On Mon, 19 May 2008 08:17:53 -0700, "Gary S. Terhune" none wrote:


"RMD" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 19 May 2008 00:07:27 -0700, "Gary S. Terhune" none wrote:

Doing what you suggest should be a last resort, desperate tactic to get
back
in and retrieve data before reformatting and reinstalling from scratch.
Problem is, when you run Setup again, yes it rebuilds the hardware
profile,
but it also replaces newer versions of many files with the older, original
ones from the CD. In short, what you end up with is DLL Hell, mis-matched
file versions, broken Windows Updates, etc.
Hi Gary,

What you say may be correct. I don't use Windows Updates on my Win98SE
systems anyway since I have copies of all the updates and apply them
as needed. The ones I wanted were already applied to this system.
your system needs ALL of the Critical Updates. And at least a couple of the
so-called "Optional" Updates. In any case, you missed the point. Once you
have applied Updates, which frequently involve the replacement of system
files with newer versions, if you then run Setup from the CD, three's a
decent chance that Update will be broken by having had it's versions of
files replaced with older ones. I don't care where you get the Updates,
whether it's Windows Updates or a collection of installers on a CD or
whatever, these facts hold true.

When I did the Win98SE re-install on changing the motherboard it
actually offered the option to keep at least some of the newer files.

Yes, in some places it does that. In others, it doesn't. People will also
claim that SFC can be used by updating it first and then running it again
after Setup. That doesn't catch all the changes, either.

Everything I normally use on this system is working as normal, so for
me it isn't an obviously broken system.

Most broken systems aren't obviously so. Most of what concernes me,
regarding Updates, especially, is that they are often fixes intended to
close security holes. Most of the stuff they protect against are things you
wouldn't notice in the first place.

I never downgraded IE6 to an earlier IE either. I still have the
original IE6 and it seems to be working fine. I usually use Firefox
anyway, and that is also working fine. I haven't found anything
amongst my applications I have had to re-install, it has all worked to
date.

IE6 was not original in any version of Windows 98. But I'm glad to hear you
have it installed. And, again, just because an app seemes to work properly
doesn't mean it's not broken. An app can work fine, then you add an Update
(perhaps security related, but maybe for compatibility with other apps or
teh OS, or to comply more with standards... All kinds of possibilities. When
you apply any update, how many times do you notice some change (unless it's
negative and something goes wrong with teh update procedure)? Why do you
think you'd notice the change, immediately or ever, if teh update is broken.
DLL Hell isn't always easily identifiable.

In any case, are you saying htat your system runs flawlessly, never
freezing, never crashing, etc.?

I doubt I'll be re-installing everything at this stage since, for me,
the re-installation for the new motherboard is working fine.

Like I said, how do you know?

It is working much better than with a motherboard that wouldn't start
just for starters.

Can't argue with that. But you're kidding yourself if you think you have a
good, safe installation of Windows. Bad enough the reinstall, but your
picking and choosing amongst Updates is foolhardy. It's your machine and
it's your choice, but I have to strenuously disagree with the advice you
gave to the thread, and I hope you think twice about offering it up again
except under the emergency conditions I described.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com



Gary,

You make good points.

But most Windows systems are broken somewhere. I guess it depends
whether it makes any significant difference to your applications
whether one might care.

Otoh suggesting complete re-installs is not such a good idea either.
This may not be so simple to do with heavily altered and patched
systems with a lot of applications installed over years. In fact, for
many it may be essentially impossible to do this.

Frankly, I'd rather chew my fingers off than completely re-install
everything on whatever is currently my main computer.

However technically correct that might be.

Ross