Please help!! win 98se won't start

[smithy5]

I ran Adaware....and It probably deleted something that it shouldn't have.

Upon restart, the boot process recognizes all the drives and counts the correct memory size, but once it gets to the windows 98 full size screen, it reverts to dos and lets you choose 1 of 6 boot options.

1. Normal
2. xxxxx (something I don't remeber)
3. safe mode

5. Command prompt only
6. Command prompt w/ ......

Choice 5 is highlighted by default. It says choose Command prompt only and run scanreg.

If I do this it hangs and does nothing.

If I try to boot normally, I get an error that c:\windows\system\vmm32.vxd is missing or corrupt
then it proceeds to shut down and power off.


If I boot in safe mode or go to the command prompt (but don't run scanreg) I get to a point where it says the C:\windows\himem.sys file is missing or corrupt. A line reading Device=C:\windows\himem.sys should be added to the config.sys file. If I try to go into edit config.sys, the mouse drivers are not active so I can't save it. I found where it says to look for to mouse.com files in the autoexc.bat and config.sys files, but I don't have either.

Lastly, if I boot from a win 98 disk & CD, I don't get an option of "repair windows" it looks like it wants to reinstall everything.

I've tried to copy the 2 files it says are corrupt from a disk, but when I restart, I get the same thing.

Is there a way to run a repair windows type program from the cd or floppy? or should I try to load the mouse drivers so that I can edit the config.sys file?

Thanks

 

[Mucho]

You could boot to the command prompt and try restoring the registry by typing: scanreg/restore, if that fail might want to reinstall 98 over itself that way you wont loose your settings and install progs.

 

[smithy5]

Thanks for the idea, I'll try that this evening.

if I reinstall win 98 over itself....w/o formatting the hard drive, will that erase all of my data files? Office documents, pictures, mp3, video, etc? I've got stuff on there from my old computer that I transfered to this one....going back 5 years, and I'd really hate to lose some of that stuff.


Other wise, I may be calling one of the data recovery people

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: smithy5
Thanks for the idea, I'll try that this evening.

if I reinstall win 98 over itself....w/o formatting the hard drive, will that erase all of my data files? Office documents, pictures, mp3, video, etc? I've got stuff on there from my old computer that I transfered to this one....going back 5 years, and I'd really hate to lose some of that stuff.


Other wise, I may be calling one of the data recovery people

Shouldn't. But that is why I've had either 2 partitions or 2 drives in my system for years now... Data and such goes on one, OS goes on the other.

If you don't format, you should just be overwriting the OS files. You'll probably have to reinstally your apps, but 99% of the time won't affect your files.

 

[mikecel79]

Shouldn't. But that is why I've had either 2 partitions or 2 drives in my system for years now... Data and such goes on one, OS goes on the other.

Or better yet do backups of your data. What happens if something hits your computer or worse a fire takes out your PC? Everything you had is gone. A 2nd partition is not protection from this kind of thing. Neither is a 2nd drive.

 

[mikecel79]

If I boot in safe mode or go to the command prompt (but don't run scanreg) I get to a point where it says the C:\windows\himem.sys file is missing or corrupt. A line reading Device=C:\windows\himem.sys should be added to the config.sys file. If I try to go into edit config.sys, the mouse drivers are not active so I can't save it. I found where it says to look for to mouse.com files in the autoexc.bat and config.sys files, but I don't have either.

You can still save files without a mouse. Hit the alt key to activate the menu at the top. Geez I remember when PCs didn't have mice! Hell you can still do almost anything in Windows without a mouse.

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

you can re-install 98 over the top of itself and not lose anything. Some settings may change, but for the most part, everything should still be where you put it. It's times like this that I can't stress enough for people to back up thier HDD's to CD with Drive image 2002 or Norton's Ghost. $70 for the software, $50 for a burner and this thread would not have been here today.

I ran Adaware....and It probably deleted something that it shouldn't have

That surprises me. Adaware has proven pretty good for me so far.

 

[Spyro]

Geez I remember when PCs didn't have mice! Hell you can still do almost anything in Windows without a mouse.

Heh, I do too, but the keyboard can only get you so far so fast depending on what apps you use

That surprises me. Adaware has proven pretty good for me so far.

Aren't there some threads here about adaware beinga tad overzealous or is that some other cleanser that I'm not to familiar with?

Couldn't a virus or something like that do this?

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

Aren't there some threads here about adaware beinga tad overzealous or is that some other cleanser that I'm not to familiar with?

Very well could be..Maybe I need to do a little research on the subject myself.

Couldn't a virus or something like that do this?

Easily and very typically ends up being the case.