Windows 98/98SE Video Problem

[edemiere]

Hello everyone!

I have a system with the following specs:

AMD (Classic) Athlon 900
Asus K7V Motherboard
512MB PC133 SDRAM (2 x 256MB)
WD Harddrive 20GB 7200RPM UDMA100
SB16 PCI
SMC 1244TX NIC

Now, the thing I want to mention first is that this trouble, has been replicated on every single machine I have in my LAN (13 computers in all) and it only seems to have shown up in the last year.

PROBLEM:
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I install the OS, I install DX8 or DX9 (have tried both), I update IE to (5.01, 5.5 or 6.0, again, have tried all 3), I install the video drivers, NIC drivers, sound drivers and all my applications. Life seems fine.

At some point I can open a window/folder and delete a bunch of files (varying amounts) and that particular window will "lock up" on the screen. I can still use the mouse and open the start menu, my computer, etc and all those work, but the folder I delete from is still locked. I can open more windows/folder and delete more stuff and it locks up those windows too.

There are 2 ways of getting full PC control back that I have found. I can either (A) wait up to 15 minutes for a refresh and unlock of the windows or (B) click start, logoff and logoff and then back on.

I have tried to troubleshoot this over the last year, and I got so frustrated with this situation that I eventually gave up using Windows 98 because of it and I started using all Windows 2000 Pro and Windows XP Pro.

I decided that this system I spoke at the top of this email runs faster for gaming with Windows 98 and I decided to give it another try. I have had the same thing start to happen again. Temporary cure is to do all my deleting from the command prompt.

NOTE:
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All the PC's I have run flawless using Windows 2000 or Windows XP so I know its not a bum piece of hardware or I would see other problems with these other OS's.

Anyone have any idea what the problem could be? Has anyone else ever observed this behavior?

Thanks!

edemiere

 

[wheelandcog]

Hi

Install the reference chipset drivers for your IDE contollers, I think the Kv7 is a VIA chipset..but you'll know from he manuel or manufacs website yeah


maybe have a look at the jumnper settimngs for your Hdd/cd rom ...try and make sure youy don't have a dma 4 cdr slaved to a dma100 hdd or similar... stick that nice western dig on itss own bus if you can........

I assume the folder that gives you trouble is local to the PC, if it turns out that its not and its only via a neytwork share that the trouble occurs then take NETBUI out of the network stack...


98 had someissues addressing large amounts of ram correctly too, I forget if it was 256 or 512 I'm sure another member of the community will respond weioth the correcvt info... but try just one stick of ram any way (following a hunch) and slow it down in the BIOS for good meauseif that sorts it then use a TP prog called winturbo to fix the windwos/ram issue thing

maybe this'll help

ttfn
Will

 

[mattjurado]

It has nothing to do with your system. We've noticed this happening on all of the 98 machines we have built in the past year. It only happens in 98. Its the os on newer hardware. Considering Microsoft will stop selling the system builder version of 98 this year (the last copies of 98 they are making), and are phasing out support, don't expect a fix. I've noticed the same thing... You can open a second explorer windows, start deleting, and then that window freezes too. Its not you. You can also end task explorer, but it kicks you out and reloads a new explorer, not something you always want happening.
I work for a computer service company, I see this all day.
Please no responses to try this or that, its just the os.

Matt

 

[edemiere]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I kind of figured it was the OS, I figured Microsoft put in some sort of self destruct mechanism to force people to upgrade.

ewill:
It's not just this machine (it was just the one I was working with 2 nights ago). I observe this on any PC I try to put Windows 98 on now, which is quite sad.

mattjuardo:
Thanks for the feedback, at least I know it isn't something I do doing wrong and that you observe this all the time as I have.

Cheers!

 

[rockerfellerz]

mattjurado may be correct (first time I've heard of this problem) however you system specs are not brand new hardware, and everything worked fine in the past. I support a lot of win98se machines with hardware from new to old and they work fine, so I wouldn't give up yet.I guess you probably did all the updates that were available for win98se?

If you're going through Hell...keep going... (Winston Churchill)
RocKeRFelLerZ

 

[mattjurado]

It tends to happen when you delete large directories (100mb or more). I've noticed it throughout the past year, its just newer hardware designed for newer operating systems...

Matt

 

[DonKlein]

I have experienced problems with explorer locking up in 98 when deleting large directories. Keeeping the recycle bin empty seems to mitigate the problem, at least in my case.

FWIW

Don

 

[edemiere]

Small update on this issue guys.

I have that same system that I referred to, and when I put in the latest VIA 4-in-1 drivers and make sure that those drivers are put into effect by using the "Update Drivers" button for each device that the 4-in-1 drivers are supposed to update and force them to use that VIA driver the problem seems to go away.

Been running it solidly for the last month or so and have not noticed any of the hanging that was occuring to me.

So, in short, those of you who might notice this problem and want to keep Windows 98 on a system, I would recommend something similar and see if you get the same result.

Good luck and thanks for all the feedback you gave me!

Cheers!