Windows 98SE won't load

[jh88fan]

This problem seems to have come out of nowhere, last Friday afternoon I turned my PC on and about 1 second after the Windows 98SE screen appeared, it exited to DOS and showed this message:

"The following file is missing or corrupted:
C:\WINDOWS\DBLBUFF.SYS

The following file is missing or corrupted:
C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS

C:\>SET CLASSPATH=C:\Program Files\PhotoDeluxe 2.0\AdobeConnectibles

Cannot find WIN.COM, unable to continue loading Windows"

Everything seemed fine the last time I used my computer, shut down like normal, and no one used it between then and when this problem occurred.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any help with this, it would be greatly appreciated.

JH

[fudtone]

Try using a boot disk and see how far you get. Your HDD may have gone south.

[jh88fan]

I don't think I have a boot disk, but I do have a recovery CD that came with it. Would that be of any use?

I had backed up my important files on a CD just the other day, so I got lucky there, but I would like to get this machine up and running soon.

Thanks for the response!

JH

[fudtone]

You can download a boot disk at Bootdisk.com

Sense you have a back up of your files I would try a reinstall of the OS. It may just be the fastest thing to do at this point.

[jh88fan]

Thanks for the info,

I'll try the boot disk first and see what happens. I would rather not use the recovery CD unless I really have to. I disabled the onboard video and installed a video card a couple years ago and don't want to go through that mess again.

Thanks again!

JH

[jh88fan]

OK, I think I know what to do but want to be sure.

I need to go into the BIOS and change the boot device order so that the floppy drive is at the top of the list, then save>exit>shutdown, then insert the boot disk that I downloaded, then turn on.

Is this right?

Thanks for your help!

JH

[fudtone]

I found a couple other items on this. Both seem very relative to your issue.


http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;258471


http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;136630

[fudtone]

Correct boot from Floppy first for boot disk.

I would try the MS fixes first. They are normally correct when they match issue description so closely.

[Lardass]

It is possible to do a repair installation with a norml win98 disk... but that is if u have got a copy. Have u tried booting it up into safe mode by any chance?? When your system is booting up keep pushing the F8 key then use your direction keys to go to safe mode and push enter. What this does is skips loading up all the drivers and startup files and usually u can sort out the fault in safe mode.

[jh88fan]

Thanks for the links, fudtone.

I read about extracting new versions of the files from the installation CD to the windows folder, but I don't think I will be able to get that far since windows won't load, or is this something I can do in safe mode (assuming I can boot in safe mode, I haven't tried yet)?

JH

[fudtone]

Extracting is not complicated although it has a long explanation it can be done when Windows can't start.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;129605

I believe that boot disk may come in handy after all.

[Lardass]

You should be able to load up into safe mode. I can't see why. If it does boot up into safe mode you can check your system files by going into start>programs>accesories>system tools>system information.

Once you get this screen up got to Tools>system file checker and make sure the radio button for check for altered files is checked and run. If it finds a missing file restore it.

[jh88fan]

OK, so I'll need to either use the boot disk or start in safe mode, and then extract the files to make the necessary repairs to the files on my hard drive, correct?

I'm at work right now so I can't try it out just yet, but I'll post back later after I get the chance to work on it.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

JH

[Lardass]

When you manage to run the system file checker you can only set it to search for altered system files and restore them. You can't extract from a CD because in safe mode it doesn't load the drivers for it and recognise the CD-ROM. It should restore them from the windows directory. If it doesn't manage to restore the files which have been altered or deleted you just may have to seek other means.

[GaryRouth]

. . . since you have recent backups of your important data, you might want to run disk diagnostics on that hard drive, so that you don't risk spending time on a dying drive. The diagnostics are usually a free download at the website of the hard drive's manufacturer. [Or, if you bought the hard drive yourself, it may have come with a floppy or Cd with diagnostics].

. . . an over-the-top is another way to restore those files, if the extracting from DOS gives you headaches. Here's a link on two over-the-top methods http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...threadid=70846
. . . Gary

[jh88fan]

Worked on my PC yesterday evening and here is what I've tried:

I can get to the BIOS screen, but there's no option to boot to safe mode from there.

After exiting BIOS, screen goes to command prompt after Windows fails to load (showing error messages in first post).

Tried making a boot disk in DOS ("bootdisk a:" at prompt), but got this message:

"The EBD directory does not exist. Change to the WINDOWS\COMMAND directory and try again."

I don't have a Windows 98SE CD-ROM, only a set of software recovery CD-ROMs that came with the PC, but I've used them before and they worked then, they just set everything back to factory default.

HDD is a Quantum Fireball, 30GB, don't have access to the model no. right now, but I'll try the disk diagnostics later and see what happens.

One question: Is there some trick to booting into safe mode before Windows tries to load? This is all fairly new to me.

Thanks for the help!

JH

[Lardass]

when the os is loading up does it come up with the Win98 screen??? If it does then when it gets past all the IDE detection keep pushing the F8 key over and over again.

[jh88fan]

After powering up, the Win 98 screen comes up for a second, then the black DOS screen appears showing the error messages listed in my first post. I'm not sure if it's even getting to the IDE detection.

When I get the chance later today I will try F8 during that interval and see what happens. I only have about a 1 second window to work with.

JH

[Lardass]

You may need to push the F8 keep rather fast then. The IDE detection is just after when it is scanning the memory if your board checks the memory and dectects the hard drives and CD-ROMs. Please pm me with your system specifications. Doubt if it could be a hardware problem but have to be sure.

[TeenPcknowit]

Right after powering up your pc, begin pressing F8 till you hear a beep. Once the selection menu comes up, select 'Safe Mode' as it requires few boot sequences. When up and running, uninstall PhotoDeluxe 2.0. Restart the machine, do not press F8. (if the selection screen comes up again just select 'normal' mode.)
Does the OS boot? If not try these steps:

Keep Windows 98SE installation cd, handy.

Restart pc and press F8.

Select 'Safe Mode'

When booted up, try backing up your files onto a cd-r. (Though it may not work....this is safe mode. I'm not possitive how it affects drive arrays.)

Make sure to write down all of your favorites from IE (if thats what you use) for they will be lost in the process.

Back up network settings onto a floppy.

Insert Windows 98SE CD

Re-install windows 98SE. (This will NOT REMOVE your precious data. Yet, ask any good nerd and they will tell you to back up before any pc endevour.)


Boot up into windows .

[Lardass]

That is the thing though. He doesn't have a 98 CD handy and in safe mode the CD-ROM drive or CD-R/W doesn't get recognised. If he uninstalls the program he could end up taking out more system files that are needed to load up the OS however sometimes the uninstall programs don't run under safe mode.

[jh88fan]

So you know what I'm working with, this is a store-bought HP Pavilion, purchased new in 98

P3 533mhz 133fsb
256mb pc100 sdram
ATI Radeon 7500 PCI (onboard is disabled, this might be a problem if I use the recovery disks)
Quantum Fireball 30GB IDE HDD (don't have access to the model no. right now)
Lite-on CD-ROM
LG CD-R/W

The only modifications I have done are more memory and the video card, both done a while back and it worked fine afterwards.

Had been running fine except for a shutdown problem here and there which I've read about a lot with Win98SE. Like I said before, this came up out of the blue, but I'm curious as to why PhotoDeluxe2.0 would even matter at startup, that program seemed to have been working fine the last time I used it.

Thanks again for all your help,

JH

[Lardass]

Did you go on the internet at all the time before the system files got deleted because some spyware or virus can cause this or maybe a un-installation which can also knock some registry files or system files out.

[Lardass]

Do you also have sufficient or any anti-virus software?? Virus could have have infected some crucial system files and these AV software is deletes them in some cases if it is non-repairable.

[foorh]

I would strongly recommend using a Hard Disk utility (as mentioned before) to check your HD. As stated before, you can get them from the website of the HD manufacturer. Look for "product support", and enter the info for your specific drive in the appropriate menus.
You will have to boot into Safe Mode (to access the internet).
Once you have the utility, put it on a floppy. This floppy should also be bootable, ie. you can put it in your floppy drive, restart your computer, and it should load you directly into diagnostics.
This utility is more thorough than Windows scan disc, and depending on the utility type you will be given an "Error Code" which you can send to the manufacturer for support.

Try this out!

[jh88fan]

Hadn't thought about that.

To answer your questions,

I use Norton Antivirus 2003, set so it auto-updates every time I get online if any updates are available.

I was on the internet the time before this happened, to check my email. Didn't open anything from anyone I didn't know.

I haven't uninstalled anything in a while.

JH

[jh88fan]

Sorry foorh, I was typing while you posted.

When I get the chance I will find out if I can even get it to boot in safe mode.

Searched for a hard disk utility for my HDD and didn't come up with anything, don't think Quantum makes or supports hard drives anymore.

Thanks for the advice though!

JH

[Lardass]

I think it is a classic case of Spyware but to be sure do you have any firewall software installed on your PC at all?? In some cases spyware can also knock some system files out. If you haven't done anything at all for the file to be deleted I can only really put it down to the internet and spyware possibly which in some cases can delete some files.

When you manage to or if you can boot into safe mode I suggest running the SFC (system file checker) which checks for altered files or missing files and can repair them in some cases. To get to this you click on start>run>and type in sfc and press enter. Make sure the radio button for checking for altered files is selected then run the file checker. If it happens to find any missing files or corrupt files it will ask whether you want to restore the file or extract it from elsewhere but being that you are running the window in safe mode it will not recognise the CD-ROM drives at all to extract files from the recovery disk. So you will have to see if it will restore them from the systems current Windows directory.

[Lardass]

foorh as for starting it up in safe mode to access the internet it is impossible to do as starting it up in safe mode means it doesn't load any drivers at startup or files.

The OS that really allows you to do this is Windows XP Pro and Home Edition.

[Markoman01027]

If the win.com file is currupted or somehow deleted, you will not be able to boot into Windows..regular boot up or safe mode.


Put in a boot disk into your Floopy drive, boot up into DOS and type in this

copy a:\win.com c:\windows

hit enter

see what happens