Repair 98

Hi, All ~

I am wondering if any posters may know of a very simple, step-by-step set of directions for noobs for repairing Windows 98 that might be found on the web and also same for attempting to restore from an earlier point before a problem was found.

The story is my sister who is far from savvy has a laptop with Win98SE that needs Windows repaired but not lose her documents. I can't simplify it enough for her (we're 2300 miles apart) without her getting upset and have looked through the forum here but see nothing that would be simple enough for her.

TIA

 

Do you think she'd be able to handle a scanreg /restore ?

*edit*
Perhaps better explained here.

 

Before you start thinking about a "repair ", exactly what problems is she having.
It could be as "simple" as Spyware or a virus.

 

Hi, Daizy ~

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, my sister's laptop does not have a floppy drive, so she cannot use a bootdisk. I haven't used Win98 in such a long time, I don't remember what her options might be in terms that she could understand or that I could do long distance.

 

At the shutdown screen, she doesn't have the choice to RESTART IN MS-DOS MODE ?

 

Hi, Phil ~

She is getting a 'Invalid System Disk' error and cannot get into Windows or to a DOS prompt. I tried to get her to a DOS prompt by hitting F8 or holding Ctrl when rebooting, but have been unsuccessful.

There is no virus or spyware as this unit has never had access to nor does it ever use the internet.

I was thinking of sending her a Win98 CD to try a repair of system files or to restore so she won't lose her work documents, but not sure how.

The install CD I have I've booted to on my system, but see no repair option - only setup.

 

Hi, Daizy ~

She can't get to the shutdown screen as it never boots to Windows - just a black screen with 'Invalid System Disk....' - hitting any key does nothing but repeat the error message and must use the power button to do a hard restart.

 

Hi, Christer!

Where you been hidin'?

Tried the trick, but no luck, chuck.

 

That's all you need. Boot from the cd and run setup. You have to pay attention when it comes to the part where it asks where you want to install it. It may default to c:\windows.000 or some such thing. If it does, change it to c:\windows (assuming that's where the original is installed to) . Whatever the case may be, make sure it installs to the same folder it was installed to before. This would be the equivalent of "repair" in XP. She shouldn't lose any of her programs or data files and her settings should pretty much all stay as they were. There may be a glitch or two to iron out but usually everything will be as it was before.

 

Hi, Christer ~

Moved across the U.S. and got a new job with a software company. Spend a lot of time on tech support, so don't get to do it for fun as much, you dig?

 

Hi, Zander ~

You sure about that? Doesn't Win98 install do formatting in the process?

 

A MS 98 CD does not format before installing windows. A Restore CD or Recovery CD provided by the computer manufacturer may do a format.

 

Hi, Mark ~

Beautiful! Can we get to a command line when booting to the CD? Maybe try a reg restore?

Should we try a C:\SYS? or scanreg other reparation before the install?

Been a long time since I had to mess with 98 and even tougher over the phone with an impatient sibling.

 

I believe it will only do the install. Just make sure it is installing into C:\Windows.