NSR: Windows 98 SE Help

[FiveLarge]

Yeah, I know. I'm running an aged OS. I've got all my peripherals and programs and whatnot setup, so I don't want to risk causing problems with changing OSs (plus, I don't want to mess with a pirated copy or spending $100 to upgrade). I'm trying to keep things simple.

Here's my problem, though. It runs pretty well overall, except for when it comes time to shutdown or reboot. It starts the process, only to "lock up" before really getting anywhere. A series of short, vertical green lines will appear across the top of the screen. If I manually turn it off/turn it on, or hit the reset button, all is fine...but I'm thinking this isn't good for the PC to shutdown "improperly" everytime. I've tried "reinstalling" Win98 "over" the existing install, by running setup.exe from the C:\Windows\Options\Cabs folder, but no fixy. I'm wondering if there's problem in those cabs, or the problem is something that just won't fix by that method. I've atttempted twice, and see that when it boots up after I "re-install", it always finds a system/registry error, and restores the settings.

I can't find an actual Win98 CD, though I'm not 100% sure I ever had one...as I do find my Dell Resources CD, which has Win98 Cabs on it, but I can't find a setup.exe file to start the install from the CD instead, wondering if the results would be any different. I do have a boot disk, but without some sort of executable to start things of the Dell Resources CD, I'm clueless.

Really, this is the only thing awry, given that it is Windows 98SE. Any ideas on how to fix? I'm not real experienced with this stuff. I'd contemplate a full re-format, but without a good means of re-installing Win98SE, not sure that's an option. (maybe someone has one of these CD's lying around, and I could use that with my existing product key?)

Thanks in advance for the help.

[avacadotoast]

I believe it is a know issue with windows 98SE - when shutting down mine just sits with a cursor blinking in the upper left corner instead of turning off - I just hit the power button and all is fine - it has been that way for years and no issues. When you reboot does it tell you it was shutdown improperly and go through the scan process - mine does not. I bet your fine, just try to keep it viral free because virus scans don't remove some of the viruses they would with other OSs once you are infected.

[FiveLarge]

I believe it is a know issue with windows 98SE - when shutting down mine just sits with a cursor blinking in the upper left corner instead of turning off - I just hit the power button and all is fine - it has been that way for years and no issues. When you reboot does it tell you it was shutdown improperly and go through the scan process - mine does not. I bet your fine, just try to keep it viral free because virus scans don't remove some of the viruses they would with other OSs once you are infected.

I do get the "improperly shutdown" message. So, wondering if my issue is different.

I use avast for virus protection.

[Lurch]

Have you tried rebooting from the Dell Resources CD? It will probably give you the option of formating the drive and reinstalling windows. Most OEM's ship with "recover cds" that contain the windows install media along with other things and no Windows CD.

[avacadotoast]

I do get the "improperly shutdown" message. So, wondering if my issue is different.

I use avast for virus protection.

Yours is different - I wouldn't know if it does any harm. Try this and see if you can find a fix for your problem http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q238096/ try the troubleshooting tab and go from there.

As long as your virus scan is always on it should catch and block them coming in - it is once you have them that virus scans don't like to remove viruses with Windows 98SE (this is from my experience).

[FiveLarge]

Have you tried rebooting from the Dell Resources CD? It will probably give you the option of formating the drive and reinstalling windows. Most OEM's ship with "recover cds" that contain the windows install media along with other things and no Windows CD.

Didn't try that. I didn't think that it was a bootable CD...but I'll have to try it instead of just assuming it isn't. Thanks for the suggestion.

[FiveLarge]

Yours is different - I wouldn't know if it does any harm. Try this and see if you can find a fix for your problem http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q238096/ try the troubleshooting tab and go from there.

As long as your virus scan is always on it should catch and block them coming in - it is once you have them that virus scans don't like to remove viruses with Windows 98SE (this is from my experience).

Thanks; will try that route as well.