Strip that machine to basics. Pull any cards that aren't absolutely
necessary (IOW all except video and drive controller if present.) In
BIOS, disable all peripherals. If you know what you're doing, set
required components to conservative configurations. Get that sucker down
to minimums--video, drives necessary to load Windows, keyboard and
mouse. Nothing else.

Sounds to me like it's choking while detecting and installing drivers.
With luck, the problem will be in a non-essential area and you'll be
able to finish installing, after which you can add components back in
one by one.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User
http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm

"MacKenrick" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to do a fresh install of Win98SE on an old computer and am
running into a problem. I get almost to the end of the installation
process, past the point where I type in the I.D. number and where it
shows a
small window saying that it is Installing Drivers. At this point the
screen
goes blank and the computer locks up. (I've built several other
computers
without any problems but this one is giving me fits.)

I have partitioned and reformatted the hard drive several times and
started
from scratch but each time I get to the "installing drivers" point and
it
stops. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks for the help.