Windows 98 only goes into Safe Mode?

[ArchStudent]

Howdy,

got a problem here and I am hoping someone can help.

got a 4 year old machine that has Windows 98, which will only boot into Safe Mode. The machine was taken into a shop and had 98 re-installed (not my machine a friend's) and it booted up fine at the shop. The minute it was taken home it would not boot up properly, it will only go into safe mode.

Looked at the Device Manager, and there are no problems with the hardware in Windows. The monitor also flickers twice before it goes into Safe Mode.

Could it be a power supply that might be crapping out and causing problems, or could it be that Windows 98 has gone bad and needs to be re-installed? There are no messages indicating that files are missing though.

Thoughts or ideas?

Thanks a million

 

[Zepper]

www.aumha.org (Windows Support Center) has lots of info and links re. Win startup/shutdown problems. Don't you think M$ would have that kind of problem fixed by now ??? No other OS seems to suffer from it.
.bh.

 

[johnjkr1]

Also, can you define "not boot up properly" in normal mode? Does it lock, or does it show the splash screen then a blank screen? If it shows a blank screen, you just have a refresh/resolution problem, easily fixed

 

[ArchStudent]

It shows the splash screen, but seems to freeze... hit the good old "Ctrl+Alt+Del" and then it prompts you that Windows was not properly shut down, so it gives you options to get into Windows: Normal Mode, Safe Mode, Command Prompt, etc.

 

[ArchStudent]

Zepper thanks for the link, I think I found an article that describes a few of the problems.

Hmmm... reading MS knowledge Base article 188867 it seems as though there could be a problem with a few things. Anything from *.ini files being problematic to a Windows 98 protected-mode driver....


Whew... I'm so glad that I do not use Win 98 anymore! I will do my best to solve my friend's problem though

 

[nineball9]

If it worked at the shop, and you have not changed anything since, the difference may be the monitor. Since it works in safe mode, VGA mode works. Try setting the display properties to VGA, and/or checking the videocard settings.

You can try the bootlog.txt option when booting the machine: hold down F8 before Windows starts to get the boot menu. Back in Safe Mode, you can then browse the bootlog.txt file in the root directory and hopefully learn more about the problem.