windows98 won't load up

[peggy522]

I'm using windows 98 on a pentium II 350mhz computer
I updated the critical updates from windows update as I normally do but for some reason this time, I can't get windows to load up again, it goes as far as the place where the start button is and immediately flashes off and sits with an empty screen, I have the windows blue clouds on but none of the desktop icons appear, nor the bar at the bottom, it only stayed for seconds. The computer is not froze because I can still move the mouse cursor around the screen. When booting up in the safe mode it stops in the same place. I tried scanreg and scandisk but it did not help. I get no error messages. I have to use alt-ctl-del to shut down, when I do this a window comes up where usually there are several things in it, but now I have one and it is "crexe". I need help, so hope I explained things ok. Your help would be appreciated.
Peggy

[Smitty]

peggy552

What modem are you using? Do you have any of these files on your drive? They are usually in \Windows\System directory.

crdmodem.vxd
crdll.dll
crldr.vxd

Post back after you have checked.


Smitty

[peggy522]

Thanks for getting back to me Smitty.
I've looked at the windows/system files and yes all 3 of the files you asked about are in there.
As for the modem, we have 4 computers hooked up via a Cisco router. It is a dedicated 56k line provided by Bell Nexxia. All the other computers are ok. One thing I didn't mention is that there is a Norton's Anti-virus running all the time and from what I've been reading online, when I download anything I should disable it. I didn't know that and wonder if this could have caused the problem.
Thanks! Peggy

[BertImmenschuh]

2 things, 1 - if you are simply downloading programs, AntiVirus should be on - turned off during installation of the program. 2 - if you are freezing in Safe Mode, look for other hardware problems, the modem software/drivers doesn't usually load in Safe Mode.

[peggy522]

Thanks Bert.
It doesn't boot up any further in the safe mode than the normal mode. It doesn't really freeze up because the mouse is still working but it just quits like there's nothing else for it to do. Peggy

[POBrien]

when you tried scanreg did you try to use the restore feature from a real-mode Dos prompt? Boot to the menu and instead of choosing safe mode select #5 command prompt. type scanreg at the prompt. Next select View backups. Select a backup to restore that is dated before the attempted upgrade.

[coolsights2000]

I have a bunch of links on this page
Click here (http://www.geocities.com/putertuneup/Troubleshoot.htm)

Thanks
Mac!!!

This Is just my opinion
So if it stinks wait for another one
Cause I'm no expert

[peggy522]

yes that's what I did, I was hoping that would correct my problem but no such luck

[peggy522]

Thanks I'll check the links out, I appreciate any help, I'm totally frustrated. lol

[peggy522]

Can anyone tell me if using the system file checker would help me and can it be used through dos.

[coolsights2000]

one point on the SFC is
If you have never used it
It has the wrong info stored

on the setting screen you need to check these two boxes or you willl never be notified of a change it will just update the files to whatever you have now

check for changed files
check for deleted files

SFC needs to run after the system is perring then you can use it to check files...

Thanks
Mac!!!

This Is just my opinion
So if it stinks wait for another one
Cause I'm no expert

[reghakr]

peggy,

You never answered PoBrien's question about scanreg /restore. This would be an easy solution.

Did you receive an error message?

I personally do not like the System File Checker for anything pother than extracting a single file. It has know bugs and can make your system unusable if wrong file versions are replaced. It does not run in DOS.

reghakr

[coolsights2000]

reghakr read my post above....

you need to do the settings then it will work....

Thanks
Mac!!!

This Is just my opinion
So if it stinks wait for another one
Cause I'm no expert

[peggy522]

Sorry I thought I did reply to the scanreg question. Yes I did the scanreg and picked a date that I new things were working ok and restored it but it didn't help.

[Smitty]

Hi Peggy522

After I posted yesterday, I left for a party that lasted till this morning. When I fired up a fw minuts ago I noticed your response but the following info changed the "spin" considerably.

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

One thing I didn't mention is that there is a Norton's Anti-virus running all the time and from what I've been reading online, when I download anything I should disable it. I didn't know that and wonder if this could have caused the problem.

<hr></blockquote>

I know it has been suggested before in this post. As reghakr asked, can you tell us what messages you get when you try scanreg /restore. This is what should happen, and until you can get into safe mode your options are severely limited. Use emergency recovery diskette. At c:\ prompt type scanreg /restore.

When Scanreg.exe loads this time, you’ll see a list of Registries, archived according to the date they were backed up. They also will have a note saying [Started] or [Not Started], and you’ll want to use a[Started] entry. This means that Windows was successfully started the last time that Registry was used. It may take a few minutes for Windows to replace the current Registry with one from the archives. When it’s finished, you’ll see the message: You Have Restored A Good Registry. Remove the startup diskette from the floppy diskette drive and press ENTER to reboot the computer and see if the fixes worked. If not, you may need to repeat the procedure and select an older Registry further down the list.

If you can get a good registry you should be able to access SAFE mode and proceed from there. Again I apologize for starting a topic and then disappearing but I see you have been in good hands. Please try the above before you do anything else..


Smitty

[peggy522]

No problem Smitty, I was slow getting back to you cos the computer with the problem is at work, it's a small library, no techie around. Anyway I've been running back and forth between home and there.
I ran scanreg and it said the registry was ok but I changed it to one that I knew booted properly. It said I'd restored a good registry.
To access scanreg I went into dos and did not use emergency recovery disk.
I'll go back and do it again and see what happens.
Thanks for the help, it's much appreciated.

[BertImmenschuh]

Sounds like you need to plant a bug in someone's ear about a nice gift of a notebook so you could work at the library on your own and save all that gas.

[peggy522]

Ok I've went and did the scanreg/restore thing again, there were 4 choices, one of the day it didn't start and then 3 that it did start so I tried all 3 of the started ones and I still can't access safe mode.
All 3 said I'd restored a good registry. So that's where I stand at the moment.
Thanks again! Peggy

[reghakr]

Yes coolsights, and had she restored the files (missing, deleted or otherwise), it could cause more problems.

reghakr

[reghakr]

Kind of radical, but worth a shot:

Hit F8 on startup, and choose Command Prompt. Type edit c:\windows\system.ini Under
[boot] Change
shell=;Explorer.exe
shell=progman.exe

If Program manager loads go to File&gt;Run, type msconfig, go to the Startup tab and uncheck everything.

Go to File&gt;Run, and type:
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl,,1

and uninstall any recently installed programs.

Either go back and change system.ini to the original or if you're comfortable using File manager, you can type Winfile under the File&gt;Run and check your configuration files.
To open autoexec.bat, you go to the root of C: drive, highlight it, choose Run from the file menu and type notepad autoexec.bat

Hopefully this will get you back in.

reghakr

[peggy522]

I've been thinking back to what I did the last day that the comp loaded properly and I've remembered that after the windows critical update installed it asked if I wanted to restart the comp I said no cos I was in the middle of some work.
Later I deleted all my tmp files, then shut down could I have deleted something I needed because everything worked fine until I tried to re-boot. If so is there a way to undelete in win98.

[randula]

I am having the same problem as Peggy. My problem started while playing a game I had just installed. After playing the game for quite a while, it hung up. I had to reboot, and when I did, I got exactly what Peggy got, a blank desktop. Only I don't have any programs showing in Task manager when doing control+alt+delete.

Since it is on my home PC, I will have to wait until I get home to try to run scandisk and scanreg, but I sure hope one of them works.

[reghakr]

peggy,

Did you delete all files in the c:\windows\temp directory or just all files ending in .tmp?

Usually, the c:\windows\wininit.ini file has the pending rename operations in it, which runs at startup.

Also, there were probably entries in the registry under these keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\RunServicesOnce

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\RunOnce

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\RunOnce

They shouldn't have been affected, though.

reghakr

[peggy522]

To delete the temp files I used the find and *.tmp and deleted all of them that way.

[Smitty]

reghakr

Would her critical update logfile help? I see on the web it is named wulog.txt. Perhaps it has recorded which files made the trip when Peggy updated. Just a stab..!


Smitty<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Smitty on 01/07/02 21:32.</FONT></P>

[Mocha]

I know this sounds weird, but I would be going back and redownloading the updates. I know that's too simple, but I do strange things. lol

[peggy522]

I finally had to take the computer to a computer repair shop. They re-loaded windows and everything works fine and I didn't lose anything from hard drive. Thanks so much for your help, it was much appreciated and I learned a lot over the weekend. Again thanks. :) Peggy

[coolsights2000]

I wonder if you picked up a virus called goner....

I wasn't there so I'm assuming here LOL
glad to see you got it fixed...

Thanks
Mac!!!

This Is just my opinion
So if it stinks wait for another one
Cause I'm no expert