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Desktop doesn't launch. Also some programs.

Started by szdl, 2008.09.24, 01:31:00

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szdl

Hi!

I have a problem, which is critical.
Now, my os2 desktop doesn't start, I don't know why.
The system comes up correctly, the graphical system (mouse etc.) too, but there are no folders, no desktop.

I tried to strart a command line (os2 window) with startup.cmd, so now I can launch some programs, but I find a new error. Some programs don't start. Mostly programs with Odin or Innotek runtime required, and also Dos programs. Also old Mozilla doesn't start, but the new Firefox 3 is working!
What the hell is it?
I tried to start pmshell.exe at the second time to launch the folders, but it couldn't start.

Everything worked fine yesterday, but after a strange printing error the desktop can't start.


Chkdsk didn't show errors, filesystem seems to be Ok. But I tried to run checkini (a good ini file tool), but it couldn't find the Desktop folder (but it exists!).
I wanted to look in the registry files too with regedit2.exe, but it doesn't start.

Can someone help me here? I have no idea to solve it.

RobertM

It sounds like something in your INI file is corrupted or broken.

One quick fix (that sometimes works) is to edit your config.sys file and add this line:

SET DESKTOP=C:\DESKTOP
(or where ever your desktop directory happens to be)

Failing that, and assuming you have Archiving turned on, you can do this...

On Warp/eCS BootBlock (white rectangle on top left with OS/2 or eCS next to it) hit ALT-F1...

When you get the boot options, pick an earlier archive and try that.

If that fails, you probably need to rebuild the INI files... let me know if that is the case and I will psot instructions.


One warning... chances are something was already going bad in the INI files, so you may experience other desktop related problems along the way.


Also, from what you are describing, you should have gotten an error saying "OS/2 cannot find your desktop..." - was that the case?

Rob


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Kirk's 5 Year Mission Continues at:
Star Trek New Voyages
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Ben


A word of warning before backstepping to an older archive;

Make sure that you have backed up your key files, (like config.sys), and taken anything off of the desktop that might be important, (and do an archive first, if you can), because once your do a restore, it will all be gone.

Good luck.


ddan

szdl, I can come up with only two possibilities: either your drive just
happened to flake out then and lost some sectors, or the print spooler somehow
trashed the Desktop directory. From the whole of the symptoms, I'd say the
latter, I include the drive possibility only because it's the one other item
that could be so comprehensive. However, I'd say the second is near a unique
occurrence. Only thing which came close for me also involves the Desktop: an
audio driver install put a badly formed directory name into Desktop, and it
entirely hung next boot, able to find only because knew when occurred.

Now is the time to meditate on the following:
xcopy c: d: /h /o /t /s /e /r /v
which will make a complete backup to another drive, even while running off
that drive, though makes some complaints.

You might be wise to make that backup even now, as you could recover most of
your customization and programs if you have to reinstall.

Let's see. You can look at options with alt-F1 when the white block appears; I
believe... (I have a memory like a steel sieve, and I'm sure others will roll
their eyes at it here...) that there's an option to re-initialize the Desktop,
though you lose the customization, AND it may not work for this.

Good luck.  (I'm a slow typist! RobertM and Ben appeared while I was at it!)

szdl

Quote from: RobertM on 2008.09.24, 04:05:07
It sounds like something in your INI file is corrupted or broken.

One quick fix (that sometimes works) is to edit your config.sys file and add this line:

SET DESKTOP=C:\DESKTOP
(or where ever your desktop directory happens to be)

Failing that, and assuming you have Archiving turned on, you can do this...

On Warp/eCS BootBlock (white rectangle on top left with OS/2 or eCS next to it) hit ALT-F1...

When you get the boot options, pick an earlier archive and try that.

If that fails, you probably need to rebuild the INI files... let me know if that is the case and I will psot instructions.


One warning... chances are something was already going bad in the INI files, so you may experience other desktop related problems along the way.


Also, from what you are describing, you should have gotten an error saying "OS/2 cannot find your desktop..." - was that the case?

Rob

I added the SET DESKTOP .. to the CONFIG.SYS file, but it didn't help.
I don't want to restore an archive, because I have only old archives. It will be the very last solution.

I find this: http://www.os2ezine.com/v1n7/rescue.html
I followed the steps, but it didn'nt helped too. The checkini couldn'nt find the desktop.


szdl

Quote from: ddan on 2008.09.24, 04:24:13
szdl, I can come up with only two possibilities: either your drive just
happened to flake out then and lost some sectors,

Do you know a good utility to find lost sectors? If it can find them, it indicates the problem.

The Blue Warper

CHECKINI has an option to set DESKTOP location.  Quoting from the readme:

/D   -      Manually specify the location of the DESKTOP. Use this option only if CHECKINI asks for it!

Another option would be:

/T          Use this switch to enable the disk scan function of CHECKINI.
           This will amongst other things repair non-functioning Startup folders.
           NOTE: THIS SWITCH SHOULD NOT BE USED IF YOU HAVE MORE THEN ONE VERSION OF OS/2 INSTALLED ON YOUR SYSTEM.

As for lost sectors, if that partition is formatted for the JFS file system, then you may want to try JRescuer.  Here's the download page URL:
http://en.ecomstation.ru/projects/jrescuer/?action=down
(It should be shareware, but I'm not sure about that).

szdl

#7
Quote from: The Blue Warper on 2008.09.24, 13:24:42
CHECKINI has an option to set DESKTOP location.  Quoting from the readme:

/D   -      Manually specify the location of the DESKTOP. Use this option only if CHECKINI asks for it!


As for lost sectors, if that partition is formatted for the JFS file system, then you may want to try JRescuer.  Here's the download page URL:
http://en.ecomstation.ru/projects/jrescuer/?action=down
(It should be shareware, but I'm not sure about that).


I tried the /d option ( checkini /d d:\desktop ), but it didn't help. Still can't find the dektop.
It is interesting, that I copied a not too old ini file pair in, and it didn't help.

And I have HPFS unfortunately.
I'll try DFSee perhaps.

--

I tried DFSee scan, and there are no bad sectors yet.

Andi

Quote from: szdl on 2008.09.24, 13:30:24
I tried the /d option ( checkini /d d:\desktop ), but it didn't help. Still can't find the dektop.

I used this option without space but don't know if it matters (checkini /c /DD:\desktop). If a directory tree named desktop on d:\ exists, it worked for me every time.

szdl

#9
Quote from: Andi on 2008.09.24, 14:46:23
Quote from: szdl on 2008.09.24, 13:30:24
I tried the /d option ( checkini /d d:\desktop ), but it didn't help. Still can't find the dektop.

I used this option without space but don't know if it matters (checkini /c /DD:\desktop). If a directory tree named desktop on d:\ exists, it worked for me every time.

It's the same with space.

I put the 'set desktop=' setting into the first line of config.sys , but no effect.

The real question is: why don't start some programs.


The Blue Warper

#10
Hi, szdl!
I really don't know if this can help you, but...
Perhaps in your config.sys the LIBPATH= statement no longer has the initial dot before all other (executable) paths?
I mean: as you probably know, the first value in the LIBPATH statement should be a dot; the second being mostly "%your_bootdrive%\OS2\DLL".  So, assuming C: as your bootdrive, your LIBPATH should start with:

LIBPATH=.;C:\OS2\DLL; .............

Another possible source of trouble could be the PATH variable.
Perhaps some new install changed (one of) these values in such a way that neither the system nor the applications can find their DLLs or executables anymore.
The experience you reported about the odd behaviour the apps have when started ("Also old Mozilla doesn't start, but the new Firefox 3 is working!") made me think that this *might* be a path-related trouble.
Recent FFs (especially the builds coming in a zip archive) have the ability to run directly from their dir, without further actions.  On the contrary, older Mozilla builds often had some DLL to copy into another location (specified in the LIBPATH statement), such as (if memory assists me) GCC3xx.DLL (later LIBC0x.DLL).

Well, this is just my guess, but I know it could have nothing to do with your case...

RobertM

Quote from: szdl on 2008.09.24, 13:30:24
Quote from: The Blue Warper on 2008.09.24, 13:24:42
CHECKINI has an option to set DESKTOP location.  Quoting from the readme:

/D   -      Manually specify the location of the DESKTOP. Use this option only if CHECKINI asks for it!


As for lost sectors, if that partition is formatted for the JFS file system, then you may want to try JRescuer.  Here's the download page URL:
http://en.ecomstation.ru/projects/jrescuer/?action=down
(It should be shareware, but I'm not sure about that).


I tried the /d option ( checkini /d d:\desktop ), but it didn't help. Still can't find the dektop.
It is interesting, that I copied a not too old ini file pair in, and it didn't help.

And I have HPFS unfortunately.
I'll try DFSee perhaps.

--

I tried DFSee scan, and there are no bad sectors yet.

Another alternative (which you dont need now since you ran DFSee) would be chkdsk c: /F:2 or /F:3

Only ever use /F:3 as a last resort... and of course you need to boot from some other media (install CD, etc) for chkdsk to work on the boot drive.

Rob


|
|
Kirk's 5 Year Mission Continues at:
Star Trek New Voyages
|
|


szdl

#12
Quote from: The Blue Warper on 2008.09.25, 02:01:22
Hi, szdl!
I really don't know if this can help you, but...
Perhaps in your config.sys the LIBPATH= statement no longer has the initial dot before all other (executable) paths?
I mean: as you probably know, the first value in the LIBPATH statement should be a dot; the second being mostly "%your_bootdrive%\OS2\DLL".  So, assuming C: as your bootdrive, your LIBPATH should start with:

LIBPATH=.;C:\OS2\DLL; .............

Another possible source of trouble could be the PATH variable.
Perhaps some new install changed (one of) these values in such a way that neither the system nor the applications can find their DLLs or executables anymore.
The experience you reported about the odd behaviour the apps have when started ("Also old Mozilla doesn't start, but the new Firefox 3 is working!") made me think that this *might* be a path-related trouble.
Recent FFs (especially the builds coming in a zip archive) have the ability to run directly from their dir, without further actions.  On the contrary, older Mozilla builds often had some DLL to copy into another location (specified in the LIBPATH statement), such as (if memory assists me) GCC3xx.DLL (later LIBC0x.DLL).

Well, this is just my guess, but I know it could have nothing to do with your case...


The dot is correct in the config.sys, so it is not problem. Also the PATH statement (it didn't change).

I experienced, that dos session and odin programs didn't start too.

I replaced the os2.in and os2sys.ini with an older one, but it has had ho effect.
Perhaps the "registry files"?? (user.dat, system.dat in the \os2\system directory) But the regedit2.exe doesn't start.
I learned, that the os2 registry files (these are for the win32 compatible programs (eg. Lotus SmartSuite, and win32 programs through ODIN, INNOWIN)) have the copy of some contents of the os2.in and os2sys.ini files. Perhaps the inconsistance of these files can be problematic..?


RobertM

Hi szdl,

Differences in the WinApp registries should not cause issues with the desktop loading.

First and foremost at this point (if you haven't already), if you have stored anything at all on your desktop or in folders on your desktop (this does not include shadow objects), I would at least back up your desktop directory. At this point it sounds like you may need to either try an archive file or recreate the INI files.

If that is the case, create a backup folder on another drive. At an OS/2 command line, go into that backup folder, and type:

xcopy c:\Desktop\* /h /o /t /s /e /r

That way, at the least, you wont lose anything on your desktop, or stored in folders on it.


Now... a few final things you can try...

Do you have xWorkPlace installed?
(if yes)

- reboot the machine, when the desktop is about to start to load, hold down the RIGHT shift key until you get it's startup dialog.
- Pick xfix... look for weird problems, like Drive C (or whatever drive your desktop is on) missing a link to an actual object - or linked to something weird.

Another option if you have xWorkPlace installed...

- Skip all startup objects and enhancements


If the second one works, then something is corrupted that has to do with xWP or some other desktop extension.


If the first one shows errors, let us know. I've ran into that issue before... cant remember off the top of my head how I fixed it (probably restored an older archive, but I will give it some thought if no one else remembers how to fix it).

Rob


|
|
Kirk's 5 Year Mission Continues at:
Star Trek New Voyages
|
|


szdl

Quote from: RobertM on 2008.09.25, 21:00:20
Hi szdl,

Differences in the WinApp registries should not cause issues with the desktop loading.


Ok.

Quote from: RobertM on 2008.09.25, 21:00:20

First and foremost at this point (if you haven't already), if you have stored anything at all on your desktop or in folders on your desktop (this does not include shadow objects), I would at least back up your desktop directory. At this point it sounds like you may need to either try an archive file or recreate the INI files.

If that is the case, create a backup folder on another drive. At an OS/2 command line, go into that backup folder, and type:

xcopy c:\Desktop\* /h /o /t /s /e /r

That way, at the least, you wont lose anything on your desktop, or stored in folders on it.


Now... a few final things you can try...

Do you have xWorkPlace installed?
(if yes)

- reboot the machine, when the desktop is about to start to load, hold down the RIGHT shift key until you get it's startup dialog.
- Pick xfix... look for weird problems, like Drive C (or whatever drive your desktop is on) missing a link to an actual object - or linked to something weird.

Another option if you have xWorkPlace installed...

- Skip all startup objects and enhancements


If the second one works, then something is corrupted that has to do with xWP or some other desktop extension.


If the first one shows errors, let us know. I've ran into that issue before... cant remember off the top of my head how I fixed it (probably restored an older archive, but I will give it some thought if no one else remembers how to fix it).

Rob


Thank you. I think I will do this when I have time.
But I have eComStation (1.1). Is it the same as xWP?