[Resolved] disappearing accesories programs

[Ktknievel]

I'm having a problems with many Windows programs that disappeared. For reference, i have a Micron Millenia running Windows 98. While trying to clean up my PC i went to the Add/Remove function and deleted several games through the install/uninstall feature. I then clicked over to the Windows Setup area in the same screen and scrolled through the listings. I checked out the details on several items such as accesories, accessibility, languages and desktop themes. I then clicked the OK button thinking that this would just close out the screen. I restarted my PC to make sure that all the earlier items were uninstalled. When i went into the Accesories in the start screen to run a disk cleanup i noticed that many of the icons were blank (i.e., no icon, just a little white box) When i checked through the rest of the accesories screen i found that all the games were gone also the calculator, address book, word pad, paint program, many system tools, internet tools, entertainment. And also my Themes. I tried what i could to fix it but to no avail. Can you help me to get these programs back? I looked through the CD's that came with my PC and none of them have these programs on them. Does this mean i will have to do a whole PC reboot? Thanks in advance for any help.
Katie

 

[DoyceJ]

May or may not help, but, have you looked in the recycle bin? If they are there you can right click and restore.

 

[Davey7549]

Katie
Welcome to TSG!
Another possibility is to go back to the windows setup section and see if you inadvertantly unchecked the boxes within the sections you are missing. If you did have your install disk ready and add them back one at a time.
Dave

 

[hewee]

All of the software you delete fro the windows setup tab are also in the windows .cab file on your C: drive. When you go back there to reinstall the software do this for each, For Accesories hightlight it and then click on details and then you will get another list of all the programs that are in Accesories and you can then pick the ones you want.

 

[Ktknievel]

Hey everyone, thank you so much for helping so quickly. I've tried to install the programs again, but it doesn't work. I've gone to the details under each section, but that makes no difference either. I don't have a disk that includes the programs on it. The only disks i have (and have ever had with this relatively new PC) are 7 Microsoft works CD's, a recovery CD and a driver and software CD that doesn't include any of these items. I'm stumped!

 

[Davey7549]

Katie
If you do a start/search and key in *.cab does it list cab files installed? When you went to the windows setup section was the boxes still checked? If so what happens when you click detail lets say for system tools are the individual items that are messed up still checked? What happens when you uncheck one that is messed up?
Dave

 

[Ktknievel]

<If you do a start/search and key in *.cab does it list cab files installed? >

I did the search and it bring up many zipped files such as Runhelp, Driver11, Win98_XX. I started to open some of them up, but to be honest, i didn't want to mess anything up again.


<When you went to the windows setup section was the boxes still checked? If so what happens when you click detail lets say for system tools are the individual items that are messed up still checked? What happens when you uncheck one that is messed up? >


When i go back to the setup section the accesories are unchecked, i get one of two things that pop up when i try to re check, 1. please insert windows 98......
2. Rundll32 error
Several of the other programs that i am having problems with are still checked although they do not work on the computer. When i uncheck, check, apply... or uncheck, apply... or any combination not listed (i've done this lots ) It tells me that i have a problem with my shortcut.

Thanks once again. Everyone is so very helpful here.

 

[Mosaic1]

Please post the exact wording of the messages you are receiving.

Also, when you have a recovery disk, the istallation includes putting the cabs on the hard drive so that when you try to add remove from windows setup tab or use SFC in Win98, you have access to them. It is like having the Install CD.

Have a look here:
C:\windows\options

Is there a folder named cabs? Hopefully it will be there. Don't open anything.

If it is there, I would ask you to check your registry to see if the path is correct. Go to stqrt>run and type regedit. Press enter.
Navigate to (navigating is the same as in Wkndoes Explorer, click the + in front of the first, then the second until you drill down to the final entry in the path.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

Don't click the + in front of Setup. Instead, highlight Setup and look in the right pane for this entry>
SourcePath

Do you see it? If so, it should read
C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\

Please post back and let us know what it says.

 

[Ktknievel]

Do you see it? If so, it should read
C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\

I did find it, but it does not read the above, it reads
C:\WINDOWS\inf

As for error messages, when i try to check the accesories box it states
Please insert the disk labeled "Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM" And then click ok

 

[Mosaic1]

No. That's a different folder. Try going into the registry and having a look at Source Path. Follow the directions in my other post. What does it read?
This is the path to the installation files.

 

[Mosaic1]

It occurs to me that this is a hidden folder. In order to view it you need to first go to Folder Options>View and select Show All Files. Click apply and ok. Do that and then go back to look for this:

C:\windows\options\cabs

 

[Ktknievel]

I selected "show all files" and then tried everything again, but the results were the same. I went into
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\C
urrentVersion\Setup

I highlighted setup(didn't click the + sign) and on the right side approx 30 items showed up. Next to SourcePath it reads
"C:\WINDOWS\inf"
The only place i see anything close to C:\windows\options\cabs is next to OLSSrcPath and that reads C:\windows\options\cabs\OLS which isn't the same thing. You told me to go into the registery to look at SourcePath, isn't that what i just did by opening up the registery? I'm unsure. Sorry to keep ya so busy!

 

[Mosaic1]

You did what you were asked. That other entry is Online Source Path. The fact that it says C:\windows\options\cabs\Ols means you did have the cabs on the hard drive at some point. And from your response earlier, you seem to have some of them still. TRy this. Go to start>run and type
C:\windows\options Press Enter. Does it open? If so, do you have a Cabs Folder? I know I am repeating myself. You did have the cabs. Now the path in the reg is incorrect. IF we can find the cabs and correct the path in the rgistry you'll be OK.



If not:
What kind of Computer do you have? I have an HP and can reinstall without formatting. However, because it is a recovery disk, everything else will be installed too. Things you may have since removed or updated.

First, uninstall any upgrade you have made to Internet Explorer and then try a recovery.

 

[Mosaic1]

I reread this. You performed the search for *.cab and found them.
Do the search again and look at the Entries.
Name In Folder Where are the cabs you found located?

 

[Ktknievel]

Firstly, I just have to repeat, thank you.
Now onto the real stuff, i opened C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS and i do see a Cabs folder. So it's there somewhere, or at least it was. Before last night i never had a problem and i use the devices daily, mainly calculator and volume control and a lot of the others.

For general info i have a Micron Millennia and as this is my first PC with this company i am unsure about what can and cannot be done with them.

I knew i would eventually have to recover, and i was considering doing so eventually to get rid of bits and pieces of unwanted info. I don't mind the problem of getting programs back that i deleted i can always get rid of those again, what i am concerned about is how to save my WANTED files. i can't back up the computer, because the backup option is one of the deleted items, plus that wouldn't help matters. But if i may ask a pretty silly general recovery question. I can just put all saved games and items that i worked hard on onto my CDR and then reinstall them, correct? And i also have another question... i'm not sure if this is allowed or even doable, but... can i use another persons or computers Windows 98 disk to reinstall the accesories. If i'm thinking correctly, this problem would be nonexistant if i could find my windows 98 disk. And also, can i recover the PC if i don't have the windows 98 disk? I do have the book but that doesn't have the serial number on it.... Oy...