Win98 re-install

I have posted this to several Win98 newsgroups, because I am not sure which
one is the most appropriate.



I have an older computer on which Win98 is running. This system basically
crashed after an attempt to re-install a printer that was giving me a
problem. I have attempted to start from my Win98 boot disk, but once it
goes through the startup files, it then boots to the floppy drive. I have
tried re-installing Win98 from the CD that came with my IBM computer, but I
get a message saying that I already have an upgraded version of Win98 on my
computer, and it will not re-install. Presumably, this has something to do
with my having installed the service packs for Win98. I have run scandisk
successfully. However, when I boot into Windows safe mode, I get the
"program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down" error
message. I do not want to upgrade this computer to any higher Windows
version right now for a lot of complicated reasons. Does anyone have
suggestions as to what I might do?



Thank you.

Terri

Explorer & IE are basically one & the same. Therefore, may as well try
this write-up, originally from a Gateway WEB site, which is a temporary
reversion to an earlier version of IE...

ONE THING: Do nothing more than stated here using Winfile, because, if
you move a file with it, you will lose that file's LFN (Long File Name)
in the destination.

Desktop Icons and Taskbar Are Missing

Affected Products: Software, System CDs
Affected Operating Systems: Windows® 98 , Windows® 98 SE,
Windows® Me

ISSUE: After starting Microsoft® Windows® 98 or Windows
Me, the taskbar is missing and there are no icons. When
starting Windows, the taskbar may flash on for a brief
second and then disappear. The only display visible is the
background wallpaper and the mouse cursor. Pressing
CTRL+ALT+DELETE brings up the Close Program dialog box,
but selecting End Task on the items on the list may not
have an effect. When the computer is started into Safe
mode, the issue still occurs. Running Scanreg /Restore
does not resolve the issue.

There have been several reports that the issue occurred
when restarting the computer after receiving a dialog box
that displays "Virus/spyware found. Do you wish to
remove?" or "Do you want to install Spyware Monitor?" The
dialog box only has Yes or No selections, and selecting
either can cause the issue. There is no X to close the
dialog box, however pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE to bring up
the Close Program dialog box lists a "Remove found
spyware?" entry, which can be end tasked.

(1) Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, & click Shut Down.

(2) After the computer has been shut down, turn on the computer. Hold
CTRL as you boot for the Startup Menu, or begin pressing the F8 key in
one-second intervals. If you complete this step successfully, the
Microsoft Windows Startup Menu is displayed. If no menu is displayed and
Windows starts up normally, repeat this step.

(3) At the Microsoft Windows Startup Menu, use the ARROW keys to select
"Command Prompt Only", and then press the ENTER key.

(4) At the command prompt, type:
EDIT C:\Windows\System.ini
Press ENTER.

(3) In the C:\Windows\SYSTEM.INI file, locate the line of text under the
[boot] section that lists "Shell=Explorer.exe". This is typically the
third line in the file.

(4) Edit the "Shell=Explorer.exe" line by deleting the "Explorer.exe"
text and replacing it with "Winfile.exe". The line should list the
following:
Shell=Winfile.exe

(5) To save the changes, press the ALT+F keys.

(6) A menu displays in the upper left corner of the screen. Press the X
key to exit.

(7) Press ENTER to save the changes and return to the command prompt.
(TAB would move you to the next button.)

(8) At the command prompt, restart the computer by pressing the
CTRL+ALT+DELETE keys. Once Windows has restarted, it starts into the
Windows File Manager (Winfile.exe).

(9) In the File Manager window, double-click "progra~1" in the left hand
window to open the Program Files folder.

(10) Double-click "intern~1" in the left hand window to open the
Internet Explorer folder.

(11) Double-click "setup" in the left hand window to open the Setup
folder.

(12) In the File Manager window, double-click "Setup.exe" in the right
hand window to launch Internet Explorer setup.

NOTE: If the setup folder is not available, Internet Explorer has not
been updated and a previous version of Internet Explorer cannot be
restored. You cannot use this method. Close "Winfile", shut down, & post
back, or try the URL at the very bottom of this post, which is an
over-install of IE.

(13) In the Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Tools Setup window, click
OK.

(14) In the Setup Message dialog box, click Yes to restore the previous
version of Internet Explorer.

(15) Internet Explorer setup removes components.

(16) In the Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Tools - Restart Windows
dialog box, click Restart Windows.

When the computer is restarting, hold CTRL for the Startup Menu, or
begin pressing the F8 key in one-second intervals. If you complete this
step successfully, the Microsoft Windows Startup Menu is displayed. If
no menu is displayed and Windows starts up normally, repeat this step.

(17) At the Microsoft Windows Startup Menu, use the ARROW keys to select
Command prompt only, and then press ENTER.

(18) At the command prompt, type:
EDIT C:\Windows\System.ini
Press ENTER.

(19) In the C:\Windows\SYSTEM.INI file, locate the line of text under
the [boot] section that lists "Shell=Winfile.exe". This is typically the
third line in the file.

(20) Edit the "Shell=Winfile.exe" line by deleting the "Winfile.exe"
text and replacing it with "Explorer.exe". The line should list the
following:
Shell=Explorer.exe

(21) To save the changes, press the ALT+F keys.

(22) A menu displays in the upper left corner of the screen. Press the X
key to exit.

(23) Press ENTER to save the changes and return to the command prompt.
(TAB would move you to the next button.)

(24) At the command prompt, restart the computer by pressing the
CTRL+ALT+DELETE keys

(25) Windows starts to a blue screen, but will still be
accessing the hard drive for a period of time. When
finished, Windows is on the desktop with icons, but an
older version of Internet Explorer is installed. You
should update your antivirus software, and then perform
Windows Update to install a new version of Internet
Explorer again.

....snip

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];249191
Blank Desktop or Illegal Operations Error Message After You Install
Internet Explorer. This is a temporary reversion to an earlier IE, IF
that option is present.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=293174
Over-Install IE in Progman. This is an over-install of IE. I have a
detailed write-up for it, if you want.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Terri Creagh" wrote in message
k.net...
| I have posted this to several Win98 newsgroups, because I am not sure
which
| one is the most appropriate.
|
|
|
| I have an older computer on which Win98 is running. This system
basically
| crashed after an attempt to re-install a printer that was giving me a
| problem. I have attempted to start from my Win98 boot disk, but once
it
| goes through the startup files, it then boots to the floppy drive. I
have
| tried re-installing Win98 from the CD that came with my IBM computer,
but I
| get a message saying that I already have an upgraded version of Win98
on my
| computer, and it will not re-install. Presumably, this has something
to do
| with my having installed the service packs for Win98. I have run
scandisk
| successfully. However, when I boot into Windows safe mode, I get the
| "program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down"
error
| message. I do not want to upgrade this computer to any higher Windows
| version right now for a lot of complicated reasons. Does anyone have
| suggestions as to what I might do?
|
|
|
| Thank you.
|
| Terri
|
|

If your machine is somewhat current
can you boot from CD? if not, you re-intstalled an "image" of win98, not the
complete platform. Your boot disk is not current or more receent than the HD.

GET A boot floppy of DOS622, and even if you only get to a:\ you can look at
HD using Fdisk, just look, it should say FAT32 then will say what the boot
version is.

If you can see the c:\ drive using dir cmd.

your in luck. goto the c:\windows\command dir and thats "simulated dos" using
ver win89 (SE or not?) should be able to fix it from there...

If you can "see" the CD from your dos prompt, read your win98 CD dir. if it is
win98(SE, or not) try your hardest to xcopy the entire CD into its own
c:\(folder) area (i call mine c:\98win) and you never need to revert to the CD
again, you can even reboot to dos622 w/o CD, and goto c:\98win and type
set-up....

ron

For the moment, forget about trying to reinstall or using the boot disk....try to
start in Safe Mode, and when you get an "illegal operation" error message, click the
"Details" button, and post back with the exact details word for word, up to but not
including the memory registers.

Also, what exactly happens when you try to start Windows normally?
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Terri Creagh" wrote in message
k.net...
I have posted this to several Win98 newsgroups, because I am not sure which
one is the most appropriate.



I have an older computer on which Win98 is running. This system basically
crashed after an attempt to re-install a printer that was giving me a
problem. I have attempted to start from my Win98 boot disk, but once it
goes through the startup files, it then boots to the floppy drive. I have
tried re-installing Win98 from the CD that came with my IBM computer, but I
get a message saying that I already have an upgraded version of Win98 on my
computer, and it will not re-install. Presumably, this has something to do
with my having installed the service packs for Win98. I have run scandisk
successfully. However, when I boot into Windows safe mode, I get the
"program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down" error
message. I do not want to upgrade this computer to any higher Windows
version right now for a lot of complicated reasons. Does anyone have
suggestions as to what I might do?



Thank you.

Terri