Another Win98 crash please help

[Dave240]

I booted up my laptop with win98 and it said it hadnot been properly shut down and it did the full C: scan then I let it do the surface scan where it found no errors. But once windows starts to boot up and it gets to the spot where it prompts you to put in your password it says "Error starting program - A required .DLL file, C:\\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SHLWAPI.DLL was not found. Another window pops up behind it. The window title is C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETWROK ASSOCIATES\VIRUSSCAN\AVSYNMGR.EXE. It says in the window "Virus scan could not start due to a missing or outdated Avysynch.dll library. Please reinstall the product"

If I click OK to both another window pops up and says please reinstall windows, then the computer seems to freeze. I tried restarting it and pushing ctrl and pushing F8 to get in safe mode, but neither seem to work. I can press f1 (i think) and get into the BIOS set up I think it is. I tried using the boot disc that was provided with the computer but it just says to reformat the hard drive and reinstall windows. I really dont want to do that, as I need to access the paper I was typing up that was due today.

What do I have for options? I am a n00b at this kind of stuff.

[carlmccut]

Dave,
First do you have access to another computer to get to the net??
Here is a site that I used for a similar problem I had with my Toshiba Sattelite laptop:

Fixing the shlwapi.dll error. (Error 48)

http://www.ascentive.com/support/new/dll_shlwapi.phtml

As far as the other message that is McAfee VirusScan Synchronization Manager. Once you have repaired your first issue then try reinstalling McAfee. I would suggest uninstalling first. You then reinstall from their website.

[Dave240]

Yeah I have internet access on my home PC. How can I upgrade my IE if the computer wont boot up?

[carlmccut]

I mean do you have access to another computer that you can get on to download what you need? Download the dll file to a floppy. Also do you have your win98 cd? If you just do a install it will not delete any of your present files it will overwrite and add missing files. Try this first.

[GaryRouth]

Hi Dave240

carlmccut has given you some excellent advice. If you're uncertain on any details, or on which repair to try first, post here again with your questions, and with the make/model of the laptop (so we can check on the details specific to your model).

Extracting and copying files manually is a little tricky, so if your Recovery Disks have the "Operating System reinstall only" as an option, that's a lot easier. If this option is not present on your recovery set (from your previous post, it seems that it might not be), you can still try an over-the-top if you have access to a same-version Windows CD (you would keep your current product key, the Windows CD would only be used for repair). Details for the Windows CD-based "over-the-top" are here http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=70846

Not sure that a reinstall will fix everything, though. Sometimes these errors can be traced to malware infections (especially a few of the Trojans/worms). Whatever repair you decide on, you'll want to visit Windows Update immediately after for patches, and have your antivirus/antispyware/firewall running before reconnecting to the Internet. You can try an online scan from HouseCall to double-check your antivirus software ( http://housecall.trendmicro.com ). PestPatrol has an online scan for spyware, too (I think - but I haven't tried that tool). The online scans are free-of-charge.

If it turns out you do have a fairly serious infections, if you have adequate backups to consider a "clean reinstall" (using your Recovery Disks for the "Full Reformat & Reinstall" type option) -- at least these pretty much guarantee to remove whatever infections are present.

Best of luck
. . . Gary