Error message windows 98; can't reboot

I did as you suggested and after entering copy *.chk/windows it showed files 0001.chk through file 0335.chk copied and I then entered
del *.chk and it brought me back to a flashing C: \>
Awaiting the next step to restore.

 

OK, now try what I suggested earlier...

this should now work without the file creation error.

 

There is too much information for me to type it all but I'll give you the gist. At the very top of the page it said "volume in drive C has no label" then underneath it it said: volume serial number is 3017-15EF "
Then it listed multiple directories:
directory of C:\program~1\intern~1\w2k
IEEX CAB 1file
directory of C:\program~1\online~1\msn50 MSN 50 CAB 1 file
directory of C:\program~1\window~3 IDENT CAB 1 file directory of C:\win98 BASE 4 CAB then 77 files were listed underneath (too many to list) IT's all GREEK to me, so now what???

 

OK, it looks like your setup files are in win98 so lets make sure...

cd \win98
dir *.exe

do you see SETUP EXE listed? Now...

dir *.cab

do you see 60+ files listed

If yes we'll look at retrieving your License Key.

 

Now we're cooking with kerosene as you say. I followed your above directions and under win98 I saw SETUPEXE listed as you thought, and then when I typed dir *.cab I saw 77 Cab files listed.Ok GURU, waiting for the next step and once again thanks;if you think this might be easier by phone send me your phone number to my aol email account at jetzmetz@aol.com and I'll call you. I'm in Long Island,NY and I sense you're in the Mountain time zone. No pressure whatever works for you;just let me know.

 

It's all looking good, but international phone calls could become expensive (Mountain Time Zone ), We've a few wee braes here in Scotland but I don't think they have they're own timezone

I'll let you know what I would do then later tonight (it's ~6PM here as I type) I'll give you precise intructions.

1) Obviously an (over the top) reinstall of 98 is required (but please don't jump the gun).

2) After the reinstall I'd backup the OS setup files, again do you have a CD/DVD burner available? If not a USB memory stick?

3) Then I'd back up as much Data as possible, again using CD/DVD or memory stick.

4) Find out what HD you have then run diagnostics on it.

5) After all this and you're happy you have your data backed up we do a full wipe and reinstall of the Operating System.

If you have any problems with any of this the get back to me but right now I'm still dancing over united's latest victory (9 games undefeated) and I have to replace a M/board for a neighbours computer

As Arnie would say though "I'll be back "

 

Hi BBW, FWIW my name's Paddy BTW

ok, please read my previous post before you continue but the next step is to retrieve your product key.

You're a little more familiar with the DOS prompt now so I'll make it brief, if you have any queries then stop and ask. Type what's in the quotes but read the comments between OK.

now

Most of this will be garbage, but the second line should show:

productkeyXXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Where X is an Alphanumeric character (5 goups of 5), if you have this then write it down carefully you will need it. If your unsure there is another way so don't panic .

If you are sure of your key then...

This will start the over the top installation, during this you must select C:\WINDOWS as the installation folder without formatting the hard drive (it's been a while so I can't give exact instruction but if you're stuck please post). You will also be asked during installation for that product key (you did write it down didn't you )

Once the Installation's done, post back and we'll look at data backup & recovery.

 

Paddy: I'm not sure what an over the top installation actually is?Please tell me;will any of my current data and information be restored or not?? Anyway, I was able to find the product key as you suggested and I wrote it down,but I stopped there until I hear back from you regarding the over the top reinstallion and what that actually means. Just to let you know this older CompaQ computer has a CD drive and floppy drive but no CD Burner or DVD burner and no place for a memory stick to my knowledge. The CD is for playing music or entering games, but I don't believe it is for backing up files or data. So to my knowledge backing up files here is not possible unless that's done to a floppy. So after I hear from you I do have the product key written down and we shall then proceed. Are you in Scotland? My name is Bill.

 

Ahh, My nemesis returns GO AWAY

Seriously Bill, I know it's been a long haul but we're getting there

It won't do any further harm. With any luck you won't have lost too much. In fact the system may even be perfectly usable.

Options are limited then Before were you connected to the internet or even better a local network?

Yes it's Scotland Bill, I'd say proceed with the install anyway but do not format the drive during install, I believe you will be asked if you want to install to WINDOWS.000 change that to WINDOWS and confirm it's ok.

After this you should have a usable system but do not trust it, we need to get the data of that drive.

 

Well Paddy another hurdle exists: I did as you suggested and attempted the reinstall via: CD WIN98 SETUP, but the system first went through running scandisk and returned with this message:
SCANNING SYSTEM REGISTRY
CANNOT CREATE A TEMPORARY DIRECTORY
THIS MAY BE CAUSED BY TOO MANY FILES IN THE ROOT DIRECTORY
then it returned to C:\win98>
when I typed SETUP again it went through the same exact messages and there was no spot for me to enter WINDOWS as the installation folder and no spot for me to enter my product key. The battle continues my friend.

 

Seriously I was expecting this, one more time Note the new directory

CD \
Copy *.chk \Win98
del *.chk
cd \win98
setup

I'll be here for the next couple of hours so report back if you wish

 

Additionally before all this trouble I was connected to a instant access BROADBAND internet connection.

 

Ok, Bill you obviously have another system there (else we wouldn't be communicating). Does that have a CD/DVD burner?

 

Paddy: The battle continues and yet another hurdle. I foLlowed your directions as above and YES I did reach the windows 98 setup screen and I hit continue at the bottom of the screen to run the setup and when I did I received this error message:
YOUR COMPUTER ALREADY HAS AN OPERATING SYSTEM INSTALLED WHICH CANNOT BE UPGRADED BY THIS VERSION OF SETUP. YOU NEED TO OBTAIN THE WINDOWS UPGRADE.
MESSAGE SU0168

PERHAPS I HAVE WINDOWS 98 SE???? WHAT NOW
P.S. my SECOND SYSTEM HERE DOES HAVE A CD/DVD BURNER WHICH I'VE NEVER USED.

 

Are you googling for every error message you can get

Sorry shouldn't laugh Bill but it's been a few days now, give me 10m minutes to dust of the cobwebs I'll be back.

 

from a DOS prompt

CD \WINDOWS
REN WIN.COM WIN.OLD
REN WINVER.EXE WINVER.OLD
CD \WIN98
SETUP

Try that.

 

paddy: believe it or not these are real messages;i'm not googling trying to cause more anguish;i'm frustrated enough on my own already. lol
i appreciate you trying to solve my problem but maybe its unsolvable???? i don't want to keep burdening you either. so let me know if this is overwhelming for you?? thanks for your help;if this communication is too much just tell me

 

See, previous post. Not overwhelming in the slightest, I'm just accessing some brain cells I forgot I had. And to be honest sometimes Google is my friend

 

Paddy:we are getting closer my friend;i tried what you suggested with the REN WINEVER.EXE thing and it brought me to the windows 98 setup screen and did allow me to continue but when i continued another error message:
SETUP CANNOT FIND ENOUGH DISK SPACE TO INSTALL WINDOWS 98. SETUP WILL QUIT. FREE SOME DISK SPACE THEN RUN SETUP AGAIN. YOU NEED AT LEAST 205 MEGABYTES TO INSTALL WINDOWS 98.

so let's clear up some space Paddy and get on with this..next order of business is ???

 

if we ever get this to work i'll owe you some beers somehow..