Win98 tries to install something on startup, fails

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I got a PC from a neighbour (that’s why they exist!) with a cute problem.
I haven’t worked with Win98 for ages and ages, so I’m a bit helpless here
(not indicating that I ever was able solve this problem…)

When Win98 boots, it flashes a couple od dialogs on the screen:
“New hardware found” and
“Installing”
Both dialogs just flashes past, although the latter has a couple of buttons that are impossible to get to. (one saying “abort”.)
After the second dialog, the PC reboots big time, and then it loops and loops.

I am able to boot it in Safe Mode.

I started it with a logfile to try to get a clue.
The last four entries in the Bootlog.txt file says
[000C9E69] Starting Unknown (HTREERESERVED0)
[000C9E69] Started Unknown (HTREERESERVED0)
[000C9E6A] Enumerating Unknown (HTREERESERVED0)
[000C9E6A] Enumerated Unknown (HTREERESERVED0)

… and that’s how far I got.

It looks as if someone (nobody knows for sure) has started an installation of some kind, and the installations continues after a reboot.

Where on earth does Win98 store information about what it will do upon reboot?
Will I be able to fix this from Safe Mode, and how?

tia
Olav

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I guess the first thing I’d try, in Safe mode, is to look in Device Manager to see if there are any “flags” up like exclamation marks or whatever. This might give you an indication of what “new hardware” the OS is trying to work on. I’ve had occasion in the past to have to delete a number of hardware entries while trying to find an offending one. Win98, if you have to delete anything, should find it again on reboot. Be sure you have any required drivers on hand if you do this.

I no longer have a Win98 machine available so I don’t remember where the registry key is for partially installed hardware or software. Perhaps someone else will chime in.

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I guess the first thing I’d try, in Safe mode, is to look in Device Manager to see if there are any “flags” up like exclamation marks or whatever. This might give you an indication of what “new hardware” the OS is trying to work on. I’ve had occasion in the past to have to delete a number of hardware entries while trying to find an offending one. Win98, if you have to delete anything, should find it again on reboot. Be sure you have any required drivers on hand if you do this.

I no longer have a Win98 machine available so I don’t remember where the registry key is for partially installed hardware or software. Perhaps someone else will chime in.

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It’s not mine.
I’m trying to rescue the data on the disc before I do anything irreversible like a System Restore from the CDs that came with the PC.
However, I’m starting to suspect the hardware. When I first opened it, the CPU fan was only attached onto the CPU on one side, so the CPU may be partly burned out. It’s hard to say, but an attempt to install WinXP on the other HD partition fails when XP reboots during install.
In the old days (back to Win3) that’s when the software starts to use the processor and memory for real.
I have tried with some other RAM modules that I had in an old antique drawer, but that didn’t help a bit.
I’m cleaning out the temp files from tha hard drive and then I’ll try to install a fresh Win98 before I do a System Restore.
I’ll try the Scanreg/restore first.

thanx for your suggestions
Olav

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Don’t forget to try System File Checker before you reinstall. If it shows anything to be changed use the restore to earlier version option to see if this will do anything. There should also be a log file in this same area that shows any changes that have been made recently.

Start/
Programs/
Accessories/
Under System Tools,
Click on System Information
At Top click Tools
in Drop down Box click System File Checker

Before you run it, at the bottom of the page, under Settings, check the box to “Find Changes”, then click “Advanced” and there should be a “View Log” button where you should be able to see any changes that have been made recentlylmade in the log file.

.
I reccommend going with XP Pro, if for no other reason for the restore feature, it has saved the day for me many times, I would not use Windows 98 again since using XP Pro.

Hope that helps some

Reply | Quote

Don’t forget to try System File Checker before you reinstall. If it shows anything to be changed use the restore to earlier version option to see if this will do anything. There should also be a log file in this same area that shows any changes that have been made recently.

Start/
Programs/
Accessories/
Under System Tools,
Click on System Information
At Top click Tools
in Drop down Box click System File Checker

Before you run it, at the bottom of the page, under Settings, check the box to “Find Changes”, then click “Advanced” and there should be a “View Log” button where you should be able to see any changes that have been made recentlylmade in the log file.

.
I reccommend going with XP Pro, if for no other reason for the restore feature, it has saved the day for me many times, I would not use Windows 98 again since using XP Pro.

Hope that helps some

Reply | Quote

It’s not mine.
I’m trying to rescue the data on the disc before I do anything irreversible like a System Restore from the CDs that came with the PC.
However, I’m starting to suspect the hardware. When I first opened it, the CPU fan was only attached onto the CPU on one side, so the CPU may be partly burned out. It’s hard to say, but an attempt to install WinXP on the other HD partition fails when XP reboots during install.
In the old days (back to Win3) that’s when the software starts to use the processor and memory for real.
I have tried with some other RAM modules that I had in an old antique drawer, but that didn’t help a bit.
I’m cleaning out the temp files from tha hard drive and then I’ll try to install a fresh Win98 before I do a System Restore.
I’ll try the Scanreg/restore first.

thanx for your suggestions
Olav

Reply | Quote