98SE stops booting?

[ScrewUpgrading]

I've reinstalled over the existing installation twice (once to remove the Unofficial Service Pack).

And it still works like crap?

I'd reformat that thing.

Go to my computer. Right click on the A:\ drive, and select "create system disk." Or whatever it's called in Windows 98. (For Windows ME you go to the control panel's Add/Remove thingy, not my computer. Basically, just right click on crap until you find something for making the system disk)

So, make a boot disk using the above method.

Then turn the computer off.

Then place the floppy disk into the drive while the computer is OFF.

Turn the computer back on.

When the computer loads to the DOS prompt it should say "A:\"

Then type: "Format C:" and hit enter.

Then hit "Y" for yes, it will erase EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN. AND magically fix everything! I guarantee it.

Then pop in your Windows 98 CD and install.

^^^ This will 100% fix your computer.

Oh and, if there's no FORMAT.COM created on the boot disk (Microsoft's evil attempt to screw with you!!!) copy FORMAT.COM to the boot disk you just made. It should be somwhere in the Windows folder.

Edited December 23, 2011 by ScrewUpgrading

[I41Mar]

Hello,

Currently I have a PC at the computer technician shop in order to test a PCI SATA card. The technician told me that it is not necessary to replace the HD drive if scandisk found some bad sectors, as it marks them as unusable and then you can continue to use the HDD drive!

It is that really true, or I am at risk of losing data?

I41Mar

[ScrewUpgrading]

You'll just have to check more frequently for the next bad sector to appear, and hope that it doesn't end up being a system file that gets lost or ruined.

If you're computer still works, then it still works. If it doesn't, then it doesn't. I wouldn't worry about it unless you computer stops working correctly.

I'm lucky, I've been using the same Quantum Fireball (40 gb) for eleven years and it has zero bad sectors.

Edited December 23, 2011 by ScrewUpgrading

[PROBLEMCHYLD]

It might be a hardware problem. I went through the same thing on my dell latitude c600. It would install ok, but after a few shutdowns

it would start looping at the splash screen. I removed the cd/dvd drive and all is better. Of course I replaced the dvd drive with a cd drive.

[Foxbat]

I've looked over BOOTLOG.TXT. There's nothing wrong there. Those failed entries are normal. For details: KB127970.

[UltimateSilence]

I've looked over BOOTLOG.TXT. There's nothing wrong there. Those failed entries are normal. For details: KB127970.

But, then, what is causing the problem?

[Foxbat]

But, then, what is causing the problem?

That's what we're trying to find out, and we now know that the bootlog is not one of them. Did you try PROBLEMCHYLD's suggestion?

[UltimateSilence]

But, then, what is causing the problem?

That's what we're trying to find out, and we now know that the bootlog is not one of them. Did you try PROBLEMCHYLD's suggestion?

I do not have a seperate CD drive, though...

I don't think the hardware is the cause of the error (it could be), but the computer didn't used to do this.

[ScrewUpgrading]

Rather than "taking it out," which I assume means unscrewing it and removing it entirely..... try unplugging the power cable to the CD-ROM. Then put the computer case back on and turn your computer back on. See if Windows loads correctly then.

That way you can easily plug it back in.... takes like 5 seconds. Then you'll be able to determine if the CD-Rom is in fact the problem.

Edited December 24, 2011 by ScrewUpgrading

[rilef]

This might be a hardware problem. The fact that the computer use to work right, but now doesn't-- this may result from a hardware item that use to work right, but now doesn't (or is in the process of failing, or a cable came loose, etc). I have fixed similar problems by swapping out a bad modem card for a good modem card, and a bad network card for a good network card. And, in both instances, the solution did not appear directly related to the cured problem. In some instances, the bad device may be an on-board peripheral, which can be disabled from the system BIOS.

Check the system BIOS to see if it is set to halt on all errors. I have my computers set to halt on no errors or only on keyboard errors. Disable any onboard devices no longer needed, such as USB1, serial or parallel ports.

I rarely see errors, and none recently, when running scandisk, much less errors that scandisk fixes, only to have similar errors reoccur. Check the system BIOS to see if the drive is properly setup as autoselect, or, if manually selected, is properly configuered. Then try running the DOS version of scandisk from the "Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu". To access the Startup Menu, I hold down the CTRL-key during system bootup. Then select "5. Command prompt only". Then type "SCANDISK /?" for scandisk help. I would be wary of autofixing, or fixing bad sector errors, however, as these may be false positives.

You may also want to use the "Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu" to check and repair the Windows Registry. Select "5. Command prompt only". Then type "SCANREG /?" for scanreg help. Type "SCANREG /FIX" to repair and compact the Windows Registry. Run a reliable registry cleaner from Windows, such as ccleaner, before running SCANREG from DOS.

Also use the "Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu" for step-by-step-confirmation during bootup. You may be fortunate enough, using this procedure, to identify the point when bootup fails.

Boot to Windows, and run "msconfig" from the "Run" prompt. Disable all start menu items, not related to Windows (firewall, antivirus, etc). Reboot and see if the booting problem goes away.

You appear to have installed and since removed one of the unofficial service packs for Windows 98. Since these updates appear essential to a stable Windows 98, and updates no longer appear to be available from Microsoft, I recommend you reinstall one of these unofficial service packs. My recommended service pack(which I have used myself, exclusively and with excellent results, for several years) is "Unofficial Windows 98 SE Service Pack 2.1a" (available from several sources, including http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/Unofficial-Windows-SE-Service-Pack.shtml).

[Hu$tle]

I don't think the hardware is the cause of the error (it could be), but the computer didn't used to do this.

Do you realize there can be only one or two things wrong. You either have a hardware problem or a software problem.

If you don't take people advice on here who's trying to help you then you should figure it out on your own.

[UltimateSilence]

I don't think the hardware is the cause of the error (it could be), but the computer didn't used to do this.

Do you realize there can be only one or two things wrong. You either have a hardware problem or a software problem.

If you don't take people advice on here who's trying to help you then you should figure it out on your own.

Yes, I do realize this. Please note that I stated the hardware could be causing the error; I wasn't ruling out the possibility. I will try PROBLEMCHYLD's suggestion.

Rilef, thank you for your time. I will check the system BIOS (something I never thought of), and I will boot using step-by-step-confirmation. If these methods do not work, I will use SCANREG and SCANDISK as you suggested.

Afterward, I will post the results.

Thank you all.

EDIT: So far, I haven't experienced an issue. I ran ScanDisk in Command Prompt (as Rilef suggested), and it reported 0 errors.

Edited December 26, 2011 by UltimateSilence