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Windows 98se machine, blue screens in normal mode

Hi Guys, have a windows 98se machine, boots fine in safe mode no problem, when I try to boot into normal mode it blue screens, interesting thing is each time I boot to safe mode I will get into normal mode once fine after it has been in safe mode but second try in normal mode blue screens, boot into safe mode and normal mode will be fine for ONE boot then back to the blue screens.
I have tried uninstalling all drivers from device manage then letting it find them again, this made no difference, have also tried booting with all pci card and graphics card out of the system and floppy and otical drives unplugged from the motherboard.
Have also tried going into msconfig and disabling all start up items, once again no difference.
I have come to the conclusion that it is not faulty hardware as it is fine in safe mode as per above.
I am sure one of you clever guys can help me here, TIA

aclasscomputers

ASKER

also should say it usually gets all the way to desktop and then vlue screens, sometimes it will blue screen 2 or 3 times before desktop and press any key to continue usually works and allows me to eventually get to the desk top TIA

Did you redo the mobo drivers, also?

SOLUTION

gopal_krishna

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aclasscomputers

ASKER

Hello, Should have also said the system has been scanned for viruses and spyware even installed the hdd as slave in another pc and scanned there also, drive is clean. how do you do a repair install from 98cd?

gopal_krishna

when the system boots in the normal mode you can also insert the CD and click on install which will guide you for a installtion please follow the same.

if you want to install from the command prompt I.E. boot from CD means

Insert the CD
ReStart the computer
select the booting process as CD
Setup will copy require file.
at one particular please it will prompt you to chenage directory (Do not change the directory)
And follow the onscreen instructions.

http://www.putergeek.com/win98_install/index.shtml

Regards
Gopal Krishna K

gopal_krishna

INSTALLING WINDOWS 98 FROM MS-DOS -
http://support.microsoft.com/support/windows/readme/98/W98setuptxt.as...

Q188881 How to Install Windows 98: Helpful Tips and Suggestions
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q188/8/81.ASP

Q193902 How to Install Windows 98 Into a New Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q193/9/02.ASP

Q221829 How to Install Windows 98 on a Computer with No Operating System
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q221/8/29.ASP

These ideas should get you started.

More questions? Repost back.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

nobus

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gonzal13

If you can get into normal mode, just insert the cd rom
Goto Windows Explorer
Go to the cd rom drive
Select win98
Click on setup
It will not change any of your setings.

aclasscomputers

ASKER

ok thanks everyone, I will try this in 2 days, I will not have access to the computer until then

imacgouf

Is there any errors you could provide from the blue screen? This way we could help you with your problem faster than back and forth.

aclasscomputers

ASKER

have them writen down, I will post them tomorrow as they are at my office. TIA

drypz

Try to replace your memory. If the same problem occur, then reformat your harddisk.

aclasscomputers

ASKER

ok, would memory affect only normal mode and not safe mode?

nobus

did you run sfc ?

aclasscomputers

ASKER

havent run sfc yet, I will not have access to the computer until tomorrow morning its at my office, but will post back tomorrow TIA

hoogersr

I would grab another disk, and first try and install Win98 fresh on it again. Install only the motherboard drivers, and see if that works. If that works, then the hardware is fine, and there is a software issue. Let's say it's a software, issue, go into your BIOS, disable all onboard devices. Soundcards, Com's, LAN cards. See if your Windows start's up fine now. If working, go into your BIOS and enable every device once at a time. I had a LAN card that stuffed me around like this before. If it's still not booting fine with all the devices disabled, then boot into safe mode, change your BUS Masters in Device Manager to Standard DUAL IDE controller, and reboot. Then reinstall your Chipset drivers.

aclasscomputers

ASKER

I did a sfc and that made a difference for sure, only the odd blue screen after that. Then I did a repair install of windows 98se over the top and the problem is solved Thanks everyone!

Jeff Perkins

You've been given a lot of things to try, but I've seen this with user profile corruption, rather than reloading windows, I would suggest trying to restore the windows user files first. There are two ways to do this, the easiest, which doesn't always work is using the registry restore function. Boot into safe mode, and open a command prompt (>start >run type {command} without brackets, then at the comand prompt make sure you are at C:\, if you aren't then type: cd c:\ and hit <enter>
Then type c:\windows\command and hit <enter>
Then type: scanreg /restore this will restore your registry to a previously working version, if this doesn't work then you have to replace them
You will need to boot into a dos prompt, not into windows. Then chg directory to c:\windows after you are there, type: attrib -s -h -r user.dat and hit <enter>
Then type attrib -s -h -r system.dat and hit <enter>
Then type ren user.dat user.old and hit <enter>
Then type ren system.dat system.old and hit <enter>
AFter you do this, reboot the system and give it some time, windows will regenerate the user.dat and system.dat files. I have had this work more times than not.
Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.