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Q78846: Incomplete DEVICE Line in CONFIG.SYS Causes Screen Garbage

Article: Q78846
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 22-NOV-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system version 5.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

If random characters, symbols, words, and half sentences are displayed and the
machine beeps when booting MS-DOS 5.0, an incomplete DEVICE statement may exist
in the CONFIG.SYS file.

This problem can be solved by removing this line from the CONFIG.SYS.

MORE INFORMATION
================

For example, the following CONFIG.SYS file would exhibit the problem described
above:

  Files=30
  Buffers=20
  Device=
  Device=c:\dos\himem.sys
  Shell=c:\dos\command.com c:\dos /p /e:512

(Note that the third line, Device=, is incomplete.) Incomplete sentences and
other partially readable output may be displayed. The expected error message for
this line would be:

  ERROR IN CONFIG.SYS LINE #X

The above message may or may not be part of the erratic output.

Additional query words: 5.00 noupd

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS500
Version           : MS-DOS:5.0

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