# Windows 98 doesn't start



## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

When I do a power on of my PC I get a black screen with a cursor flashing the DOS startup messages never come and Windows 98 does not start. I ran the dianosgtic desk and every thing was okay, I ran a Norton boot disk check for a VIRUS and everything cam up clean ( my definations are a few weeks old (shame on me). Any suggestions?  :

thanks


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## zephyr (Nov 6, 2003)

Do you get the POST screen with the option to enter Setup? Does it beep? Can you boot to a win98 boot floppy? Have you tried running scandisk /restore? Safe Mode?


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## BTS '76 (Dec 8, 2002)

on boot up, try taping the F8 key continously and see if you can get into the boot menu.


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

No option for post or boot options. After hitting a couple of keys it will start to beep on every key stroke. I tried hitting F* repeatedly and it started beeping then I started getting a message Invalid system disk replace disk and hit enter.

I don't have a system disk I do have a product recovery disk that came with the computer but I think that will format the hard drive. It's my daughters computer and she has some home work on it she really doesn't want to lose and has no back up of it.


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## net_newsy (Jan 15, 2004)

boot your pc then press F8

try to select SAFE MODE from BOOTMENU

then try to check your DRIVERS


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## net_newsy (Jan 15, 2004)

remove any floppy disk

turn your pc on then keep on pressing F8


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## net_newsy (Jan 15, 2004)

To start a Windows 98-based computer in Safe mode, use any of the following methods. 
Method 1
Restart your computer.
While your computer restarts, press and hold the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu is displayed. 

NOTE: If you are using the EZDrive tool, press F8 instead of CTRL.
Select the Safe Mode menu option from the Startup menu, and then press ENTER.
Method 2
Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information.
On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility.
Click Advanced, and then click to select the Enable Startup Menu check box.
Click OK, click OK, and then restart your computer when you are prompted to do so.
Select the Safe Mode menu option from the Startup menu, and then press ENTER.
Method 3
Insert a non-bootable floppy disk in the floppy disk drive, and then restart your computer.
When you receive the "Non-system disk or disk error. Replace and strike any key when ready" error message, remove the floppy disk from the floppy disk drive. 
Press F8, and then press F8. When you do this, the Windows 98 Startup menu is displayed. 
Select the Safe Mode menu option from the Startup menu, and then press ENTER. 
Method 4
Restart your computer in MS-DOS Mode.
From a command prompt type "win /d:m" without the quotation marks.


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## net_newsy (Jan 15, 2004)

or...

To get into Windows 98 / ME safe mode as the computer is booting you press and hold your "F8 key" on the top of your keyboard or press and hold the left or right Ctrl key as the computer is booting. If done properly you should get into the "Windows 98 / ME Startup Menu" similar to the below screen example. In this menu choose option 3 by pressing the 3 key and press enter.

Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message as the computer is booting. If this occurs instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key" tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.

this will show up...

Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu
============================= 
1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe mode
4. Step-by-step confirmation
5. Command prompt only
6. Safe mode command prompt only

Enter a choice: 1

F5=Safe Mode Shift+F5=Command prompt Shift+F8= Step-by-step confirmation [N]

CHOOSE SAFE MODE and try to CHECK your DRIVERS


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

There is no flloppy and no cd drive . Prior to pushing F* it use to just give me a flashing cursor now it says there is an invalid system disk.


I power it on and I get a start up screen for about 5 secoonds saying IBM Aptiva ( which is normal) then the invalaid system disk message. Normally at this point DOS would start and ai get a couple of messages abount the hardware conging then Windows would start. I'm afraid something has hosed up the hard drive.


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

There is no flloppy and no cd drive . Prior to pushing F* it use to just give me a flashing cursor now it says there is an invalid system disk.


I power it on and I get a start up screen for about 5 secoonds saying IBM Aptiva ( which is normal) then the invalaid system disk message. Normally at this point DOS would start and ai get a couple of messages abount the hardware conging then Windows would start. I'm afraid something has hosed up the hard drive.


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## BTS '76 (Dec 8, 2002)

hold on a min. are u pressing the key F and *? 

if so, this is wrong, at the top of your keyboard next to the "Esc" key, should be a row of keys, "F1,F2,F3, etc.... this is where you want to find the F8 key, and tap it reapeatedly at boot up.


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## net_newsy (Jan 15, 2004)

BTS'76 was right! we are talking about FUNCTION KEYS and not LETTER "F" and number "8". 
it should be the FUNCTION KEY "F8"


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## net_newsy (Jan 15, 2004)

let me ask you a question ...are you sure you do not have your FLOPPY DISK DRIVE/CD ROM DRIVE?


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## NiteHawk (Mar 9, 2003)

Do you have a floppy boot disk? If not go to this site http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm and d/l the Windows 98 OEM or the Windows 98 SE OEM boot disk. Save the file to your desktop (not a floppy). Then insert a clean floppy and double click on the desktop icon for the boot file you just downloaded. This will create a boot disk. Remove the floppy and on the back side slide the little safe tab so you can "see thru the hole".

Take the boot disk to the pc that is having the problems and insert it in the floppy drive and power up, it should boot to an A:\> prompt. If the PC is already powered up, just do a ctrl+alt+delete to reboot.

From the A:\> prompt type in *sys C:* 
You should get a message saying that the system files were transferred successfully.

Remove the floppy disk and hit ctrl+alt+delete and let's see if the PC boots up


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

I'm getting closer thanks I downloaded the boot disk and did what you suggested. When I rebooted the Windows 98 logo screen flashed and I got a message Microsoft windows 98 followed by a C prompt

What do I do next

I sure appreciate all the help yoy're giving me.


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

I am able to re boot in safe mode bu holding the cntl key and have a C prompt I'm don't know what to do next .


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

I did a CHKDSK from the C prompt and it came back invalid command

I do a DIR and it says ther are 

2 files 

install log
Directory
windows com


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## zephyr (Nov 6, 2003)

You'll need boot to a good win98 boot disk that has the scandisk utility on it. Run it to see if your drive is healthy. It's not sounding like you have any operating system files so perhaps something went amiss and caused their deletion.

Anyway, Scandisk is a good place to start. If you need a boot disk, go to Dr. D's and scroll down to the very last one listed, Windows Boot Disk Essentials. That's an image file so download it to your Desktop and run it. Place a floppy in the drive and it will create the boot disk for you.

>>I hadn't read all the other posts carefully so you may already have a good boot disk. If so use it. It should have Scandisk on it. You'll have to boot to the disk to run this command or any others apparently since the C: drive doesn't seem to have much to offer. You will have to be resident in the A: drive when issuing the Scandisk command. *Scandisk C: *(enter)


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## BTS '76 (Dec 8, 2002)

also, use the bootable floppy to get to the "A" prompt, and type in;

sys c:

this should copy the system files to the c: drive
and then reboot.


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## net_newsy (Jan 15, 2004)

did you get into win 98 safe mode?


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## net_newsy (Jan 15, 2004)

after this

Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu
============================= 
1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe mode
4. Step-by-step confirmation
5. Command prompt only
6. Safe mode command prompt only

Enter a choice: 1

F5=Safe Mode Shift+F5=Command prompt Shift+F8= Step-by-step confirmation [N]

select "3" then tell what happens...


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

I ran SCANDISK and go

Error in the FAT and it was fixed
Errors in 4 files freespace :
window\options\cabs\win98_30-.cab
31 , 32 , and 33 all 4 files were truncicated.

1 directory error was fixed.

Normal Reboot goes to c prompt
Reboot in to safe mode also puts me at a C prompt what's next?


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## zephyr (Nov 6, 2003)

The problem is, scandisk can't really "Fix" anything. It the File Allocation Table was truncated and and Scandisk detected lost clusters, the "Fix" it does is just about as bad as the error.

What you now have is a partition with no valid File Allocation table. That's like saying, you'll not be getting anything off that disk without using some sophisticated 3rd party software or hiring a recovery expert.

I wish you had a disk image for restoring. 

Sorry.

>> Just for laughs, run the DIR command against the C: drive and see what it delivers. If you have a Windows directory, there may be a glimmer of hope and you could do a repair over-install.


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

Thanks for all the help anyway 

I do have a product recovery cd that came with the computer Am I right in thinking that will do a format of the hard drive?


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## zephyr (Nov 6, 2003)

Yes, that will wipe ALL data from the drive.

>> If you elect to use that drive again, I suggest that you run Scandisk and enable the "surface scan" to see if any bad sectors are found. If the drive's going south, you don't want to waste any more time on it trying to set up a new system.

*scandisk /surface c:* Be prepared to wait it out, it takes quite a while. Go out for pizza.


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

thanks for the tip. When I ran scandisk I did a surface check and there were no errors.


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## zephyr (Nov 6, 2003)

:up: Great! Full speed ahead. Think about getting a disk imaging software for next time when this happens. I use Acronis True Image. It's nothing short of super great.

Best regards.


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

Any advice on iwhat patches to install on Windows 98 after I load the product recovery disk?


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## NiteHawk (Mar 9, 2003)

Install all critical patches. I would start with the oldest and work to the newest. Some patches need to build on previous ones.

I would also install one at a time and reboot after each one. It's more time consuming that way, but in my opinion, much safer than doing all at once. There are several patches that have to be downloaded and installed individually anyway.

Also, don't let the number of Recommended Updates scare you off, 97% of them are either other languages or things you don't need/use.


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## zephyr (Nov 6, 2003)

That's good advice but also be sure that you get a firewall up and working prior to connecting to the Internet. That's VERY important!


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## NiteHawk (Mar 9, 2003)

I would also recommend that you save the IE 6 upgrade for last. It is the biggest d/l and will take the most time.


Zephyr, I've been thing of putting in a number of links on the tag line much like you have. Hope you don't mind if I steal your idea.

Oops, we don't steal; that's known as shared resources!!


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## zephyr (Nov 6, 2003)

Not at all, I stole it from someone else.









You'll notice I recently reduced the sizes.


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## NiteHawk (Mar 9, 2003)

As you can see, I already had the code set up. I just wanted to run it by you first. Originally I wasn't going to use colors, but with it all in black they tended to run together and harder to pick out each one. After playing with colors your choices were still the best for readability.

I'll reduce the size in a few minutes.

BTW, I'll have to try Ransack.


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## zephyr (Nov 6, 2003)

You'll love RanSack and hate yourself for not getting it sooner. One caveat with it though, it's so definitive that if you inadvertantly place a space character in the search for field, it'll not find what you're looking for. Be sure your entries are clean.

>> Now you're stylin' on that signature bar. :up: I gotta tell ya, it sure cuts down on the huntin' time for links.


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## NiteHawk (Mar 9, 2003)

Having worked with UNIX for a lot of years I know about picky syntax and case sensitivity


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## ts18434 (Jan 24, 2004)

When i do Dir I get

Install log

Windows

Command COM
2 files 1 dir

In your earlier reply you mentined something about a doing a repair over install if ther is a windos directory.

how do I do that


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## zephyr (Nov 6, 2003)

Your personal files are gone forever and there's no point in doing a repair install now. Just go ahead and FORMAT the drive and install Windows fresh.


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## hunterhays (Feb 15, 2004)

My friend has a old ibm aptiva and i formatted his hard drive well to make a long story short he cant seem to find the sytem recovery disks now. How do i get the disks i called ibm and there like 30 bones man thats worth more than the computer..

its a ibm aptiva 2170 e series 175 

and help would be appreciated thanks Tony Hays


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