[bobsedge]

Hi!

I'm in panic mode! Help needed!

I'm running Windows 98SE in a stand alone machine, which is no longer on line. It is used solely to work on, print and update a 20 year effort data project (book) in a DOS program.

I have a new, strange problem. All was well until this morning. Apparently, I can now only start up in safe mode. When I get to the screen with the seven choices at start up, choice 1, normal, locks me up. If I choose 3, safe mode, sometimes I can get booted up in safe mode, but without a mouse. Using tab, arrows, CTRL and enter I can navigate a bit.

I went to programs-accessories-system tools-scan disk, but found no errors after scanning. I have 320 mb of RAM, 81% free.

The problem may be rooted with the printer. I had a small print job in que, which, for some reason, would not run or delete, so I tried to re-boot. That is what led me to the safe mode only problem.

While in safe mode, I tried a small print job or two, and was told "error writing to LPT1 - problem printing to port." I also noticed ZSpool 32 was active when I went to Control-A-Delete. I know that has something to do with my printer. Now the print jobs are all in que, and I can't seem to delete them without a functioning mouse.

I navigated to device manager-view resources, and the direct menu access lines were noted as in use by unknown devices, whatever that means.

I need help! I have 20 years of work somewhere in there I need to access.

Thanks,

Bob J.

[Blue Zee]

Originally Posted by bobsedge

Hi!...I need help! I have 20 years of work somewhere in there I need to access...

A good backup would be enough to save those 20 years of work, and probably worth it!

Try a Registry Restore:

Tap F8 at startup, select Command Prompt and a the C:\ prompt type

SCANREG /RESTORE (note space between G and/)

Select a date just before the problem started and restart when finished.

See if that helps.

A way to salvage your work will be slaving the HDD on a working PC, but let's try fixing your problem.

See also this:
Windows 98 or Windows 95 Defaults to Safe Mode Even After Successful Start

Zee

[bobsedge]

Hi Zee,

Thanks for such a quick response!

I did as you suggested, and when I got to Microsoft Registry checker, select a cab to restore from, the several date choices were all back in 2005.

Should there not be something more current, or are those the last registry changes? I tried to put in yesterdy's date, but I couldn't seem to modify the choices.


Thanks again,

Bob J.

[bobsedge]

Hi Zee,

Interesting article you cited (143283). Sounds like my problem.

It states it only applies to Windows 95 and 98 "Standard Edition." Would that also apply to 98 "Second Edition"?

Thanks,

Bob J.

[Blue Zee]

Originally Posted by bobsedge

... the several date choices were all back in 2005.
Should there not be something more current...

Dates are too old, something is wrong with the registry backups.
Don't use those dates.

Originally Posted by bobsedge

...
It states it only applies to Windows 95 and 98 "Standard Edition." Would that also apply to 98 "Second Edition"?...

The system always starts in Safe Mode (Safe Mode written on the 4 corners of the screen), correct?
If the above is true, I would try it.

Good luck.

Zee

[bobsedge]

Hi Zee,

Yes, "Safe Mode" displays in all four corners.

Unfortunately, a search tells me there is no Wnbooting.sts file.

I was looking at a suggestion on a Xerox help page. I'm using a Xerox XD100 laser. As I said earlier, my root cause seemed to be from a printer glitch. As I noted I had an error writing to LPT1 message.

Per their suggestion, I went to device manager-ports (com and LPT), and found three lines for LPT1. the article said there should be only one. I couldn't come up with a mouseless way to click on each of the three lines.

Is this a clue?

Thanks again,

Bob J.

[Blue Zee]

Yes, that could be a clue.

You must use the keyboard to delete those entries.

Use the Tab key to move the selection (note the doted rectangle moving and highlighting different buttons), the + key to expand the branches, the arrows keys to highlight the entries and DEL or Delete key to... delete the entries.

Maybe that helps.

Logging off, back tomorrow morning.

Good luck.

Zee

[bobsedge]

Hi Zee,

My device manager-ports are:

Communication Port (COM1)
Same (COM1)
Same (COM1)
Same (COM2)
Same (COM2)
Same (COM2)
ECP Printer Port (LPT1)
Same (LPT1)
Same (LPT1)

From what I have found on the Internet tonight, I would have thought the Printer ports would have been labeled LPT1, LPT2 and LPT3), not all LPT1.

Clicking on properties, there was nothing shown. I was reluctant to delete anything.

However, thinking I knew what I was doing, I uninstalled my Xerox printer. I figured that would free up the printing problem, but it did not. Now I find I cannot reinstall the printer if I am in the Safe mode.

Hope to talk with you tomorrow.

Thanks,

Bob J.

[Blue Zee]

Hi Bob,

Unsure that is the reason for the problem, but do delete all COM and LPT entries, except the ECP Printer Port and restart.

Tap F8 and from the menu select Normal Mode.

You should also try this from the command prompt, type:

attrib -s -h -r msdos.sys

Then type

edit msdos.sys

Locate a line

BootSafe=1

and edit to

BootSafe=0

Save and exit. Restart the system.

Zee

[bobsedge]

Hi Zee,

Good morning. Thanks again for your help.

In retrospect, I'm not sure my last posting was clear. My use of "same" may have been confusing.

What I meant in my last message was that I had three lines in device manager all labeled Communication Port (COM1), and three lines all labeled Communication Port (COM2), and three labeled ECP Printer Port (LPT1).

Are you suggesting I delete all nine, or all but one ECP Printer Port?

Thanks,

Bob J.

[Blue Zee]

Delete all COM and LPT entries and reboot.

Zee

[bobsedge]

Hi Zee,

WOULD YOU BELIEVE!

I turned the old, tired computer on to do as you suggested this morning, and, it booted up all by itself to the sky blue "restore desktop" screen, which I did, and it did.

I am always amazed at what happens sometimes. All I can suggest is that my reboots yesterday were from start-reboot, not from start-stutdown, leave off a few hours, and then turn on power.

All seems to be working, except for the printer I uninstalled last night. I went into device manager, and, to my surrpise, all I now have listed is COM1, COM2, and ECP Printer Port (LPT1), which seems normal. No more nine lines in ports!

So, I didn't incorporate this morning's suggestions.

But, my ignorance still managed to surface. I restored my deleted Xerox printer files using Stomp Backup. I do have a backup, albeit "dated."

The Xerox program files were re-introduced nicely, where they were located before, but do not seem to be applied or working. That is, the Xerox printer doesn't show on the printer list.

What have I failed to do???

I wonder why my registry is three years old, as we found yesterday. Since all is working, I guess I won't hurt my head over it.

As alway, much thanks for your help!

Out of Date Bob

[Blue Zee]

Hi Bob.

Great news!

Never mind understanding what happened, it just did.

Regarding your printer issues that may be caused by those multiple entries in Device Manager. But you can only see them in Safe Mode.

At this point, I would start in Safe Mode (tap F8 at startup to show the menu) and would cleanup all those LPT and COM entries.

After that restart in Normal Mode, letting Windows reinstall the ports and see if you can now install the printer.

Good luck.

Zee

[blues_harp28]

Hi Win98se should backup the registry at each boot up, and save the last four or five backups, why it dosen't I do not know.
Bit of research needed.
Im hoping Blue Zee will know,
You could for the moment back it up yourself each day, just so you have some recent backups.
Start>run and type:
scanregw.exe
backup
Enter.

[Blue Zee]

Automatic registry backups not working:
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-95...ry-backup.html

Perhaps the best troubleshooter I know!