w98SE - searching for plug and play - will not load/reboots

Helping friend over IM -- He just cleaned installed w98SE on a IBM NetVista 6830-TAU. Completes boot, but will only load windows in Safe mode. When in normal, will flash for a second "searching for plug and play" and reboot.
Re-installed video drives.
Also did the following ....
Flashed BIOS
Exchanged PS, memory sticks, monitors, has onboard video, tried a PCI Vcard.
Any ideas what to try next.
Thanks

Ooopps
Thought I was in w98 forum - Staff if you like to move, your call. We think it is hardware, could be a software.

 

First I would pull ALL cards. Leave just the video, ram, processor. See if it boots. If it does add additional cards one at a time.

You could also check the plug n play settings in the bios. Might want to do that first. If it is set to PnP enabled, turn it to disabled. If disabled, enable.

 

Gave him that suggestion previously, no cards, everything on board.
Thanks for the additional suggestions. Have passed thread URL to him ....
again thank you very much.
Will keep you up to date.

 

If everything is on board that brings up two thoughts.

1) Was the mainboard drivers installed? Not just the chipset but everything. There are probably seperate installs for video, audio, usb, etc..

2) In bios disable all the other stuff except video. Not quite the same but this will be kind of like pulling cards.

 

1) Was the mainboard drivers installed?
YES
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Not just the chipset but everything. There are probably seperate installs for video, audio, usb, etc..
System never prompted for above.
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PREVIOUSLY asked....
You could also check the plug n play settings in the bios. Might want to do that first. If it is set to PnP enabled, turn it to disabled. If disabled, enable.
Same condition continues.
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Friend found a w98 plug & play monitor driver on devicedrivers.com
He is going into safemode to istall it.

Will keep posted

 

Friend found a w98 plug & play monitor driver on devicedrivers.com
He is going into safemode to install it.
Can't install hardware in "Safemode "

Friend is fried, working on this computer for a number of hours. He is going to bed and start round two tomorrow. Thanks Jay for all of your suggestions.

 

Have you looked in Device Manager? If it goes to Safe Mode it probably has the wrong drivers installed, it should tell you which drivers are causing the problem, although it may say "Unknown Device" or "Other ".

Run the CD that came with the computer and install any drivers from that. It may be a bootable CD, it should have instructions printed on it, otherwise run it in Safe Mode.

Matt