Repairing Win98

Can windows 98 be reinstalled over the current win 98 files to repair system
files?

TIA

Yes, but it will not necessarily solve any problems.
If you have a problem, then please supply details before taking such a
drastic step.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html

In microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion, "WTC"
wrote:

Can windows 98 be reinstalled over the current win 98 files to repair system
files?

TIA

i did this when on one boot, win98SE said it couldn't find win.com( to load
windows)and i couldn't figure why( win.com was still there), so i
reinstalled over the top of itself and was fine.
--


Steve H
"WTC" wrote in message
...
Can windows 98 be reinstalled over the current win 98 files to repair
system
files?

TIA

"WTC" wrote in
:

Can windows 98 be reinstalled over the current win 98 files to
repair system files?

TIA
-------------------
Alan is precisely right, it can be done esily, but it is not a panacea
for common problems and should be considered a "last ditch" procedure.

Having said that, I've done it hundreds of times (since Win-95) with no
problems.

If you must, here's a reprint of a "How To" I wrote years ago that is
still relevant ...
------------------------------------------------------

Windows 9x "Overtop" Re-Install

About the time Win95 OSR2 was released, I found that a re-install
"over the top" gave new life to some installations while maintaining
applications program settings. In well over 100 personal uses and
feedback from hundreds conducted by others, I have never had or heard
of a failure, but ... there's always a first time.

An "Over-the-top" reinstall is NOT a panacea for all Win-9x
problems, but in cases where a good backup was not made and is not now
possible, it can get you back up and running again.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

First ... make copies of your Systems.ini and Win.ini files.
I just bring them up in Notepad (or any text editor) and "Save As" the
new file name (ie: Systems.nin) in the Windows Directory. This is not
really an issue, but falls under the category of "just in case". Also,
your old machine settings are still in these files in case you need to
reference back to any previous setting.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Second ... I find it easier and faster to copy the \Win98
directory from the CD to the Hard Drive and install Windows from there.
You can merely Drag-n-Drop the whole Directory from one drive to
another in Windows Explorer or do the operation in DOS by making the
Directory on "C:"

A: MD C:\Win98

Then going to your CD Drive, switching to the Win98 Directory on your
CD and copying all the files to C:

A: D: (Enter)
D: CD Win98 (Enter)
D:\Win98 Copy *.* C:\Win98 (Enter)

You can, however, do the install from the CD if you choose ... no
problem.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Third ... rename Win.com to anything else ... (I use Win.moc).
Depending on your machine (some proprietary BIOS's) you may have to
boot from a floppy, CD to C:\Windows and use the Rename command
(ren Win.com Win.moc). After a successful re-install, you can delete
this renamed file.

Now you're ready to install ...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fourth ... Boot from the floppy.
(You DO have a good floppy boot disk ... right?)

Your CD Drive will now be one letter higher as Windows will
create a RAM drive between your Hard Drive and Your CD. If your CD was
"D:", it is now "E:". This RAM drive is where Windows temporarily
stores the files it needs to set up and run your install.

Go to your Hard Drive from the Floppy, CD to the Win98 Directory
and type "Setup" ... Hit (Enter) and ... off she goes.

Windows will find your old Windows Directory and suggest a new,
different directory for your new install (Windows.000). DO NOT ACCEPT
this. Click on "Choose Directory" and make sure Windows re-installs
to \Windows ... right overtop of your old directory.

You may be asked for a new registration number (again machine
dependent) or Windows may extract and use your old registration.

That's about it. Most, if not all, your programs should be
recognized by the new install and remain registered as you had them.


--
PoGo
www.pogo123.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Teaching a pig to sing wastes your time and annoys the pig".

"WTC" wrote in message
...
Can windows 98 be reinstalled over the current win 98 files to repair
system files?

TIA





Surely the system file checker is a better option, or have you tried that.

I've found trying to repair Win 98 a real pain because so many bits of
software have nearly always updated bits of it, like VBS runtimes and tweaks
in the registry, fiddled with the Install shield files etc etc.

Maybe you need to tell the gathered multitudes what the problems are. The
odds are that its happened before.

I will say though, that my problem of no links from emails and no open page
in new window has resisted all the fixes in the knowledge base and small
programs which are supposed to fix it. I suspect corruption in the registry
elsewhere.

If this is your problem though, you may be luckier than I.

Brian

--

Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________

The short of it is that if you are going to go to all the trouble of running SFC
and analyzing the Registry and finding the proper versions of files to replace,
and reinstalling apps if necessary... Or if you actually run Windows Setup and
reinstall over the top, and then actually verify that your updates are all still
intact (they won't be) and also perform all those functions I mentioned above...

Backup to CD or a new partition, whatever, and then performing a clean
install... It's a much more sane solution. *Nothing* else gives you a known
state like a clean install.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
.uk...


"WTC" wrote in message
...
Can windows 98 be reinstalled over the current win 98 files to repair
system files?

TIA





Surely the system file checker is a better option, or have you tried that.

I've found trying to repair Win 98 a real pain because so many bits of
software have nearly always updated bits of it, like VBS runtimes and tweaks
in the registry, fiddled with the Install shield files etc etc.

Maybe you need to tell the gathered multitudes what the problems are. The
odds are that its happened before.

I will say though, that my problem of no links from emails and no open page
in new window has resisted all the fixes in the knowledge base and small
programs which are supposed to fix it. I suspect corruption in the registry
elsewhere.

If this is your problem though, you may be luckier than I.

Brian

--

Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:

__________________________________________________ ______________________________
______________________________

Thanjs, this is what I did, it is a lot faster too. Then I will reinstall
programs when I need them and import the data from the backup.

Thanks for all comments

--
William


"Gary S. Terhune" wrote in message
...
The short of it is that if you are going to go to all the trouble of
running SFC
and analyzing the Registry and finding the proper versions of files to
replace,
and reinstalling apps if necessary... Or if you actually run Windows Setup
and
reinstall over the top, and then actually verify that your updates are all
still
intact (they won't be) and also perform all those functions I mentioned
above...

Backup to CD or a new partition, whatever, and then performing a clean
install... It's a much more sane solution. *Nothing* else gives you a
known
state like a clean install.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User

"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
.uk...


"WTC" wrote in message
...
Can windows 98 be reinstalled over the current win 98 files to repair
system files?

TIA





Surely the system file checker is a better option, or have you tried
that.

I've found trying to repair Win 98 a real pain because so many bits of
software have nearly always updated bits of it, like VBS runtimes and
tweaks
in the registry, fiddled with the Install shield files etc etc.

Maybe you need to tell the gathered multitudes what the problems are. The
odds are that its happened before.

I will say though, that my problem of no links from emails and no open
page
in new window has resisted all the fixes in the knowledge base and small
programs which are supposed to fix it. I suspect corruption in the
registry
elsewhere.

If this is your problem though, you may be luckier than I.

Brian

--

Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:

__________________________________________________ ______________________________
______________________________

"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
.uk...


I will say though, that my problem of no links from emails and no open
page
in new window has resisted all the fixes in the knowledge base and small
programs which are supposed to fix it. I suspect corruption in the
registry
elsewhere.

You problem is that internet explorer is corupted. i recently have had the
same issue on both a winodws 98se and a windows XP pro machine. I ended up
getting the IE redistributable from one of the local ISPs and reinstalled
internet explorer. Also on the windows XP i had to get the IE sdk thing were
you can rebrand IE and then distribute it. The reset web settings and IE
repair dinn't work at all.