I am running Windows 98. I rebooted the computer in Dos mode and created a text file on the same computer. How can I locate and access that same file while running Windows 98? I tried to do a search from inside the Windows search window using the name of the file that I created and it said that it was not found. I think that i should be able to access it since its just a plain text file and its actually stored on the same computer "somewhere." I actually have a number of text files created in DOS on this computer that I need to retrieve and edit. Help.

My guess is that you created the file in the Windows folder and that the folder is hidden from within Windows.

What did you use to create the file? Edlin come to mind...

How did you "boot into DOS mode"?
Did you boot from floppy?
If you booted from the Windows 98 "Restart in MSDOS mode" then I agree with Steve, the file will likely be in C:\Windows\.

When you run the Find, ensure that you search Hidden And System Files.
Right click on your My Computer desktop icon and select Explore.
In Windows Explorer, go View - Folder Options. Go to the second (View) tab.
Under "Hidden Files", select "Show all files".
Uncheck "Remember each folder's view settings".
Uncheck "Hide file extensions for know file types".
Click on Apply, then at the top click on "Like Current Folder" (click Yes on the confirmation).
Click Ok.

Please remember that Windows 98 has Notepad, you can edit text files from within Windows.

Steve, Win98 had the <sarcasm> 'awesome' </sarcasm> edit program. I think that was available in Windows 95 even.

Let us know if this helps.

ronald.

It was/is called EDLIN.
Edlin is a line editor included with MS-DOS and later Microsoft operating systems. It provides rudimentary capabilities for editing plain text files through a command-driven interface.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edlin

Me thinks I might be showing my age by remembering that

I know edlin, I've used it. Do you remember the "park" command?
As for editors, for me it's "vi" or nothing!

But I checked my Windows 98 SE setup (virtual machine, gotta love it) and when you Restart in MS-DOS mode then edlin is not recognized as a command. It doesn't exist on C:\ so it's not a program and I'm pretty sure it was not a DOS built-in (like "cd").

I also ran my Windows 95B setup, and edlin is not there either.

I can check my Windows 3.1 setup tonight at home, but I think they stopped shipping edlin after MS-DOS 6.x.

ronald.

Can't imagine why someone would create a text file in DOS when Notepad would do just fine in Windows. ? ? ?

Maybe for the same reason the poster is still running Windows 98 (and booting into DOS); because he can!
Or maybe he's running some software that just will not run in anything but 98, even in compatibility mode. And rather than going back to Windows, just remain in DOS and edit your file.
There could be lots of reasons why. For me, that does not matter (but I am curious).
The mystery (and request for help) is why the text file does not get found in Windows. That's what we're here to solve.

vip4bham - please let us know how you are booting into DOS, and if you type any other command(s) before you start editing the text file. Also please supply us with the full command you executed to get into your text editor.

ronald.

I'm sure you don't need me to point you to this editor here

I actually have a Unix toolkit installed (MS Services For Unix) which lets me run "vi" in a shell (e.g. bash).