System error and blue screen Win98SE

Can someone please help with this problem ?
A month ago I started getting loads of system errors, things poping up
saying this that and t'other had done something wrong. I also got
loads of blue screens.
When I reboot after a blus screen all the icons on the desktop have
moved to the left hand side of the screen but the faults still kept
occuring.
I was advised to buy a new motherboard which I did but I did not
reinstall windows
All was fine for 36 hours but now it has started crashing again and I
am at a loss as to what to do next.
It was suggested to me that I wipe C drive then reinstall Win98Se, the
shop that told me that said they would do it for £100 ($200).
How can C drive be wiped without an operating system on ??

Any help will be gratefully received

Pete

PS I use AVP pro. Adaware and Spybot and run them daily

PPSS If noone can help please watch out cos this computer will be
flying out of the window !

Pete C wrote:

Can someone please help with this problem ?
A month ago I started getting loads of system errors, things poping up
saying this that and t'other had done something wrong. I also got
loads of blue screens.
When I reboot after a blus screen all the icons on the desktop have
moved to the left hand side of the screen but the faults still kept
occuring.
I was advised to buy a new motherboard which I did but I did not
reinstall windows
All was fine for 36 hours but now it has started crashing again and I
am at a loss as to what to do next.
It was suggested to me that I wipe C drive then reinstall Win98Se, the
shop that told me that said they would do it for £100 ($200).
How can C drive be wiped without an operating system on ??

Any help will be gratefully received

Pete

PS I use AVP pro. Adaware and Spybot and run them daily

PPSS If noone can help please watch out cos this computer will be
flying out of the window !


Hi,

Well, it would be hard to diagnose the problem via a newsgroup. It could
be hardware or software related. Replacing the motherboard doesn't fix
any other numerous hardware problems that might exist, and doesn't even
address potential software issues.

At this point, formatting the hard drive(wiping it clean) couldn't hurt,
and it might be the only way to rule out software problems, but...

You would want to back up any data you want to keep, such as documents,
pictures and so on. Formatting the hard drive will wipe out ALL of your
programs and data, so be prepared for that.

You could do it yourself, assuming you have a copy of Windows 98 and the
desire to do it. If you choose to use a repair shop, ask them what their
price includes, specifically:

Does that price assume that YOU supply a copy of the operating system or
are they providing(a legal)one?

Will that include installing system drivers that aren't part of Windows,
such as for the motherboard, video adapter, and so on?

Will that include installing all of the updates issued by Microsoft for
the operating system?

And $200 (U.S.)? Wow. I'm doing work on the wrong side of the pond.

There's no guarantee that formatting and reinstalling Windows will fix
*any* of the problems you are having.

If you want to explore doing it yourself, post back. Hopefully PCR will
chime in with his master post on the subject. It covers it pretty
thoroughly.

MM

$200 is quite a lot for what you describe. A format and reinstall is usually done
for considerably less than that. If you wish to do it yourself, have a look here,
by MS MVP Ron Badour:
http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/w98_restore.html
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Pete C" wrote in message
...
Can someone please help with this problem ?
A month ago I started getting loads of system errors, things poping up
saying this that and t'other had done something wrong. I also got
loads of blue screens.
When I reboot after a blus screen all the icons on the desktop have
moved to the left hand side of the screen but the faults still kept
occuring.
I was advised to buy a new motherboard which I did but I did not
reinstall windows
All was fine for 36 hours but now it has started crashing again and I
am at a loss as to what to do next.
It was suggested to me that I wipe C drive then reinstall Win98Se, the
shop that told me that said they would do it for £100 ($200).
How can C drive be wiped without an operating system on ??

Any help will be gratefully received

Pete

PS I use AVP pro. Adaware and Spybot and run them daily

PPSS If noone can help please watch out cos this computer will be
flying out of the window !

As MM said, there is a lot to consider, before you wipe a partition. Not
everything is Windows. Would you like my list of backup apps?

You want to do a FRESH Install? Are you pure Windows or OEM, such as
Compaq? If you are OEM, then you can get back to factory condition by
using their recovery CD, such as QuickRestore, which may contain
proprietary drivers and add-ons. Otherwise...

http://www.hexff.com/index.html How to Clean Install
This first has it all, but..
(a) Perhaps don't do the 2.5 swap file thing, &
(b) You may rather have multiple partitions, &
(c) Attend it's warning: Have any non-Windows peripheral drivers
available to install afterwards. Here...
http://www.pchelpandconsulting.com/links/windows.html WinDrvExpert
http://www.jermar.com/wdrvbck.htm WinDrvBckup free version
Those two supposedly back up all currently installed drivers, such that
they can be reinstalled. I never tried it but have seen two favorable
reports.

http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/w98_restore.html Badour has one
http://aumha.org/win4/a/clean.htm Aumha has one
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=250928 How to Reinstall Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=193902
How to Reinstall Windows into a new folder

"Setup.txt", located in the same folder as "Setup.exe", either on CD or
hard drive. This instructs how to run it from a folder on the hard
drive, but "hexff" says it better.
http://support.microsoft.com/default...71&Product=w98
"SU" Error Message List for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me Setup

Get a Startup Diskette from
http://www.bootdisk.com/ , if you don't already have one from "Control
Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Startup Disk tab". Test the Startup
Diskette. Boot it, put in a CD and "DIR" the CD. It will say which
letter is the CD. (Otherwise, it is likely one letter higher than
normal.)

Here is what I know of those Installation CD's. The full list of
capabilities of each type of CD is as follows, says Harper. Each
requires a valid Product key. "Proof" means it must see you had a prior
version. So, if it isn't sitting there, expect to insert a floppy or
earlier CD.

FULL VERSION: Will perform either clean install or upgrade of existing
OS. Does not ask for proof of ownership of an earlier version.

UPGRADE VERSION: Will perform either clean install or upgrade of
existing OS. Will ask for proof of ownership of an earlier version if
one is not installed.

WIN98 SE UPDATES: Will only install if Windows 98 is present on the hard
drive. Cannot be used for a clean install at all.

OEM VERSION: Only installs on a clean, fresh-formatted hard drive. May
be customized to include or omit components that would be found/not
found on a retail CD.

Be sure of your ProductKey...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion
ProductKey "12345-12345-12345-12345-12345"

(1) "START, Run, RegEdit"
(2) Click plus signs beginning at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE", & ending with
"Windows".
(3) Click "CurrentVersion" in the left pane under "Windows".
(4) Look in right pane for ProductKey.

That is the one that was used to install your current Windows. Jot it
down, as it may work if different from the one on your Windows 98 Manual
or CD case.


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

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
| Can someone please help with this problem ?
| A month ago I started getting loads of system errors, things poping up
| saying this that and t'other had done something wrong. I also got
| loads of blue screens.
| When I reboot after a blus screen all the icons on the desktop have
| moved to the left hand side of the screen but the faults still kept
| occuring.
| I was advised to buy a new motherboard which I did but I did not
| reinstall windows
| All was fine for 36 hours but now it has started crashing again and I
| am at a loss as to what to do next.
| It was suggested to me that I wipe C drive then reinstall Win98Se, the
| shop that told me that said they would do it for £100 ($200).
| How can C drive be wiped without an operating system on ??
|
| Any help will be gratefully received
|
| Pete
|
| PS I use AVP pro. Adaware and Spybot and run them daily
|
| PPSS If noone can help please watch out cos this computer will be
| flying out of the window !

I would suggest you write (yes write, with a pencil or pen) down the entire
blue screen message, then when you have reset, type the message into Google,
or post the message here.
This is how I have solved a few BSOD problems.
Also, try updating things like video & sound drivers.




Pete C wrote:
Can someone please help with this problem ?
A month ago I started getting loads of system errors, things poping up
saying this that and t'other had done something wrong. I also got
loads of blue screens.
When I reboot after a blus screen all the icons on the desktop have
moved to the left hand side of the screen but the faults still kept
occuring.
I was advised to buy a new motherboard which I did but I did not
reinstall windows
All was fine for 36 hours but now it has started crashing again and I
am at a loss as to what to do next.
It was suggested to me that I wipe C drive then reinstall Win98Se, the
shop that told me that said they would do it for £100 ($200).
How can C drive be wiped without an operating system on ??

Any help will be gratefully received

Pete

PS I use AVP pro. Adaware and Spybot and run them daily

PPSS If noone can help please watch out cos this computer will be
flying out of the window !