Win 98 / Safe Mode problem

[Basils57]

Having had system problems I decided to re-install win98.
When re-installing, at the end of the proceedure when the computer reboots itself, it is booting into safe mode, and will not move from there. Programs are not however operable from this safe mode position.
Anyone have any ideas please,so that I don't have to re-format?

[SARGE]

That's interesting, esp. upon a reformat. If you get to the desktop ok, hit start, programs, windows explorer. Select view, folder options, then view tab. Select the "show all files". Then exit out and do a find for msdos.sys. This is a hidden, read-only file, hence the above procedure. If you see a line for BootSafe=1, change it to BootSafe=0.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by Basils57 Having had system problems I decided to re-install win98. When re-installing, at the end of the proceedure when the computer reboots itself, it is booting into safe mode, and will not move from there. Programs are not however operable from this safe mode position. Anyone have any ideas please,so that I don't have to re-format?

Try doing the re-install of Win98 with just the motherboard, CPU, heatsink, video card, 1 stick of RAM, floppy, hard drive and CD-ROM drive installed...leave the other stuff out until the OS is installed and configured (install the chipset drivers, USB drivers, etc...). Then install the other parts/cards one by one.

Cricket

[mike breck]

I would tend to approach it differently.

As you can get into Safe Mode, my logical sequence to identify the problem would be:

Check if the culprit is loading in Autoexec.bat, config.sys, Win.ini, or system.ini

Check if the problem is with a program launching from the Start-up folder.

Check for Resource conflicts.

In Safe Mode type "MSCONFIG" in the Start Menu "Run" box. In the System Configuration Utility click "Diagnostic Startup". Reboot and hold down the Ctrl key. At the DOS menu select "Step By Step Conformation". When prompted to process Autoexec.bat and Config.sys press "Esc" to bypass them. Press Enter to load everything else.
If Windows starts, then a entry in one of these files is causing the problem.

If Windows still won't start, then move all the shortcuts from the Windows Startup folder into another folder. You can then identify the culprit by moving them back one at a time.

In Device Manager, go to the General tab of each device and disable these devices them by clicking "Disable in this Hardware Profile":

Display adapter, floppy disk controller, hard disk controller, mouse, network adapter, ports (com & lpt) SCSI controllers, sound video and game controllers.

See if you can boot into Windows. If you can, then go into Safe Mode and enable one device at a time and reboot. Keep on doing this until you have identified the hardware which is causing the problem.

HTH

[Basils57]

Thanks for all of the help folks - we're back up and running!

[Computer Hobbyist]

OK, how did you do it?

You have three experts giving you three different approaches. Did you use one of theirs? Did you do something else?

I for one would like to know.

CH

[Basils57]

Apologies for not being more specific - Can't answer for the other two suggestions, as Sarg'es worked and didn't get chance to try them.
Just having a job getting the internet connection sorted now, hence the delay.

Thanks once again

[mike breck]

Anything flagged in Device Manager?

[Basils57]

Sorry for the delay - have been away from home.
No, nothing flagged in device manager, and now have internet working ok - it was an AOL fault.

Thanks again