Win 98 SE Install

Happy Holidays everyone! If someone can help me, things will be happier for me too. I've been reading posts for hours, trying everything to solve my problem. Got rid of the vxd errors, but Win 98 hangs after loading everything and just sits there. I can get into safe mode to do things and believe me I've tried. Step by step looks like it's loading but then just stops at the end and no Windows. I don't have the original CD because I wasn't savvy enough 3 years ago to ask for it when I had the computer built. I have a start up disk that I made. This is a Pentium 233 with 256k and I haven't had this problem before. It's my workhorse computer. I do have a Windows SE full version that we never used at work. My questions are: should I try to install this over the existing OS using a switch at the dos prompt: setup.exe /NTLDR, or should I try to install it into a separate directory and try to salvage what I can? Would this be like a dual boot and give me the option of choosing the OS at startup like it does in NT 4.0? I've defragged, scandisk (never made it through that), scanreg/restore, done selective booting, unchecked uneeded startup items with msconfig, got rid of Zone Alarm (including the registry key), ran sfc. I still have most of my hair but you all know how crazy these things make you. Also, it's not a virus, haven't had this particular machine online in a good while and checked it right before I took it offline. Sorry this is so long. Thanks for your help.

 

Did you try reinstalling your video drivers while in safe mode.

You can't dual boot win98 and win98se

If you install it as an upgrade it shouldn't lose any of your data

 

Thanks for the fast reply. I will give the drivers a try.

 

Unfortunately, that didn't work. I reinstalled the video driver and restarted. It got to the point where it said: Completed updating files, continuing to load Windows, and hung. Back to the drawing board. But thanks.
V

 

hi

I had that vxd problem right after i got rid of zonealarm. I think that's it w/ you cuz you got rid of it. anyway, i reinstalled it and my problem was gone.

i know this doesnt help but it's a start somewhere.

 

I seem to have gotten rid of the vxd errors, only had 2. I just don't understand why I can only boot into safe mode. Worse, I have the feeling that I've missed something or read about a solution to this problem somewhere. If I find it, and fix it, I'll post it. Thanks!

 

I'd backup any important data that I couldn't afford to lose and then try doing a thorough scandisk from a DOS prompt. It's going to take a good while so just let it sit.

scandisk /surface /all

 

Thanks Bryan! Scanning now.

 

The scan says everything is ok. Now I'm really puzzled.

 

Got it back! I followed the troubleshooting Booting into Safe Mode on the Microsoft KB...troubleshooting protected mode drivers. Typed in msconfig, clicked on advanced on the General Tab, checked off boxes one by one till it worked. The one that did it was "Force compatibility mode disk access."
Now I need to find out why that worked, but in the meantime I can take care of things. What a relief. Thanks for all the help I always get here. You can close this thread!