Windows 98 registry problem @ install... Odd Problem

[Blain]

For the last couple of weeks my system's been acting odd. Random lockups not finding programs that are there. Don't ask for specifics, just odd stuff. I burned a lot of my downloaded stuff to some disks. Am I ever glad that I did that!

The first thing that this thing did two days ago was to boot-up and NOT recognize my HD. It just listed some letters and a string of exclamation marks. It booted to the CD-ROM drive after that. I cleared the CMOS, but still the same thing. After a couple of reboots BINGO everything was fine. Or so I thought.

As Windows was loading, I got the blue screen of the registry backup. I restarted like it told me to, and got the same thing again. And again, and again, and again...


I finally reformatted. When Windows was going to run for the "first time", I got a registry error message. It told me that Windows was going to fix it. Well it didn't! After a couple more formats and reloads, I gave up.

Here's my stuff...
P3-650 & Asus adapter, (not OC'd)
256mb cheap PC-133 (runs on VIA boards... you know the stuff)
I tested the memory with Memory Dr., or whatever it's called. Everything was fine.
20.5GB IBM HD (less than a year old)
Soyo SY-6VCA
Windows 98SE

Any suggestions?
I've tried in the "Tech Support" forum... But here is where the traffic is, sorry.


v READ FURTHER v

 

[Jhhnn]

Check all the really basic stuff first-card seating,connections, cables,try a spare if you have one.

Use the WD disk utility (downloadable from their site) to check the disk. If it checks OK, write it to zeroes, clear the cmos and reload windows from the default bios settings. Just recognize the hardware, maybe turn off the power management stuff, depending on how you want it to load.

 

[Danlz]

I'd follow Jhhnn's first, then if no joy you might try this next..."If you suspect a corrupted registry, remove the SYSTEM.1ST file on the root of your boot drive. This has your original registry information. It is a hidden file so you will need to change it's attributes with (ATTRIB C:\SYSTEM1ST -r-s-h)". Sorry, I lost the source for this advice, but it works for me. Another trick is "fdisk/mbr" which is supposed to do the same thing, but I've not tried this one yet.

 

[Jhhnn]

My error, you want the IBM disk utility, although the WD would likely work. my mistake.

 

[corkyg]

Download the IBM drive utility called "Disk Fitness Test." These are brand specific, so IBM works only on IBM drives, etc. This will create a bootable floppy, and thoroughly repair a messed up IBM drive. I had one that would not boot at all (20 gig like yours) . . . ran that puppy on it (took about 12 hours!) and it ended up as good as new and has been solid ever since.

 

[Blain]

Thanks for all the input. The WD utility won't work with non-WD drives. At least it hasn't worked with any I've tried. I'll give the IBM program a try.

OT...
You know, we spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on the latest hardware and software to get "Bigger, Better, Faster and with More Power". Yet after reading the posts here, it seems like "Joe Pentium" cn buy an off the self box and run Windows 9X for months and years without any problems.
IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT!

 

[X14]

Could be the sign of a bad power supply. But since it's not a Athlon system, that may be unlikely but if all else fails, see if you get another PS to test.

 

[Blain]

The PS is a Powmax 400W less than a year old... but who knows?

 

[subman]

On booting stop the system at the dos prompt and run "scanreg /restore" you will be shown a list of registry backups - choose one when your computer was last running properly.

 

[Blain]

There is no more "last running properly" since it hasn't run right, even after several reformats and Windows reloads.

 

[Blain]

Ok, here's what I've done...

Replaced the cheap PC-133 with some Crucial PC-133,
Downloaded and ran the IBM "Disk Fitness Test" program,
I used it to test the drive and to erase the drive.
Unplugged all my USB connections,
Tested my connections,
Used two different Windows 98 CD's to load the OS,
Formatted and loaded several times,

But I still get the same exact "Registry Error" problem. I've got another PS, but does this sound like a PS issue?

 

[MulLa]

Could be a failing drive. My friend had a similar experience to you once. He started loosing programs and BIOS failing to recongnise his drive. Then after a bit longer... few weeks the drive finally died totally. Can you get hold of another hdd to test?

 

[Blain]

I ran the IBM "Disk Fitness Test" program. I ran "Quick Test" and the "Advanced Test"... both showed the drive to be good.
Is there some other type of bootable HD test program that can detect more problems?

I've never RMA'd any OEM components. Exactly how do I go about it? If I can't determine that the drive IS in fact BAD, will they still let me RMA it? I got this one from Buy.com if that matters.

 

[Danlz]

You might be chasing your tail until the hidden resistry file is changed from read-only, then deleted.

 

[Jhhnn]

Brutal Problem. Might just be the cable?

Hopefully, you have another machine to work with and are not sending out messages from the neighbors' house. If you do, try this:

Install the drive in place of the drive on the working machine, be sure the jumpers are right. You don't have to actually mount it, just make sure it can't short out or flop around.

Boot to the bios, have it recognize the drive. Erase the drive again, install Windows again. Don't bother to recognize all the hardware, just click thru the pop-ups til they quit. Shut down and re-boot. If the registry errors return, the drive is definitely defective. If not, the loaded drive may(?) actually work in the problem machine, indicating there is some other problem.

To restore the test machine, hook up the original drive, boot to the bios, recognize the drive, and it should be good to go. All the original info will still be on the original drive.

Good luck

 

[Blain]

I have three systems here at the house. One of them is running properly! I am going to shut it down and slap this IBM drive in there to see if 98 will load without any problems. That should take every variable out of the equation.

It looks like it will come down to a battle of the titans...
In the red corner, the IBM drive.
In the blue corner, the SOYO MB.
Who will win this DeathMatch? Tune in later to find out

 

[compuwiz1]

Don't overlook possible read errors from your cdrom / cable.

 

[Big Lar]

I'm with Compuwiz on this one, Also, It could be your ide Controller itself, maybe try the secondary channel on it's own to boot from ?

 

[subman]

Blain - Do you have the Mother Boards antivirus feature switched on when you are installing Windows ? I have faced problems when I installed Windows with this feature switched on.

You mentioned that you have one system working fine - why dont you make a mirror image of this working HDD and bring the new drive back to the troublesome system. You could use the software Ghost for this.

 

[ax57]

I've seen this problem before and it was bad RAM in one instance and bad cache on the CPU in another. Since you eliminated the RAM as the source of the problem, go into your BIOS setup and disable both the L1 and L2 cache, then try a clean install. It will be excruciatingly slow, but if it works you will have found the problem.

ax57

 

[Blain]

And the WINNER is...
Or should I say "Loser"...

THE SOYO MB!

The Antivirus is disabled. And I will go back and check on that CPU cache idea. It's a brand new P3-650, that's been running great... but who knows, maybe.

I want to thank you all for your input!

If it turns out to be the SOYO board alone, do I have any options?
BIOS flash?

 

[compuwiz1]

Blain, rma the board and buy an Asus CUSL2, CUSL2-C or MSI 815E pro.

 

[Blain]

UPDATE

I haven't done anything with the MB/CPU yet.
But, I ran across several items that may pertain to this problem.

Registry Checker Continues to Detect Registry Damage
Like I said before, I've already swapped memory

It sounds like Tom ran into a similar problem with a VIA board...
"I'm sorry to say that we could not run any benchmarks so far, as the board caused registry errors in Windows 98."
http://www6.tomshardware.com/mainboard/00q2/000614/ap133a-04.html

[Edit] Sorry for not "linking" the page at Tom's. But for some reason it will not work. Hmmm?

 

[Blain]

ax57 IS THE WINNER!
I finally got around to messing with loading WITHOUT the CPU's internal cache.
After a painfully long Windows install, the problem has disappeared.

 

[Blain]

No real "Winner" in this odd situation