Cannot Boot Windows 98 due to error on screen Spool32 performs an ill op

Hi,

My XP computer crashed about two weeks ago and I have been successfully using my little Windows 98 Gateway Solo laptop until I replace my desktop. This computer was running good until I installed the Lexmark X2470 to it so I could print out a few documents. Well, it didn't seem to work correctly so I decided to uninstall the printer.

Now, the current problem is that I can't even boot my computer into win98 safe mode - I get an error message that spool32 has performed an illegal operation, etc. - clicking on close has no effect. Control Alt Delete doesn't work. There is always an hourglass showing and I can't click it - the only way to shut down is to turn the system off.

If there is someway I can get into safe mode maybe I could delete whatever is stopping the windows from loading correctly.

Any help you can give me would be so much appreciated. I've borrowed this laptop so I can write to you. I really hate the idea of reformatting it as I will lose my most recent files.

Actually if I can get my Outlook Express Mail saved to a floppy disk I would be happy with that and then I can reformat this laptop. I have been in the DOS screen but can't figure out where the messages are stored.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

Jean.

P.S. I've searched the internet but have not been able to come up with anything like my problem.

 

Jean, see if you can boot to a DOS prompt. Hold the Ctrl key down as the computer starts to boot or repeatedly tap the F8 key until the startup menu comes up. Select boot to DOS prompt, then at the C:\ prompt type:

scanreg \restore

Note the space between scanreg and the \.

Select a date from the list before you installed the printer to restore and hit enter. It will ask for a reboot when restored. This will restore the registry and "may" fix your problem. Can't do any harm either way.

Let us know what happens.

 

John,
Thanks for the quick reply. I followed your instructions and got into the C: prompt and typed scanreg \restore

I selected the earliest date and it ran through the restore and I rebooted as instructed but was disappointed because the computer came up and had the same error message:

Spool32
This program has performed an illegal operation. etc. ect.

I have the hourglass as my mouse cursor and it just sits there. I cannot close it or x out or see details. The computer is just hung up and I will have to power it down by holding down the power button. Control Alt Delete does nothing.

Any other suggestions. Thanks for trying.

Jean

 

Jean, your e-mails are stored in the following path:

C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Identities\{002C2420-E7EB-11D3-A6A6-A9C4D96B5560}\Microsoft\Outlook Express

If a floppy is large enough you can copy the files and folders to it. If you try to copy them in DOS the file and folder names will/may be truncated. I am not sure you can replace them by just ng onto a reformated system and have OE "see" them if and when you do a reformat of your laptop. OE can be funny when it comes to exporting and importing e-mail files etc. Perhaps you should wait to see if someone else has some suggestions regarding this.

Another thing to try is to go into the command prompt as you did for scanreg \restore and try to rename the spool32.exe file and see if your computer will boot normally.

In the command prompt type:

ren C:\Windows\System\spool32.exe spool32.$$$

Then hit enter and reboot your computer. This will disable that file but not delete it so you can rename back later. It sounds like when the printer was uninstalled something was left behind. If you get back in to Windows try reinstalling the printer, rename the spool32 file back to exe, (you can do this in windows), reboot and if it goes well, try uninstalling the printer again.

Alot of guessing going on but as I see it now you can't do anything with it so can't hurt to try.

 

If you would like to replace Spool32 with a fresh one;
With this being a laptop, it may be possible the 98 setup files are located in C:\Windows\Options\Cabs, the following dos command will extract it and replace the current copy.

Code:

extract /y c:\windows\options\cabs\Win98_46.Cab spool32.exe /L c:\windows\system

 

Thank you for trying to help me. I'll keep trying if you have any other suggestions.

John, I did go into the command prompt and did remane the file to spool32.$$$. When I rebooted the computer, I had the same annoying error message but it was interesting because I didn't have the hour glass. I had y mouse cursor but I still couldn't do anything.

I also made my way to the inbox.dbx and tried to copy to floppy but said it didn't have enough space so I guess I'll have to give up on that. Thanks for trying.

Mark - I did do as you instructed but apparently the 98 setup is not on the laptop. I tried to put in the Windows 98 CD and tried to type the code to extract from the D: drive but it didn't work. I don't think I really know much about DOS but some of it is coming back.

I found that the system.ini and win.ini is on the C:\windows directory. Is there any way I can edit these to get rid of this screen through DOS. Or maybe this won't work either.


Jean

A very interesting thing happened right now. I rebooted the machine and I get a new error message:
Rundll32 Performed an illegal operation etc.

I didn't get the old error message about spool32. I guess it is because we renamed it.
Now is there anyway I can correct this new error "Rundll.32. "

Thank you so much for the help.

Jean

 

When you boot up the hard drive and run the dos prompt, there is nothing to work the CD drive. You would need a boot floppy, not sure if your laptop has one.
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/software_download.htm
However the above link has an Win98 BootCD iso file which can be used to create a bootable CD.
At the prompt enter in; edit c:\windows\win.ini ;and you'll have a simple text editor. You would use ALT+letter to access the menu bar.
When editing those files, instead of deleting a line, insert a semi colon ; at the beginning of the line, turns it into just a comment and nothing is done with it.
;load=

 

Thank you everyone for trying to help me bring back my old Windows 98 laptop. I finally gave up though as the more I changed things in DOS, the more messed up it became. The last error message was: Explorer.exe has shut down.

That was the last straw. I found my original Windows 98 Second Edition CDs and I restored it. The only problem I guess will be that I cannot get any updates to it.

Oh well, I'll just give this laptop to my grandchildren for them to play games on.

Thank you again for all your help.

Jean