98SE: Endless boot up - no icons

After I updated some of the programs my Windows 98SE system can never
boot up successfully. It goes through the usual routine but at the end
when it already switches to the desktop color and resolution - all I
see is the pointer with an hourglass and it stays forever. I can move
the pointer - so the system is not frozen. ALT+CTRL+DEL combination
usually works only when pressed twice and it results in another reboot.

Booting in the Safe Mode works fine but does not change the situation.

What are the troubleshooting steps in such situation?

Should I try reinstalling Win'98SE on top of itself?

TIA, Eugene

If you were not deleting files just before this happened, then I'd suggest
that you try restoring the registry to a point before the problem occurred.
See this article:

How to Manually Restore the Windows 98/Me Registry
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=221512

PattyL

"Eugene F." wrote in message
oups.com...
After I updated some of the programs my Windows 98SE system can never
boot up successfully. It goes through the usual routine but at the end
when it already switches to the desktop color and resolution - all I
see is the pointer with an hourglass and it stays forever. I can move
the pointer - so the system is not frozen. ALT+CTRL+DEL combination
usually works only when pressed twice and it results in another reboot.

Booting in the Safe Mode works fine but does not change the situation.

What are the troubleshooting steps in such situation?

Should I try reinstalling Win'98SE on top of itself?

TIA, Eugene

"Eugene F." wrote in message
oups.com...
After I updated some of the programs

What programs exactly, and what updates? We need specific information. See the
link in my signature for how to supply pertinent info.

my Windows 98SE system can never
boot up successfully. It goes through the usual routine but at the end
when it already switches to the desktop color and resolution - all I
see is the pointer with an hourglass and it stays forever. I can move
the pointer - so the system is not frozen.

Clarify: you get the desktop background (wallpaper) and the mouse pointer with
hourglass, but no Taskbar or desktop icons? How long do you wait before you give up
on letting it finish loading? "Forever" is not too believable.

ALT+CTRL+DEL combination
usually works only when pressed twice and it results in another reboot.

Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete only once, to bring up the "Close Program" box. What if
anything is listed there when this problem occurs?

Booting in the Safe Mode works fine but does not change the situation.

If it works fine, how is the situation not changed? When you start in Safe Mode,
does the desktop complete loading?

What are the troubleshooting steps in such situation?

See above, for starters. Please provide a lot clearer information.

Should I try reinstalling Win'98SE on top of itself?

Absolutely NOT.

("alt" groups not replied to)
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

In addition to the excellent advice/comments from Patty and Glen, or
perhaps before trying Patty's Registry resto

In Safe Mode, run MSCONFIG. Choose "Selective Startup", then uncheck
every item below that *except* the Win.ini and System.ini items. Click
OK, restart when prompted (let it try to start in Normal Mode.) Any
change?

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

"Eugene F." wrote in message
oups.com...
After I updated some of the programs my Windows 98SE system can never
boot up successfully. It goes through the usual routine but at the end
when it already switches to the desktop color and resolution - all I
see is the pointer with an hourglass and it stays forever. I can move
the pointer - so the system is not frozen. ALT+CTRL+DEL combination
usually works only when pressed twice and it results in another
reboot.

Booting in the Safe Mode works fine but does not change the situation.

What are the troubleshooting steps in such situation?

Should I try reinstalling Win'98SE on top of itself?

TIA, Eugene

Glen,

Thank you very much for the response.

After I updated some of the programs

What programs exactly, and what updates? We need specific information.

To the best of my recallection: I've updates Ad-Aware SE Personal from
1.05 to 1.06 and SpyBot from 1.3 to 1.4.

my Windows 98SE system can never
boot up successfully. It goes through the usual routine but at the end
when it already switches to the desktop color and resolution - all I
see is the pointer with an hourglass and it stays forever. I can move
the pointer - so the system is not frozen.

Clarify: you get the desktop background (wallpaper) and the mouse pointer with
hourglass, but no Taskbar or desktop icons?

This is correct. Hourglass also changes to a smaller size due to
increased resolution.

How long do you wait before you give up
on letting it finish loading? "Forever" is not too believable.

OK. I've waited more than an hour.


ALT+CTRL+DEL combination
usually works only when pressed twice and it results in another reboot.

Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete only once, to bring up the "Close Program" box. What if
anything is listed there when this problem occurs?

Well. In most cases single "three key salute" does not bring any dialog
boxes at all.


Booting in the Safe Mode works fine but does not change the situation.

If it works fine, how is the situation not changed? When you start in Safe Mode,
does the desktop complete loading?

Yes. In Safe Mode I seem to see the complete desktop.

("alt" groups not replied to)

Why not? Is it just your client can not post to different news servers
or do you have a reason to specifically avoid "alt" groups? Just
curios...

TIA, Eugene

Eugene F. schrieb:
After I updated some of the programs my Windows 98SE system can never
boot up successfully. It goes through the usual routine but at the end
when it already switches to the desktop color and resolution - all I
see is the pointer with an hourglass and it stays forever. I can move
the pointer - so the system is not frozen. ALT+CTRL+DEL combination
usually works only when pressed twice and it results in another reboot.

Booting in the Safe Mode works fine but does not change the situation.

What are the troubleshooting steps in such situation?

Should I try reinstalling Win'98SE on top of itself?

TIA, Eugene


Try to set Logon method in your network control panel to windows logon.

Anne,

In Safe Mode, Uninstall KB891711 from Control Panel -- this MS
"update" will produce the problem you are having as well as other
problems.

I unistalled this one a while ago when I was having problems with my
wireless Internet.

I could've also "live updated" NIS (Norton Internet Security) 2003.

Oh, crap.......
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

"Eugene" wrote in message
ups.com...
I could've also "live updated" NIS (Norton Internet Security) 2003.

Gary,

Thank you for the reply.

In Safe Mode, run MSCONFIG. Choose "Selective Startup", then uncheck
every item below that *except* the Win.ini and System.ini items. Click
OK, restart when prompted (let it try to start in Normal Mode.) Any
change?

Yes. With just Win.INI and System.INI it loaded fine. I went a little
bit further and added Config.SYS and Autoexec.BAT - still fine.
And only when I added back the Startup group the problem reappears.

How do I zero in on the exact offender?

I also created BOOTLOG.TXT during one of the full unsuccessfull boot
ups. Is there a guide somewhere how to analyze it, what to look for?

TIA, Eugene