Help - Windows 98 - can't boot up

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November 7th, 2004, 10:28 PM
ErinMC

Help - Windows 98 - can't boot up

I am running Windows 98 on an old Compaq Presario. Prior to this problem, I'd had a few virus problems and very slow system, but I *thought* that was all cleared up. Apparently not.

I am unable to boot up to the desktop. The Windows 98 start-up screen churns through, but it brings me to my wallpaper and freezes. No icons, no start menu, nada.

ScanDisk found no problems. I have plenty of hard drive space. I have tried starting in safe mode and get the same problem. I CAN work from the command prompt and see all of my files, so I know they're still there. I have also run the step-by-step confirmation and all goes through correctly, it still freezes on the desktop load.

Any ideas of what to do? I just tried to go back to a previous version, but the restore failed. Someone suggested it may be a problem with the explorer. exe file - how do I fix that?

TIA!

ETA: I tried getting into the bios to run a boot disk but am unable to get in - I keep hitting F1 but nothing happens. When I stop hitting F1, windows continues loading.
November 10th, 2004, 06:35 AM
Garak

download a dos antivirus package (fprot is a good one) including all the updates and extract to a directory ie c:\fprot for ease. reboot into dos mode and run fprot scanning for any left over virus's and see where that takes you.
November 10th, 2004, 02:19 PM
ErinMC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garak

download a dos antivirus package (fprot is a good one) including all the updates and extract to a directory ie c:\fprot for ease. reboot into dos mode and run fprot scanning for any left over virus's and see where that takes you.

OK, will do. Thanks for the suggestion! I'll let you know tonight how it works out.
November 10th, 2004, 10:39 PM
Cyphrr

Sounds sort of like a problem I had before. Maybe this may help. Read this.

http://forums.windrivers.com/showthread.php?t=55179
December 3rd, 2004, 11:42 AM
canadarules

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyphrr

Sounds sort of like a problem I had before. Maybe this may help. Read this.

http://forums.windrivers.com/showthread.php?t=55179

re-install windows and your drivers afterwards, than it should work..make sure you have backup disks or your toast(as I realized about a month ago).