# Windows 98 won't boot in normal or safe mode



## waddles262 (Jan 2, 2005)

*PC Characteristics:*
Dell Pentium 2 333 MHZ (original owner so I have docs and CDs)
6GB drive (3 partitions of 2GB each)
Windows 98
128MB, CDRW, CD, Tape Backup

Windows 98 will not boot in either safe mode or normal mode. I can get to command prompt with my drives accessible. I have a bootdisk with CDROM capability. I have WIN98 CD available

*WHAT HAPPENDED BEFORE PROBLEM OCCURRED:*
Installed Mall Tycoon game for my daughter. It installed DIrectx 8.1. My PC already has DirectX 9.0.

I looked at the DIRECTX log from DOS and it looks like it did not install 8.1. It has these messages at the end of the LOG saying "Exisiting install is newer", "Restoring Backups", "Newer Version already installed".

*In Normal Mode here's what happens*: After the Win98 splash screen, the user/password screen comes up, I enter user name and password. After that, Windows will give me the boot up sound, then give me a BLANK DESKTOP without icons or without the STARTUP bar at bottom of screen. It will not go any further than this.

When I do a CTL-ALT-DEL I see only MCVSRTE running. I tried to do an END TASK on it and that still did not get Win98 to go any further. All I can do is a SHUTDOWN from the CTL-ALT-DEL window.

*In Safe Mode:* the same thing happens it will give me a desktop without STARTUP bar and icons and not go any further.

In either case, I cannot access the STARTUP button to run any diagnotistics.

*WHAT I HAVE DONE SO FAR*:
1. I have run scanreg /fix, scanreg /restore - still the same problem. I restored from the oldest registry (the only one that looks like is valid - it had STARTED on it versus the others that say NOT STARTED)
2. Checked my autoexec.bat config.sys msdos.sys - they all seem to be okay
3. Renamed the MCVSRTE (It's a Mcafee EXE) hoping that it was the culprit - still same problem.
4. I looked at tring to run SETUP for WIN98 in my windows\options\cabs, but the setup program in this directory is from my old Win95.
5. I have run scandisk in DOS and everything OK.

Any ideas? I searched the FORUMS here but could not find a similar situation. Thanks in advance.


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## tracer357#1 (Jul 19, 2004)

waddles262 said:


> *PC Characteristics:*
> Dell Pentium 2 333 MHZ (original owner so I have docs and CDs)
> 6GB drive (3 partitions of 2GB each)
> Windows 98
> ...


do you have a taskbar at all?
at the bottom of your screen is the taskbar blank?
if you do see a bar (even tho it's blank) right click on it.
a small window will come up in there go to "toolbars" open it in there you can choose "new toolbar" also there are other options.

see if this helps


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## dramaqwn28 (Jan 4, 2005)

This is so weird but I was out searching today for the answer to this problem and you have the identical problem.

My husband was trying to install Warcraft III and something with the Direct X came up and after that I have no icons, no taskbar - nothing on the screen. I can't right click and when I hit Ctrl-Alt-Del, it only gives me the options of End Task (nothing running), Shut Down or Cancel.

AAACK! 

I too have tried the safe mode - nothing

Tried the scandisk - no bad sectors
Tried the scanreg/restore - said it was successful but still started the same - tried every available previous date
Tried the scanreg/fix

Not sure what to do next!

Any help greatly appreciated.


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## waddles262 (Jan 2, 2005)

I posted this in the HW forum and someone suggested reinstalling Win98 (if you have the CD) into its original directory without reformating or deleting anything. I have not done this suggestion. But will try it when I have a chance. I have done pratically everything else to no avail.

Good luck.


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## dramaqwn28 (Jan 4, 2005)

Hello,

I was having the same problem and we called my husband's brother (he's a computer guy) - he had us go to the C prompt and type in something like the following:

cd windows

cd cab

dir

setup

It then took us through a long 1/2 hour process but it restored it without deleting any of my files and I also didn't possess the CD. It did screw Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. I just downloaded IE again. Somehow my Outlook Express is still screwed up so I did appear to lose any saved e-mail messages. I also had Microsoft Outlook on the desktop, so I just switched to that.

I'm not positive that that was the exact way we did it but very similar - perhaps another person more familiar with DOS prompts will catch what we did and confirm.

Hope this helps!


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## waddles262 (Jan 2, 2005)

Hi - glad to see that your problem was kinda resolved.

I found this post in the Win98 General user forum at Microsoft. It came from a user called "PCR". I did what he suggested and it WORKED!

BELOW IS THE EXACT TEXT OF THE POST =======================

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
[email protected]
"Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
| Computer just sits at the Windows 98 screen. Tried to boot in safe
mode and
| it does the same thing.


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