formatting..hd

[Toolman35]

Due to multiple trojans and viruses I lost it all and now need to format.
I have already FDISKED, and Formated. Now I set here looking at a C:\ prompt. I have both system disc and win98se in cd rom. What do I type at the c prompt? I looked for articles on this subject in the forums which I know exists but did not find them. I sure would appreciate a step by step run at this.
Thanks

[Force Flow]

Okay, so what exactly is your question?

[glc]

If you are sure that you have formatted the hard drive, just set the bios to boot from CD first, boot with the CD, and choose Setup Windows 98.

[Toolman35]

thanks GLC. got it going now.

[Jomama]

Glad you have it going. Next time, copy the Win98 folder from the CD to a folder on your HD and install from there. The install will go MUCH faster and during a SW or HW install the program will go to the correct CAB file on your HD instead of promping you to insert your Windows CD.
Complete instructions are in the Archive section.

[Toolman35]

I got another problem now. I do have it online but after installing the onboard LAN controller I was prompted to put in the win98se disc. I did that but for some reason it couldn't find the file...anyway after rebooting the ethernet card was installed and working properly although during the boot I recieved this message
"Can't find device file that may be needed to run windows or this windows application. The registry or SYSTEMINI refers to this devicefile but the device file no longer exists."
vnetsup.vxd
vredir.vxd
dfs.vxd.
what is this??

It's a sy-k7v dragon plus mobo.

[edfair]

They are net support files that should have downloded from the SE CDROM, but since the CD is unreachable they couldn't be found.
That is why glc suggested the install files on the HD rather than using the CD.
You probably need to look in your device mangler to see what hardware isn't installed correctly and get the correct drivers from you M/B CD.
And you probably need to have a good emergency boot disk for the CD access you need to install easily.
You can download a EBD from www.bootdisk.com that gives CD access and the possibility of transferring the install stuff later.

[Toolman35]

Actually I did put the win98 on my hd. I just don't know exactley where I put it..
Found a page in the forums after searching and and copied them to a win98 directory.. It booted up ok at first quite a few times until I loaded drivers for the mobo and onboard lan.

[glc]

To fix it now, you must remove all networking components from control panel/networks and reinstall the network adapter properly. When it asks for the 98 CD, you MUST install the files, you can't skip them. You may have to manually type the exact path to the cab files either on the CD or the hard drive to find them, there's no browse button.

[Toolman35]

I'm not sure what path that would be.Would it be differant than any other win98se install?

[edfair]

You could get to dos and from the root do a "dir *.cab /s | more " to find them. You'll have to locate them yourself, since you put them somewhere, or use the d:\win98 directory for the CD, assuming that your CD is D:.

[Toolman35]

thx edfair, I just did a over the top and seems to be fixed. I am still having problems running IE6. I was running it before with the same win98se application, but after I wiped it clean and reinstalled and updated I can't open the IE6 browser about 98% of the time. ANy fix for this. I went back to version 5...I was looking for 5.5 but the website said it was unavailable.

[edfair]

I saw a post somewhere referencing a download site. But my personal method is to keep the old coasters from the independent ISPs that bought into the older IEs and install from them. Most of my stuff is 5 or 5.5.
Sorry , no idea on a fix.

[glc]

http://browsers.evolt.org/download.p...P2/ie55sp2.exe

[olldays]

Originally Posted by Jomama Glad you have it going. Next time, copy the Win98 folder from the CD to a folder on your HD and install from there. The install will go MUCH faster and during a SW or HW install the program will go to the correct CAB file on your HD instead of promping you to insert your Windows CD. Complete instructions are in the Archive section.

What do you mean by a SW or HW install. I am having a few problems with Win98 (again). I am getting multiple error messages. Can you tell me if I should format the HD or can I just uninstall and re-install Win98.
I noticed you said that for a quicker install I should copy the Win98 folder to my HD so that suggests to me that un-installing Win98 wont affect any other folders. Am I right?
I would really appreciate some advice and guidance.

[Jomama]

Often when you install HW(hardware) or SW (software) you are prompted for your windows CD so that drivers can be installed on your system. If your Installation is on the Hard Drive, it goes much faster because a hard drive is so much faster than the fastest CD Drive. Same for installing.
If you cant resolve your 98 problems, a format and reinstall is always the last thing I recommend but if you have to, you have to.
What kind of errors are you having. When?
One thing you can do is install over the top if you have corrupted drivers or missing whatevers.
It is like installing but it just replaces the OS with a new one. This way you dont lose any data. With a format, you lose anything not backed up.
Have you installed an OS before? Do you know how to access your BIOS?
What are the errors?

[olldays]

Thanks for the reply. First of all the errors I am getting are typical of Windows. Freezing, crashing etc in programs such as IE6, Media Player, Real Player. I can't use the repair option on IE 6 because IT JUST FREEZES
The only program I have had any hasslefree time with is Netscape 7. After reading your reply I think I will uninstall a few programs, get rid of some files and then copy over my existing Win98.
However if I do need to format can you give me some directions please. I am seriously thinking about going Mac after this recent episode.

[glc]

The first thing you should do is uninstall IE6 and revert it back to IE5. This will give you a LOT more stability on Win98.

[olldays]

Originally Posted by glc The first thing you should do is uninstall IE6 and revert it back to IE5. This will give you a LOT more stability on Win98.

Whenever I use the repair or revert option it freezes. Any programs even vaguely associated with it return with error messages. I really am lost now.

[Jomama]

Use Add/Remove Programs to get rid of everything you dont absolutly need. Run Scan Disk and Defrag. After success on those three things, gather all your programs and driver disks.
Set your bios to boot from the CD. Insert the Win CD and turn the computer on.
Windows will notice that you already have it installed and so will ask if you want to install Windows in C:\windows000. If you say yes it will install a second instance of Windows and you dont want that. So just backspace over the 000's so that the installation folder reads C:\windows. Now press Enter.
This will install Windows over your current installation and may correct your problems.
Next you will need to go to microsofts update site and get all the latest security updates. Just the security updates, not all the updates. Depending which IE version is on the disk you have, update to no more tham 5.5.
Get a good Anti-virus software package and keep it up to date. Like every week. I use NOD32. But dont worry about names, just keep it up to date.
Download a programs to scan for adware. Such as Adaware. And run it regulaly.
There is nothing wrong with 98, many many people use it, myself included. But you have to obey the rules and not be reckless with it.
Be careful what you install. Be careful how you uninstall. Protect yourself. There are more dangers than ever out on the net, just waiting for an unsuspecting person. sometimes they cause your problems and sometimes you let it happen.
Post back with any questions and include more data about your system, including what youve done and the size of your HD and the free space.
Include the amount of RAM and anything youve done to it hardware wise.
You have come to the right place for answers but you have to do the work.
Good luck.

[olldays]

Jomama thanks for your help. As I said I couldn't even get into the control panel. So I done a format and have installed everything I think I need, such as Ad Aware and some other programs I use regularly. However I have Norton system works that I am yet to install. Or do you think its better just to use the Windows maintenance programs?
I set up a password but what is the use of it if you can carry on by clicking cancel?
Can you set it up so that the password has to be correct?
Once again many thanks to you, and the others who responded to my desperate post.

[glc]

Norton System Works is more of a resource hog than it's worth. Just make sure you have a good antivirus, and I do *not* recommend McAfee or Norton 2004.

98's security is almost nonexistent. The only decent way to password protect a 98 box is with a bios password.