[SOLVED!] Clean Install of full Win98

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I "think" I sucessfully did a clean install of a full install of Win98 after formating HD running Win95. I say think because I can not boot into windows--every time. I can not run a defrag and somehow I have lost network neighborhood on the desktop of the PC. Guess I have done something that I shouldn't have done. Any help for me--please. TIA
Almost forgot to say, I go to safe mode with out any problem and if fact, seem to stay there.
To make matters worse, PC is my wife's and I am in the hot seat!

 

[Bryan]

To start, boot into SafeMode and take a look at DeviceManager.

Start>Settings>ControlPanel>System>DeviceManager

Do you see if you see any yellow exclamation marks listed?

As far as the Network Neighborhood icon missing, that's most likely just due to the fact that you don't have a client installed. That's easy to fix but check DeviceManager first and we'll go from there.

Let us know what you find.

 

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Bryan, thanks for your response and no, there are no yellow exclamation marks in the Device Manager.
After I had installed Win98, I did have a problem there with the internal modem(which is not used because I have DSL) but to get rid of it, I went to the IBM site and dowloaded drivers and installed them. Problem went away.
Before installing Win98, we had no problems using our networking setup and in fact, were having no problems BEFORE the Win98 installation. We share a printer that is attached to the sick PC. Appreciate whatever help you, or others, can give me. TIA

 

[Bryan]

Can you successfully boot into Normal mode or will it only boot into SafeMode?

If it will only boot to SafeMode, were you at any point able to boot into Normal mode after the install? And if so, what was done to the PC before it stopped booting into Normal mode?

 

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For some time after the install of Win98, I was able to open windows because I had to download and install ZoneAlarm, for example, and a few others like Spyblocker; etc. Then I re-loaded my Nortons Internet Security Family Edition and the Antivurus software 2001. Sometimes, don't recall what I may have just done, when I had to re-boot, windows would not load and I visited Safe Mode more times than I wanted and too frequently. Once or twice, when Safe Mode was highlited, I tried to boot to windows(hit #1 instead of #3) and upon re-booting, the windows logo would just stay on the screen--nothing more. Other than the blue scroll on the bottom of the screen scrolling to the right.
It is beginning to look like I may have to do everything over again. What a lousy feeling and loss of time, if I do.

 

[Bryan]

Have you tried using Add/RemovePrograms and start working your way backwards and removing software that you installed?

Also, since you mentioned the Network Neighboorhod icon, do this and let us know if you see "Client for Microsoft Networks" installed. I may be barking up the wrong tree but you mentioned the icon was missing so maybe it has some significance with the SafeMode problem.

Start>Settings>CP>Network. Is "Client for Microsoft Networks" lsted under "Installed Components"?

BTW, rather than a reformat, you may want to just boot to the W98 boot diskette with CDRom support and just rerun the W98 setup from the CD to install W98 right overtop of itself. Be sure if your prompted that a Windows folder already exists, to let it reinstall in the Windows folder that exists. That way it will only install anything that's missing and if it's successful, you won't lose anything and all of the programs you installed will still work.

 

[Bryan]

And one other thing you may want to try is this,

Boot to SafeMode and disable the loading of the startup programs and see if it will boot into Normal mode

Click on Start>Run, key in Msconfig and press enter. Click on "Selective Startup" and remove the check mark next to "Load Startup Group Items". Click on Apply and follow the prompts to restart.

And <a href=http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q188867> here</a> is a MS article to help you debug the SafeMode problem.

Let us know what happens.

 

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Yep, Client for Microsoft Networks is on both PCs in the NN and also Windows Logon in the Installed Components.
Much obliged for the tip on re-installing Win98 over itself. I had read about something like re-running Setup.Exe but I know nothing about that and I don't know where such a file is either. Your suggestion sounds like an easier way to go.
I could begin to remove software from Add/Remove in Control Panel. Don't think I would have thought that would work effectively while in Safe Mode--even if I had thought about it. I made a list of what I put back on through my software disks and what I d/I from the web and I kept that list in "installation order" so I should just remove them in reverse order and see if I can boot after each removal.
While you think on this, I am going into Msconfig and do what you said to do there and see what I find. Just hope I recognize "IT" whenever/if ever I find "IT". Also hope I can put things back into order when I finish looking in those strange areas of the PC!!
I really appreciate the coaching.

 

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Bryan--I am studying my list of re-installs of software programs to the the ailing PC and the last two items were from Microsoft!!
IE5.01SP2(I have used it for many months and like it with not many problems) and MSN Messenger 4.5. These were installed in that order. Surely not the MS would give me a bad download!! I know you can't tell but you might have had some negative experience with these or either of them. Spyblocker preceeded these two so maybe I should remove it first. Any thoughts before I begin to undo what took some time to do?
Now I am going to Msconfig.

 

[Bryan]

Try disabling the startups and see what happens. If it still doesn't boot into Normal mode, try this

Start>Find>Files, key in wininit.ini and press enter. If it's found, rename it wininit.xxx and then try to restart in Normal mode.

If it still doesn't boot into Normal mode, I'd uninstall Spy Blocker and MSN Messenger and see if that does it.

And if that doesn't work, try this,

Start>Settings>CP>Add/RemovePrograms. Double left click on "Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 and Internet Tools". A menu should appear. Take the option to "Restore the Previous Windows Config".

Good luck and be sure to let us know what happens.

 

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Bryan:
The last suggestions you made last night didn't do any good!! I must have a unique computer
I had already removed Spyblocker and MS Messenger before I saw your last post and re-booting did NO good--still hung at the windows, powered off and then had to go back to Safe Mode.
I had also run the IE repair before your post and that didn't help. Now this morning I reverted to the IE version that the Win98 CD installed--version 5.0. Still didn't work!!
I am hanging in "there" coach!

 

[Bryan]

Have you tried this yet? If not, try it

Boot to the W98 boot diskette with CDRom support and just rerun the W98 setup from the CD to install W98 right overtop of itself. Be sure if your prompted that a Windows folder already exists, to let it reinstall in the Windows folder that exists. That way it will only install anything that's missing and if it's successful, you won't lose anything and all of the programs you installed will still work.

 

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Bryan:
If I do the re-install of Win98 over itself, do I do the following:
The PC is now turned on-- will I simplly put in the startup floppy and the Win98 CD in the CD-Rom drive and THEN re-boot and choose CD-ROM SUPPORT and then proceed to follow the steps to re-install?? Hand holding is a must for me cause I am treading on a lack of knowledge here. I think I am smelling some success!!

 

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Had an idea but now I don't think it will work. I located and copied the netbeui.vxd file from my other PC to a floppy. I was thinking that I could install it to the sick PC but in Safe Mode, the contents of the floppy can't be seen!! So much for my idea. Is there a way of doing that Bryan or should I go with re-installing Win98 over itself?
Why the netbeui.vxd file is being brought up now: I noticed in the Device Manager that my NIC driver info there was a message that netbeui.vxd was not installed. I copied the file from my good PC with the thought of copying it to the sick PC but in Safe Mode, the file is not being seen on the floppy. So much for that idea. I thought maybe, just maybe, if I could install the file my problems might be over!! Don't guess it can be done?!?

 

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Will someone tell me how--step by step--to install Win98 over itseft without loosing any thing that I have put on this PC after doing a clean of install of Win98. I would really like to get this PC back up and working tonight so that we can resume networking at home using our DSL. Thanking you in advance.