Win98 resets itself

Hi there,

It's the first time I've used this forum, so I hope you can help me!

My Windows 98 PC keeps resetting itself. It started doing it about a month ago. But I've noticed some patterns occurring...

It only resets itself when Windows is running fully, i.e. it will happily sit for hours on the 'Login' screen, and it's fine in safe mode, and it's fine in DOS. It still does it if I remove all the PCI cards in the system. So am I right in thinking that it's probably not the PSU?

I re-installed Windows from the proper CD, after re-naming the old Windows folder to 'Windoze', so that they wouldn't cross-pollenate. It sill resets even with no drivers loaded (apart from the basic display drivers). So am I right in thinking it's not my install of Windows?

I've got Norton with the latest updates, and nothing is found. So not a virus?

It's not shutting down and restarting, btw, it's acting as though I've just pressed the 'reset' button on the front. Scandisk is running when it boots as a result.

The original Windows install, by the way, started to lose '.vxd' files, such as 'dfs.vxd' and 'vredir.vxd' and I'd get warnings to this effect when it was loading.

Aaargh! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Joe.

 

I would think that that pointed more toward the PSU or a Motherboard problem.

But I am just THINKING that.

BillyBob

 

But it only resets when Windows is fully loaded and running (i.e. it's fine while on the Login window, or in safe mode), so surely it can't be the PSU or Motherboard?

Thanks,
Joe.

 

OOPS !!!

This means that you removed all PCI cards except one. The Video card. Unless it is AGP.

OK. I am guessing again. And also may interested in answers.

I could be that the PSU is not loaded heavy enough until Windows does get fully loaded. ( video is not fully setup till then ).

And If I read correctly you have re-installed Windows.

Have you checked that ALL installed fans are running properly. Including ( if there ) one on the Video card ?

BillyBob

 

The graphics card is an AGP card, ATI Rage 128.

There is one fan on the CPU, and one on the PSU, both working fine.

The thing is, if I start windows, but make it wait on the login screen then it's fine. The only display drivers loaded are the standard ones that come with Windows 98 (I'm stuck in low-res, 16 colour mode!).

Could it be the RAM?

 

For the lack of any other ideas ( wild or otherwise ) it could be.

What you might try is to shut down and reseat both the video card and RAM.

Also check all plug as being plugged in securely.

If this had stopped after the re-install of Windows I would blame something Windows. But I do not think so now.

BillyBob

 

That's what I reckon! I've re-seated the RAM and the video card... next step is to try someone else's RAM!

Many thanks,
Joe.

 

How's this for strange? I changed the hard drive with one from another PC, and it booted up Win98 (same edition), and WORKS FINE! No resetting!

So it must be something on/in the hard drive that's causing this...

 

Could be.

With these machines ANYTHING is possible.

BillyBob

 

Well, how's this for strange...

It *was* something on the hard drive. I nicked another drive out of a friend's PC, connected it up, and it booted up fine, with no resets.

So, despite the 'fresh' install of Windows 98, there must have been some cross-pollenation from the previous install.

Anyway, I backed up all my files (via Ethernet to my iMac) and re-formatted the hard drive. I'm currently re-installing Win98, so we'll see what happens..!

Thanks again,
Joe.

 

This is probably nonsense but -

Those three states all have a common factor - none of the Run keys are executed; with the exception of sitting at the Logon Prompt when the All Users RunServicesOnce and RunServices have come and gone. Perhaps a month ago some wieird and wonderful entry was put into the Run key [executed after Logon].

However, you did a re-install as opposed to an overlay so a new reg would have been created.

Oh well, I was thinking out loud ...