Windows 98 will not run

[J Guy]

I have an IBM Pentium, 166 MHz that was running OK until a power outage this weekend.  Now, when it boots up it doesn't run properly.  Sometimes it seems OK but when I try to run programs it says "Insufficient memory."  Other times it boots up but I hear a continuous bong, bong, bong, like the sound of Windows Critical Stop.  It just keeps making this sound until I reboot.  Then it starts all over again.  Is there anything I can do to correct this?  Or should I reinstall Win98?  What procedure should I follow?  Thanks

[stevejohnson1958]

J Guy...

Was your computer connected to a surge suppressor?  Was the outage caused by a storm moving through the area...or was the power just interrupted?

Shut your computer down....turn off any additional peripherals...and disconnect them from the PC.

Also...if you were using a surge suppressor...unplug the surge suppressor...and remove the power cord from the computer to the surge suppressor.  Bypassing the surge suppressor...plug the computer's power cord directly into the wall outlet.

The only things you should have connected to your PC are monitor, keyboard and mouse.

Turn the computer on to see if you're still experiencing the same problem.  If not...it could be the surge suppressor.  Shut down and add the surge suppressor back into the equation.  Power up and boot into windows to see if you're still experiencing the same problem.  If not...good!  If so...then we may need to troubleshoot some of your PC's hardware that may have been affected by the power outage.

[J Guy]

Thanks for the response.  The PC was on a surge protected line.  I tried the things you suggested to no avail.  The monitor is working OK, In SAFE mode I can read the drives and partitions OK.  I just keep getting this "Out of Memory" message and the "Critical Stop" sound when I run apps.  Sometimes an app will run OK for a while.  Then I sometimes get an "Illegal Operation" message.  Then I have to reboot again to do anything. Sometimes even the keyboard and mouse are nonfunctional.  It's just weird.  What do you think?

[stevejohnson1958]

Could be a failing or failed memory module.  How much RAM is inatalled in this computer?  How many sticks?

Also...this is a fairly old machine...and eventually, hardware does fail.

I do think we need to look at the memory modules, first, though.

[J Guy]

Thanks again for responding.  In My Computer it says 130, 408 KB available to Windows and 99% free.  It is, I believe, the maximum allowed in this machine.

[stevejohnson1958]

That sounds like you're talking about the size of the hard drive.

How much memory (RAM) is installed?

[J Guy]

Well, I installed the maximum, 4 sticks I think 2 GB.  It was working fine for a long time.

[stevejohnson1958]

Have you tried testing one stick of RAM at a time?  You may have a faulty RAM module.

[J Guy]

A new approach:  I got into SAFE mode and removed programs that I no longer use or can reinstall later.  When I rebooted this time everything came up fine, almost.  I am able to run every program I tried.  Except I have no internet connection now.  This PC has a Linksys Wireless PCI card that was working fine.  But this is one of the programs I removed.  However I tried to run the Wireless Monitor application and now I'm back to the Critical Stop sound continuously and a message displaying I have insufficient memory.  And I have no Internet connection.  Other PC's in the house are able to access the Internet OK.  Is my problem associated here with the Linksys Wireless PCI card/software?

[street1 (RIP)]

Looks like that power outage zapped your linksys. Do you have another wireless card you can try ?

[J Guy]

I do have another card but couldn't I try reinstalling this one to see if it actually was zapped?  I already uninstalled the software.  I understand I first remove the card from the PCI slot, then install the software, then put the card back in the slot and it should work if it wasn't zapped.  Of course, power down before removing the card, and power down before reinstalling the card again.

I have a question that led to this exercise.  The reason I'm still using this Windows 98 PC is for one piece of software that runs properly only on a Windows 98 PC.  I wrote about it here before.  It's Desktop Sheet Music.  Their first version was written for Windows 95.  They say they upgraded that version for Windows 98, then ME.  Those versions work fine.  They now have an XP version that has some bugs.  Actually it never has been fixed so I use the Windows 98 version.  During this current issue it occurred to me that maybe I could have a partition on my XP machine that runs in Windows 98.  But I don't know anything about setting up the partition.  I would appreciate your thoughts on this.  Thanks

[street1 (RIP)]

Desktop Sheet Music for Windows 98  Idea is  below.

If you can just install that program on the XP machine outright,won't
you be able to right click on the desktop icon,go to properties and compatability,then choose "Run this program in compatibility mode for"
Then choose for Windows 98 ? Have you ever tried that ? Let me know how you go....

[quaxo]

Well, I installed the maximum, 4 sticks I think 2 GB.  It was working fine for a long time.

With Windows 98? Overkill don't you think?

Windows 98 will run phenomenally on 512MB. See if you've got enough working memory to at least get that in there.

[J Guy]

Desktop Sheet Music running on my other XP machine in compatibility mode didn't cure their bug.  I posted the issue several times to their tech support and got no solution.  (My other XP machind died recently, won't boot at all.. Doesn't recognize any memory.)  They suggested I make sure I had latest video drivers, latest version of directX.  Did that, no solution.  That's why I resolved to keep my old Windows 98 machine running.  Yes 2GB is way overkill, but the memory was added when it was my only PC and I was doing everything on it.  Worked great and fast! Now my two remaining problems are: (1) access the internet again with the Linksys wireless card, and; (2) get rid of the error of "cannot find a device file that may be needed to run Windows or a Windows application."  C:\WINDOWS/system\VMM32\ESUART.VXD  These I need help with.  Thanks

[punisher08]

Man what a pain! I have had some serious issues with my multiple boot system as you can see from my posts. My recommendation..Don't do it! I accidentally reformatted the C drive when I thought it was partitioned! Lost it all! On to your issues. I think you said it best Linksys. I had an issue with the wireless connection on one of my PCs. Got rid of the wireless, installed a NIC connection and RJ-45 to the rescue. It helps to have a broad band connection & the computer withen 10ft or so of the router. I would try reinstalling 98 sometimes starting over is the best solution...I should no right?!

[J Guy]

Well, I appreciate your comments.  I've had a dual boot machine for years with no trouble.  I used Partition Magic Version 7.  Actually, I have no complaints with Linksys tech support or their wireless cards.  I've been using them for years with no failures.  Usually the problems are caused by me.  I did have one router failure about two years ago, probably a power surge.  This issue I believe may be just an install issue and Windows 98 issue.  I'm not a computer wizard by any means.  I do have A+ and Network+ training and many years as a computer user, going back to mainframes and dumb terminals.  So my guess is I need to reinstall the card and software, in the proper order, and maybe that will fix my Internet connection issue.  I post this issue here because I've gotten help here from good guys.  So I'm hoping an expert will get me running again.  Thanks

[J Guy]

    I think this may be the last post on this subject for me.  I have finally fixed 99% of the issues on this PC.  I ran Free_Registry_Cleaner and found over 3000 bad lines in the registry that I then removed.  Rebooted and most everything was fine again.  Except I had no Internet connection.  Apparently my Linksys WMP54G died.  So I dug out the WMP11 from my dead Dell Dimension 8100 and installed it in the Win98 PC.  So that fixed the Internet connect issue.  Now I need to install a sound card.  I had a Soundblaster Live Value CT4780 card in the Win98 PC.  I removed it during troubleshooting.  Hope it works when I reinstall it.
Thanks to all who offered help and Hope on my issues.  I appreciate it!