Win98 SE Re-install Problem

[dhover]

Just wiped my HD clean (Fdisk and Format). After clean installing Win98 SE Upgrade, I get into a loop where when the GUI is finished loading, a message pops up saying that Windows found an error in the registry and needs to be rebooted to correct it.
So, I press OK, the machine reboots, and the I get the message again...and again...and again.

I've fdisk'd and formatted 3 times (just in case...) and the same thing.

I did this same install on the same machine about 10 months ago with no problems. This time, the registry is hosed from the get-go.

Any ideas what's going on and how to fix?
dhover

 

[Comtech]

Enter the BIOS, and disable virus checking. Disable com 2, set "PnP OS Installed" to NO, set Reset configuration data" to YES.
Try it again.
If it still fails, remove all your peripheral cards, except video, and install windows. Add cards back, one at a time, restarting in between. Cheers,
Jim
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[Technician]

It's probably your RAM.

Had same symptoms before.

Gordon Yuen
gyuen@hotmail.com

 

[Guest_imported]

I thought that if you wiped your hard disk, then there's nothing on it. If you re-install WIN98 SE, UPGRADE, it should fail because there is nothing there to upgrade. Don't you have to start with WIN98 OEM?

 

[Technician]

If you use an upgrade version you need to satisfy with a qualifying product. The product does not have to be installed. You can point it to A:\ if you have Windows 3.X installation disks or put in your Windows 95 CD in and let it check there. This will also work with Office Upgrade.

This option is also alot cleaner than installing the previous version and then putting the upgrade over top because of the older files will still remain on your HD and may cause other weird problems.

Gordon Yuen
gyuen2@hotmail.com

Opps my last post had the wrong email address.

 

[goBoating]

I had the same problem and took a shot gun blast approach including Contech's suggestions. However, I also removed the battery and rebooted, and then replaced the battery and rebooted, and then started a one by one card install, rebooting between each card to make sure the BIOS was happy.

I then used fdisk to delete all partitions, created a new primary 0 , and then marked it as active. Format and reinstall.

I don't know which of the described steps or what combination of them fixed the problem, but, after all of this I did get a reasonably clean Win98 install. Fixed a few straggling problems with DVD drives and such and got a stable machine back.( as stable as Win98 gets, anyway.)

You might also reseat your RAM chips. If they have been working, they are not likely to magically have died (unless you have been walking across carpet in your sock feet). I have, however, seen many instances of cards needing to be reseated to scrub through a little oxidation on the pins.

Good Luck - I know you are frustrated.

BTW - after I got Win98 running again, I repartitioned my drive, and installed Red Hat 7.0 with absolutely no problems. Sound Card works, DVD works, joystick works, printer works, and StarOffice works. Unfortunately, I have a Winmodem and I can't get LINUX to talk to it, otherwise, I would go LINUX all the way..... may yet replace with a real modem.... I know, that is not an option for you gamers with your high end video and sound.... to bad....


keep the rudder amid ship and beware the odd typo

 

[dhover]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

As it turns out, the registry was never corrupted. It's just that when regscanw runs right after boot-up, it cannot get hold of the registry for some reason and then claims that it is bad. I disabled that app from automatically starting and it works like a champ.

Also, I turned off the new DVD Filesystem support (UDF) to revert to CDFS. This cleared up all my Fatal Exceptions in vcache VxD.

So, all's well...so far.
Thanks again,
dhover

 

[Guest_imported]

This is also a known issue with some Intel chipsets.
You can go to

http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/storagedrivers/ultraATA