Windows 98 install won't go past trying to detect equipment

[todays]

The machine keeps rebooting in a loop and I get the famous safe mode screen. I know sometimes it reboots on it's own when installing but it has done it about 30 times. It's a Toshiba 300 Mhz laptop. I can get it into Safe Mode. Windows 98 wouldn't boot after doing a Microsoft Upgrade from the website, so he put in the install CD and ran setup. It just keeps going in loops trying to detect equipment. I have a good registry copy still, but Windows 98 wants to still keep detecting stuff (in the install process)that already shows up great in Safe Mode. This machine has alot of programs and data on it and it all still works in the Safe Mode. Is there a way I can get it to stop detecting and just boot up on an old Registry?

 

[todays]

Well it's toooo late. The drive crashed. Though that's what would happen.