Greetings Lewis, et al.--
----- Original Message -----
From: Lewis C Emerson <[log in to unmask]>

> What could possibly  cause a Pentium machine to suddenly change from a
> normal Win-95 boot to a combination of Win-95 and DOS at the same time?
> The bootup screen displays both the normal desk top view, but also the
> DOS C prompt, but with an "X" in the upper right corner to kill the DOS
> OS.  Clicking on that "X" returns the machine to the normal Windows
> desktop.  Typing 'EXIT' also returns the machine to WIN-95.
>
> One other curious thing is that at the DOS bootup there appears on the
> task bar at the bottom of the desktop the active job 'CTB'.  What in the
> world does mean?
>

It seems to me that you have somehow gotten a "DOS prompt" (or some program
named/abbreviated CTB) shortcut placed in your c:\windows\start
menu\programs\startup
folder.  This could be anything from a DOS printer management program to a
DOS based
game or utility.  Other places to look for this rogue app are in the
c:\windows\win.ini after load=
or somewhere in system.ini.

Another, more hazardous place to "explore" would be the registry.  Make
copies of c:\windows\system.dat, user.dat and store them at another
location on your hard disk, in case
of a disastrous error.

Run regedit, drill down to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
Examine what is showing in the right pane for a string value of some DOS
app with the name or logical abbreviation of CTB. If such a reference is
there, it is the likely culprit.  If it is a string value (ab in a box) of
a program (like c:\kill_cih.exe), make a note of it, exit regedit, click
start, run, then type it in the run box and click ok.  If it looks like the
box you've just described, you've found the culprit and it is likely safe
to delete that string value from the registry.

HTH,

Paul A. Shippert [log in to unmask] Library/Media Specialist
"There is a theory which states that, if ever anyone discovers exactly
what the universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another theory which states that this has already happened."
Douglas Adams

         The PCBUILD web site always needs good submissions.  If
          you would like to contribute to the website, send any
               hardware tech tips or hardware reviews to:
                           [log in to unmask]