Jump to content

Laptop doesn't work!

Glen Saunders

By Glen Saunders
in Windows 9x/ME

 Share

Recommended Posts

Glen Saunders

Glen Saunders

Posted
Posted

Hey,

I have a windows 98 laptop, which I used quite regularly until windows decided to uninstall itself! It is a Toshiba Satellite (basically a brick)

I turned it on one day and it was basically a fresh install of Windows. I put in a serial which i had on the back on another 98 User Manual, and now when i turn it on it just prompts with with 'illegal operation' and sits at the desktop backgruond.

Does anyone have any clue what i can do? I want my laptop back again.

Thanks,

Glen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sp193

sp193

Posted
Posted (edited)
I have a windows 98 laptop, which I used quite regularly until windows decided to uninstall itself!

Windows cannot uninstall itself. It can only get corrupted and become unbootable at most.

and now when i turn it on it just prompts with with 'illegal operation' and sits at the desktop backgruond.

The "Illegal operation" in Windows 9x is the application crash dialog.

Some application has crashed, and has taken Windows with it. What was the program which crashed? Also, can you please be more specific to where Windows crashes at? (e.g. At startup)

What was the last thing you did to your installation (Install/uninstall a new program, install new hardware etc) before your installation broke?

Edited by sp193
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jaclaz

jaclaz

Posted
Posted
I have a windows 98 laptop, which I used quite regularly until windows decided to uninstall itself!

Windows cannot uninstall itself. It can only get corrupted and become unbootable at most.

Yep :), but a number of laptops have a "recovery option" on hard disk, which, if run will re-make the drive just as when it came from factory, some use a pre-configured drive image while some simply have a half-pre-configured image that automatically starts the installation of windows, which would look to the (unsuspecting) user who somehow "triggered" the recovery, as if Windows had UNinstalled itself :w00t: and then tries re-installing itself from scratch.

I presume this is what may have happened. :unsure:

If something like the above has happened, then there is (additionally) an error in the "new" setup, which probably can be fixed through safe mode and/or command line.

jaclaz

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Glen Saunders

Glen Saunders

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I have a windows 98 laptop, which I used quite regularly until windows decided to uninstall itself!

Windows cannot uninstall itself. It can only get corrupted and become unbootable at most.

and now when i turn it on it just prompts with with 'illegal operation' and sits at the desktop backgruond.

The "Illegal operation" in Windows 9x is the application crash dialog.

Some application has crashed, and has taken Windows with it. What was the program which crashed? Also, can you please be more specific to where Windows crashes at? (e.g. At startup)

What was the last thing you did to your installation (Install/uninstall a new program, install new hardware etc) before your installation broke?

Windows crashes as soon as I log in to the computer, just after I enter the password.

The last thing I did on it was: not really specific but i was just on the internet, that what i used it for. I downloaded quite a few things but it was alway from reliable sources.

I have tried to reinstall Windows using the disc, but i cannot enter the BIOS. I have tried various commands that i was told about on google but none worked, and certain ones would just make it freeze on the loading screen (where it displays windows 98 and the bar moves along at the bottom)

I heard that i could take the battery out of the motherboard an the replace it, but i cant get inside the ******* thing! and i'm afraid that if i try to use brute force i will damage the internals.

The computer also requires a password straight after boot up.

Thanks guys,

Glen

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jaclaz

jaclaz

Posted
Posted (edited)
Windows crashes as soon as I log in to the computer, just after I enter the password.

Yep, but I have gathered that it is when it tries to load graphical mode, doesn't it

The computer also requires a password straight after boot up.

Yep, but that would be a BIOS password and you know it or not?

In other words:

  1. switch on
  2. give boot password
  3. press QUICKLY and/or several times/keep pressed F8 or either Ctrl keys
    http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm

What happens?

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Glen Saunders

Glen Saunders

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Windows crashes as soon as I log in to the computer, just after I enter the password.

Yep, but I have gathered that it is when it tries to load graphical mode, doesn't it

The computer also requires a password straight after boot up.

Yep, but that would be a BIOS password and you know it or not?

In other words:

  1. switch on
  2. give boot password
  3. press QUICKLY and/or several times/keep pressed F8 or either Ctrl keys
    http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm

What happens?

jaclaz

Right, that worked, got into safe mode, and the same thing happened. All i really need to do is get into the BIOS.

Thanks,

Glen

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dencorso

dencorso

Posted
Posted
I have a windows 98 laptop, which I used quite regularly until windows decided to uninstall itself!
Windows cannot uninstall itself. It can only get corrupted and become unbootable at most.

Yep :), but a number of laptops have a "recovery option" on hard disk, which, if run will re-make the drive just as when it came from factory, some use a pre-configured drive image while some simply have a half-pre-configured image that automatically starts the installation of windows, which would look to the (unsuspecting) user who somehow "triggered" the recovery, as if Windows had UNinstalled itself :w00t: and then tries re-installing itself from scratch.
Sure. I've seen that happen more than once, since last year or so.

Now... *that's* spooky! :ph34r: It's the most auto-boycotting feature I've ever knew of!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jaclaz

jaclaz

Posted
Posted
Right, that worked, got into safe mode, and the same thing happened. All i really need to do is get into the BIOS.

Well, you need to get into it by pressing the appropriate key while booting, common keys are listed here:

http://www.wimsbios.com/faq/howtogetintoyourcomputerbios.jsp

http://michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

Being a Toshiba it is likely to use a "set" of keys, like Esc then F1.

jaclaz

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Glen Saunders

Glen Saunders

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Well, you need to get into it by pressing the appropriate key while booting, common keys are listed here:

http://www.wimsbios.com/faq/howtogetintoyourcomputerbios.jsp

http://michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

Being a Toshiba it is likely to use a "set" of keys, like Esc then F1.

jaclaz

I got into the BIOS using Esc, and changed the boot order. and i'm reinstalling the OS.

Thanks for the help,

Glen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...