[Resolved] Win98 boot problem

[Hatu]

I have a boot problem with win98 that has just started after I had installed a palm program. When I try to boot the computer it will boot through the second win splash screen and for about 15 seconds beyond and then it goes back to a restart. It will boot up in the safe mode. I have uninstalled the palm program and used the program uninstaller and it indicated a successful uninstall. I have tried all of the suggestions in the help file, no good.I have also gone through the msconfig program and tried everything in there and I still have the same problem. I even reinstalled the sys reg with the backup, same thing restart.
Thank You in advance for your help.

 

[Styxx]

Several more troubleshooting steps:

It sounds as if for one reason or another, Windows has become corrupted and may need to be re-installed after backing up your sensitive data - (Internet Explorer Favorites, Netscape Bookmarks, Outlook Express contact lists, letters, pictures, databases, spreadsheets, music, etc.) to removable media for restoring later. But first

Update your antivirus, temporarily disable your screen saver and scan with your anti-virus set to scan All Files. Update and scan bi-monthly. Create your anti-virus' Rescue disk(s) and update them after each Windows anti-virus update.

You can scan on-line to double-check your Windows scanner at http://housecall.antivirus.com

Get free Zone Alarm personal firewall anti-hacker countermeasure from http://www.zonelabs.com. (not the demo) Don't let anything out to the Internet you don't know what it is.

Cure Your Ills With the System File Checker

Windows 98

When you're having trouble with Windows 98--and who doesn't at some point--you might want to try a little-known utility called the System File Checker. Close all open programs and go to Run in the Start menu. Type sfc and click OK.
Check the Scan For Altered Files radio button and click Start. SFC will look for files that have been corrupted. If it finds any, you can use it to extract clean versions of the files directly from your installation disk.

Or

To start System File Checker, follow these steps:
Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, click System Information, and then click System File Checker on the Tools menu.

 

[Hatu]

Thanks for your help Styxx.
This was one for the books I guess. Here's what I finally found.
The registry had a corrupt file and even the backup had the same problem. I found the date for the problem but not the file. I tried to reinstall windows but it would stall and freeze up, luckily it did not get far enough along to corrupt the existing win. files. So as a last resort before reformatting and loosing everything I tried installing the 1st registry that was created when windows was installed and it worked, the system booted up normally except that I had to add all the programs that had been installed since the first. But I was real surprised to find that almost all of the start-up files were intact. That is a mystery to me as they should have been erased by the new registry settings. Oh well I'll take it.
Again Thank You for your help.
Hatu.