM download to a floppy from http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm, but don't seem to be having success using it. Even if I download the correct file, I'm not sure I know how to complete all the instructions at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;258471. Can anyone help me through getting this computer going again?

Thanks,
Scott Wood

Comments

  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited April 2009
    Hello Scott,

    Can you search the hard drive for the file? It may just not be in the right place.

    Also, IIRC the file is not absolutely necessary for the OS to run. The reference to the file should be in config.sys or .. or.. omg it has been so long I can't remember the name of the other file. Just remove the reference to it in whichever file.

    Autoexec.bat, config.sys, and......... grrrrr
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited April 2009
    The IFSHLP.SYS file should reside in c:\windows

    The call to it should be in config.sys
    DEVICE=C:\Windows\IFSHLP.SYS


    But I don't think you actually need it in most cases. If you edit config.sys and delete that line you should be able to boot up.
  • saw977ssaw977s
    edited April 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    The IFSHLP.SYS file should reside in c:\windows

    The call to it should be in config.sys
    DEVICE=C:\Windows\IFSHLP.SYS


    But I don't think you actually need it in most cases. If you edit config.sys and delete that line you should be able to boot up.

    I'm not sure what to do to get to where I can edit or delete anything. Maybe you could direct me from the point of the Windows ME start-up menu that gives me 4 choices:
    1. Normal
    2. Logged (\bootlog.txt)
    3. Safe Mode
    4. Step-by-step confirmation
    From here all I've been able to do is get to a blue screen that gives me the message about the missing file.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited May 2009
    You'll need a boot floppy so that you can boot up with the floppy and get to a dos prompt.
  • saw977ssaw977s
    edited May 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    You'll need a boot floppy so that you can boot up with the floppy and get to a dos prompt.

    Thanks for your reply. Sorry I've taken so long to get back. I'm at a DOS prompt and currently have C:\WINDOWS> on the screen. I'm a little lost on DOS commands and not really sure what to do.

    Thanks
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited May 2009
    Ok first what you need to do is from the c:\windows> prompt type in:
    dir IFSHLP.SYS
    and see if it shows up. If it does, then you should be in good shape.
    If it doesn't then you need to take that copy you downloaded and put it onto a floppy. Then from dos type in the following command (it doesn't matter what prompt your at):
    copy a:\IFSHLP.SYS c:\windows\

    That should fix this particular problem for you.
  • saw977ssaw977s
    edited May 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    Ok first what you need to do is from the c:\windows> prompt type in:
    dir IFSHLP.SYS
    and see if it shows up. If it does, then you should be in good shape.
    If it doesn't then you need to take that copy you downloaded and put it onto a floppy. Then from dos type in the following command (it doesn't matter what prompt your at):
    copy a:\IFSHLP.SYS c:\windows\

    That should fix this particular problem for you.

    Thanks for you quick reply. I'm still having trouble. It is telling me "File not found." So you know which file I downloaded, I'm using the one that says "Windows ME OEM" at http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm, and I'm using it from a floppy.

    At this point I've tried choosing "help" when booting and have ran scandisk, which fixed a problem with reporting free space correctly. I'm now letting it run a surface scan on drive c that is supposed to take over 3 hours. I'll post the results of that tonight.

    Thanks
  • saw977ssaw977s
    edited May 2009
    saw977s wrote:
    Thanks for you quick reply. I'm still having trouble. It is telling me "File not found." So you know which file I downloaded, I'm using the one that says "Windows ME OEM" at http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm, and I'm using it from a floppy.

    At this point I've tried choosing "help" when booting and have ran scandisk, which fixed a problem with reporting free space correctly. I'm now letting it run a surface scan on drive c that is supposed to take over 3 hours. I'll post the results of that tonight.

    Thanks

    The scan of drive c resulted in saying the free space count was fixed. It is still not finding the needed file. Any additional help would be appreciated.
    Thanks
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited May 2009
    I was looking into what you downloaded and as far as I can tell you've only downloaded the boot disk, which is a start, but you also need to get a copy ifshlp.sys.

    To get a copy of ifshlp.sys you'll need to extract it from the WindowsME cd. Do you have a WindowsME cd?
  • saw977ssaw977s
    edited May 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    I was looking into what you downloaded and as far as I can tell you've only downloaded the boot disk, which is a start, but you also need to get a copy ifshlp.sys.

    To get a copy of ifshlp.sys you'll need to extract it from the WindowsME cd. Do you have a WindowsME cd?

    No, I don't think we've ever had a Windows ME cd. Any suggestions? Maybe I need to check with a local computer shop that might have a cd.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited May 2009
    If you don't have a MEcd your options are limited. You probably won't be able to buy it anywhere anymore. You can try running ME without calling to Ifshlp.sys and see if it runs stable. ifshlp.sys is more a security feature then a must have.

    Boot up with your dos disc and go to the c:> prompt. Then type edit c:\config.sys find the line where it mentions ifshlp.sys and put the word rem infront of the line. Save it and reboot.
  • saw977ssaw977s
    edited June 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    If you don't have a MEcd your options are limited. You probably won't be able to buy it anywhere anymore. You can try running ME without calling to Ifshlp.sys and see if it runs stable. ifshlp.sys is more a security feature then a must have.

    Boot up with your dos disc and go to the c:> prompt. Then type edit c:\config.sys find the line where it mentions ifshlp.sys and put the word rem infront of the line. Save it and reboot.

    Sorry for the delay. I've been considering what to do and asking around about a CD. I'd like to consider an upgrade to XP. I have enough RAM in place. I've read that the BIOS needs updated first. Can a BIOS update and an upgrade to XP be done from the current state of the computer, with the missing file and ME not loading?

    Thanks.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited June 2009
    You shouldn't need to upgrade your bios unless you are doing other hardware changes. I'm not really sure what people you've been talking to or what they've been telling you. But if you computer is working now, i.e. you can turn it on it sees all your devices and starts to boot up, if it fails after that, that's an OS issue. But if it just turns on and works you don't have to upgrade your bios to get it working with XP. So you can ignor the whole bios upgrade thing.

    As for upgrading your current system to XP, I actually can't remember if you can upgrade without booting into the original OS first. I'm pretty sure you have to do the upgrade by booting to the cd fro in windows. You can however just try. Put the xp cd in boot off the cd and see if it gives you an upgrade option.

    However I will suggest this. Upgrading to XP from ME will leave a lot of clunk and garbage behind. They are two very different systems and the upgrade, though it does work doesn't do it very cleanly. I suggest you backup your data first, even buy a new harddrive and do a clean install. You'll get a much more stable OS out of it that way.
  • saw977ssaw977s
    edited June 2009
    kryyst wrote:
    You shouldn't need to upgrade your bios unless you are doing other hardware changes. I'm not really sure what people you've been talking to or what they've been telling you. But if you computer is working now, i.e. you can turn it on it sees all your devices and starts to boot up, if it fails after that, that's an OS issue. But if it just turns on and works you don't have to upgrade your bios to get it working with XP. So you can ignor the whole bios upgrade thing.

    As for upgrading your current system to XP, I actually can't remember if you can upgrade without booting into the original OS first. I'm pretty sure you have to do the upgrade by booting to the cd fro in windows. You can however just try. Put the xp cd in boot off the cd and see if it gives you an upgrade option.

    However I will suggest this. Upgrading to XP from ME will leave a lot of clunk and garbage behind. They are two very different systems and the upgrade, though it does work doesn't do it very cleanly. I suggest you backup your data first, even buy a new harddrive and do a clean install. You'll get a much more stable OS out of it that way.

    Actually I found reference to upgrading the BIOS on the internet. I don't remember where I first read it, but Microsoft makes reference to consulting the manufacturer for BIOS upgrades on the XP upgrade instructions at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316941.

    For now, I've gotten ME going again, using the bootdisk I downloaded and the instructions in response 8 at http://www.computing.net/answers/windows-me/help-for-ifshlpsys-file/45881.html.

    Thanks again for your help. If there are any other opinions or insights about the BIOS upgrade among the forum contributors, I'd be interested in getting this question confirmed before trying an upgrade to XP.
  • saw977ssaw977s
    edited June 2009
    saw977s wrote:
    Actually I found reference to upgrading the BIOS on the internet. I don't remember where I first read it, but Microsoft makes reference to consulting the manufacturer for BIOS upgrades on the XP upgrade instructions at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316941.

    For now, I've gotten ME going again, using the bootdisk I downloaded and the instructions in response 8 at http://www.computing.net/answers/windows-me/help-for-ifshlpsys-file/45881.html.

    Thanks again for your help. If there are any other opinions or insights about the BIOS upgrade among the forum contributors, I'd be interested in getting this question confirmed before trying an upgrade to XP.

    A reference specifically to the need for a BIOS upgrade in Compaq computers is at http://malektips.com/xpug0005.html. It gives ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/sp15001-15500/sp15443.txt for information.
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