Computer Hope

Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows 3.x/9x/ME => Topic started by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 02:04:03 PM

Title: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 02:04:03 PM
Hey guys. I am having some serious problems with Windows 98 right now. When I try to turn my computer on everything seems normal at first, but then it runs AVG anti-virus and then a Scan Disk. After that it displays the desktop walpaper but then it freezes! What sould I do? I am also using this monitor for the first time on it... could that be the problem? Thanks ahead of time.
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: squirrel on July 28, 2005, 02:06:27 PM
Possible.  Does it work with another monitor? (borrow one and find out) Does the monitor work with another computer? (borrow one and find out) Are your Virus definitions up to date?
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: yourfateissealed on July 28, 2005, 02:15:42 PM
Do you know how much RAM you have?
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nito on July 28, 2005, 02:19:50 PM
Quote
Possible.  Does it work with another monitor? (borrow one and find out) Does the monitor work with another computer? (borrow one and find out) Are your Virus definitions up to date?


Im swapping monitors now... waiting for startup
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 02:21:23 PM
Quote
Do you know how much RAM you have?


Sadly no... this is actually a buddies computer. It is a Dell Dimension V350 Pentium II. I know that there isnt very much RAM
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 02:24:00 PM
Well I swapped monitors and the instalation wizard worked fine, but nothing is still showing up on the screen other than the cursor (I think the owner uninstalled the mouse) and the wallpaper. Nothing seems to be working
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: squirrel on July 28, 2005, 02:25:55 PM
On which monitor? the new one or the one you removed? have you plugged your monitor into another computer?
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 02:28:27 PM
I dont have the monitor that was originally hooked up to this computer. I have 2 spares at my house. The first, a NEC MultiSync M500. And the second, (the one that is hooked up at this moment and that the instal wizard seemed to work fine on) a Gateway EV500.
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Raptor on July 28, 2005, 02:33:46 PM
There is no way your monitor could cause such problems.

And there is no way to remove the mouse without Windows redetecting it. It may be disabeled, but this is doubtful.

Can you boot into safemode and scan for viruses, trojan horses and spyware?
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 02:35:46 PM
Well, I just got a little more info from the owners. They thought they had a virus so one of them (doesnt know a thing about computer workings, but thinks he has a Masters in Computer Science) started messing around with it. Eventually the mouse was uninstalled somehow and he couldnt figure out what was wrong, as he was making it alot worse.
 So basically I am working with a computer with no mouse and isnt wanting to boot. However, I do have a boot disk. I have started the computer with it in the drive and I am currently at the screen with the A:\> and a blinking cursor... what now?
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 02:42:56 PM
Quote
Do you know how much RAM you have?



Ok ya... I have 512KB of RAM and it is a 350MHz
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 02:45:23 PM
Quote
There is no way your monitor could cause such problems.

And there is no way to remove the mouse without Windows redetecting it. It may be disabeled, but this is doubtful.

Can you boot into safemode and scan for viruses, trojan horses and spyware?


I cant seem to get into safe mode
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 02:52:59 PM
Ok... im in safe mode, but the mouse still doesnt work. (Ive tried 2)
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: squirrel on July 28, 2005, 03:21:05 PM
does it detect the mouse? do you get a dialog box that says windows didn't find a mouse attached?
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 03:30:13 PM
Quote
does it detect the mouse? do you get a dialog box that says windows didn't find a mouse attached?



It doesnt say anything, so I guess it must detect it
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Raptor on July 28, 2005, 03:38:41 PM
You can operate Windows using the keyboard.

Tab to select the choices presented
Enter Enter to confirm

Try running AVG Free in safe mode. It should not be too difficult if you use the following keys:

Tab to select the choices presented
Arrow keys to select the choices presented
Enter to confirm choices currently selected
Space to confirm choices currently selected.

Do note that certain keys described above may have different effects in software other than Windows.
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 04:10:22 PM
Quote
You can operate Windows using the keyboard.

Tab to select the choices presented
Enter Enter to confirm

Try running AVG Free in safe mode. It should not be too difficult if you use the following keys:

Tab to select the choices presented
Arrow keys to select the choices presented
Enter to confirm choices currently selected
Space to confirm choices currently selected.

Do note that certain keys described above may have different effects in software other than Windows.


Yeah, I have been uninstalling some programs that are on the computer using the keyboard. I tried running AVG, but it said that it was installed incorrectly, so that didnt work. The only other form of protection that is installed on this computer is SpyBot.... so what the heck, Im running it now

I deleted several games and one card making program and tried to boot the computer again and it still wouldnt work... from this point I rebooted in Safe mode and ran a Disk Clean up and tried to run a Disk Defrag, but some files were damaged. It said to run the Scan Disk program, which I did, but the thing kept starting over and over again. I dont know what to do!
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Nitro on July 28, 2005, 04:41:01 PM
Ugh... this mouse thing is getting annoying
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: Raptor on July 29, 2005, 06:58:59 AM
Can you not remove the mouse entry from Device Manager to allow for redetection?
Title: Re: HELP! Win98 Wont start up
Post by: merlin_2 on July 29, 2005, 03:18:40 PM
Bad ramsticks......use the one stick.......the original one!