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Windows 98 Startup Problem 4

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walks

Technical User
May 7, 2001
203
CA
Was wondering if someone could give me some suggestions. For some reason I cant get into Windows 98 Normal Mode, I see the Windows 98 screen and thats as far as it goes. It doesnt freeze it just stops responding and the computer wont boot up. I have access to Safe Mode and Safe Mode with Network support. Any ideas as to why I cant boot Windows 98??? Could it possibly be a virus?
 
Yes it could be a virus. Try these things first:

while in safe mode run msconfig and choose selective startup. Now just remove every thing that you think belongs to third party software (like virus software (mcafee, nortons, innoculate), optimisers..). Reboot and if this helps then one of these programs is causing a problem. Set programs to load, rebooting for each addition and when your machine stops responding again the last program you re-enabled is the one causing the problem.

It sounds like your virus software, however. Realtime monitors have a tenedency to crap out. Uninstall any virus software and try again.

Hope this helps.
sharper
 
I have the same problem "walks" and I tried most of the procedures described by "sharper" and that didn't work. The only thing I didn't try to disable the antivirus software, I'll try that tomorrow to see if that may help. Walks, did yours get cured by sharper's suggestion?
I'll let ya know how it goes tomorrow.
Thanks
gajajakr
 
walks

If the above hasn't helped you might try the following

You can opt to restore the registry: At the DOS Prompt type: scanreg /restore and pick a date that all was well.

While in safe mode, device manager remove all duplicated devices and
problematic ones as well. Reboot.

Checkpoints:

Start/Run/Msinfo32/Hardware Resources
Start/Run/Msinfo32/Components/Problem Devices
Start/Run/ASD

Code:
[URL unfurl="true"]http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q143283[/URL]
Windows 98 or Windows 95 Defaults to Safe Mode Even After Successful Start (Q143283)
Remove file Wnbootng.sts

In safe mode, click start -- run -- type in msconfig -- click ok. Select
diagnostic startup. This will unload everything from startup, and not
process the win.ini, system.ini, autoexec.bat, and config.sys. Reboot. If
the system boots to Windows, there is something in startup, or in a
configuration file causing the problem. If this problem started after you
added a program or installed hardware, uninstall/remove it.

How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98
Code:
[URL unfurl="true"]http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q192926[/URL]

Troubleshooting Windows 98 Startup Problems
Code:
[URL unfurl="true"]http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q188867[/URL]
Section that reads..Windows 98 Starts in Safe Mode

If still not working, Do you have any USB devices installed? If you do post back

Good Luck

Smitee
 
Smitee
What is ASD?... never run across that one before, tried running it and got a message "there are no ASD failures on this system" (or somesuch). I'm interested in anything that can help diagnose / fix Windoze!
 
I have almost the same problem, in that I can only boot in safe mode. Whenever I try to save any settings in the cmos, or try to shut down the PC, it just kinds of sits there, and goes to a black screen. I keep getting a CPU overclocking error at the beginning, however I can't change those settings, because the system will hang upon saving the changes in the CMOS. What should I do now?
 
mulga


Description of the Automatic Skip Driver Agent (Asd.exe) Tool
Code:
[URL unfurl="true"]http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q186588[/URL]

After you read this you will know EXACTLY as much as I do...X-)

smitee
 
Well as promised, I'm updating.
I disabled the anti-virus package and that didn't help. So "smitee" your suggestion is next on my list. I'll give it a shot and let you all know what happened next.
This is on one of my computers at work and hopefully I get this problem cured soon!!
I appreciate the suggestions and will keep on trying.
Is my last resort a clean install of win98?
 
Smitee

Thanks for that, not much info there but a handy tool to remember.
 
Smitee:
Where I'm at;
1) Scanreg/restore. Won't do get bad command or file name.
2) See ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering 4 times. Do I need All?
3) Checkpoints; try to rund and 1st 2 give the can't find message and the ASD says no current ASD critical operations failures on this machine.
4) Run Diagnostic startup and it gets just past the msmouse.vxd and lockups up. I had said no to the Config.sys and autoexec.bat. Also C:\progra~1\symantic\symevnt.386 and c:\progra~1\pcanywhere\aw_host.386 options came up. Said no to both.
So that's where I am at now. Will check troubleshooting site you listed and see my options.
I have no USB devices installed.
Thanks
Gajajakr
 
gajajakr,

To get scanreg/restore to work, you have to be at the:
c:\windows\command> prompt

reghakr
 
Thanks for the heads up reghakr, I'll give it a try tomorrow and see how it goes.
Thanks again
 

Thanks reghakr, busy trying to sort out "The Executioner" and didn't get back..
 
Update:
Selected a date and it told me restore Failed. Went back in to check options and lost that date I tried to restore. Rebooted just to see what would happen and it was the same as be for, locks up in the Win98 boot window.
Next?
Thanks
Gary
 
Update!!
Got the machine going again. It was in the registry. Once that was replaced it booted all the way. Thanks for everyone's efforts.
Merry Christmas
Gary
 
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