Running Win98 setup

I tried to install an additional RAM stick and my comp-uter would not boot
up. I replaced the RAM with the factory RAM and got the same message. During
bootup i get a message that several device files in the System.ini file
(vmouse, configmg, vcomm, etc.) are damaged and to run setup.exe.

My question is will running setup overwrite my data files or just the OS
files? I tried to copy my files to a safe area with the box in safe mode
using DOS, but did not have any luck, so I am at the point of wanting to run
setup and hoping for the best. Advice?

Re-running setup will not fix anything if you are having RAM errors.

If you run setup from a standard retail full or retail upgrade CD then the
operating system will be rebuilt without any affect on your installed files
or settings. The generic OEM disk works the same. Special OEM disks
created by the manufacturer need to be treated with caution, however, as
some of them will restore the system to factory standard, erasing your data
in the process.
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"jjhunt2" wrote in message
news
I tried to install an additional RAM stick and my comp-uter would not boot
up. I replaced the RAM with the factory RAM and got the same message.
During
bootup i get a message that several device files in the System.ini file
(vmouse, configmg, vcomm, etc.) are damaged and to run setup.exe.

My question is will running setup overwrite my data files or just the OS
files? I tried to copy my files to a safe area with the box in safe mode
using DOS, but did not have any luck, so I am at the point of wanting to
run
setup and hoping for the best. Advice?

If the only thing that you did was to add RAM and then replace it with the
original, then your files have not changed. Something is not connected
properly or the memory stick is not seated firmly. Running setup will not
help.

Open the box and check all of the connections - something might have become
loosened while you were working on the memory.

PattyL


"jjhunt2" wrote in message
news
I tried to install an additional RAM stick and my comp-uter would not boot
up. I replaced the RAM with the factory RAM and got the same message.
During
bootup i get a message that several device files in the System.ini file
(vmouse, configmg, vcomm, etc.) are damaged and to run setup.exe.

My question is will running setup overwrite my data files or just the OS
files? I tried to copy my files to a safe area with the box in safe mode
using DOS, but did not have any luck, so I am at the point of wanting to
run
setup and hoping for the best. Advice?