Windows 98 boot problem

This might be a simple question, but I've not found a way to fix it. I built a computer and moved the hard drive from my old Dell system to it. When Windows tries to load, I see a message saying "This version of Windows for use only with Dell BIOS," and the loading stops. If I press any key though, the computer will then continue loading and seems to work okay, though I'm having more system freezes than I did before, at seemingly random times. How can I alter W98 to recognize the new BIOS without reloading Windows (and susequently having to copy and restore all its data)?

Thanks.

 

I have't heard of that one but sounds typical of Dell.

Based on my experience an overlay reinstall of win98 using c:\windows, not c:\windows.000 may fix it, especially if you borrow a non Dell copy of 98 to use for this install.

Installing this way will keep all your settings and software.

Mike

 

Mike:

Thanks for the input. I'm new to some of these issues though -- is an overlay install of Windows just a reinstallation without reformatting the drive first? Will that reload W98 program files without deleting other data? Will the W98 disc walk me through it? I read through several sites relating to Windows reinstallation and none say exactly how to do it properly.

Thanks again for your help.

Dave

 

If it is done properly it only installs windows itself and keeps all data and even programs and email and web settings.

It is very stright forward. You should have the windows CD key handy. And if you borrow a non Dell 98 CD then you can use your Key or that Key when asked for it!

The steps to do it.

1. boot from the cd or bootup floppy that then allows access to the 98 CD. If it asks to format or etc, decline!

2. run setup from win98 CD.

3. when it gets to a point it will ask for the install location and will say c:\windows.000! Do not accept that but edit it to say only

c:\windows

4. Then continue with a normal install. When it finishes everything should be as before with the exception of the Dell Bios warning. This should also help the instability you have because of the HD swap to a new motherboard.

SPECIAL NOTE: if you get an "Operating system already installed" message and it will not let you continue then abort the install, get back to the c: prompt cd to the windows folder and rename win.com to win.bak then start setup again and it will go now!

mike

 

Mike:

Thanks again. I followed your instructions and it went fine until I came to the final screen for Windows to reload. There, the mouse icon was missing, as though Windows installer doesn't recognize the USB mouse, and so I cannot click on the "Next" button to proceed. If I reboot to the original Windows version though, the mouse is recognized. I don't have a PS2 mouse to try. Why would Windows installer not see the USB mouse?

There's no way to go forward via a keyboard letter at that screen, either.

Dave

 

Hmmm

Dave this may indicate a problem enabling USB and it may need an M$ USB patch or at least be uninstalled and reinstalled.

To get by this you may need to borrow a PS2 mouse or buy a cheap one. Walmart has them for 10.00.

If you can get by this then you should be able to fix the USB services.

Depending on BIOS a USB mouse may not work in safe mode either.

Mike

 

I did an overlay installation of w98 as suggested by Mike, but I'm still getting the error message "2000RTC--This version of Windows for use only with Dell BIOS. "

Tony -- I understand what you mean, but it's not clear to me how I go about removing that partition without reformatting the C drive. Is there a safe way to do it?

Thanks.

Dave

 

It's me again. I checked the partition info and only one partition is listed on the C drive. I don't see a second one for Dell.

The error message comes up only after W98 has started to load, making me think there must be a W98 file that starts early but is outside the typical W98 program files, or else would have been replaced in the overlay. Or am I just confused?

Thanks again.

Dave

 

Ok Dave

Been out to dinner with friends for some time!

So you got the mouse working, got thru the install. Hopefully the overlay install detected and corrected to the new motherboard so that the other problems (freezes etc) are now fixed?

But we still have the Bios warning.

You needed the overlay to correct this anyway. So now do this.

Download and install the following 2 programs.

Then use Startup list to paste back your startups. Very likely we will find the culprit here!

Startup control
http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

This gives simple and full control of what starts at boot up.

After install there will be a Startup icon in control panel.

Why this over Msconfig? Msconfig only allows unchecking/disabling of items.

Startup Control panel allows deleting items or moving from startup to run as a service etc.

StartupList
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/startuplist.zip

StartupList does nothing but grab all Autoload (startups) and puts them in a Wordpad file so that you can then copy it and paste it back to us in a message so that we can advise on a problem here.

Your move!

mike

 

Hi Mike:

Thanks for those program links. Under Startup, the only program listed is Adsubtract, which blocks some cookies and pop ups. If I'm reading your last post correctly, you wanted me to paste the startup programs listed under startup list. I found there a program named Dell\disknag.exe, which I bet is the problem. If so, please let me know the best way to get rid of it. I believe I have to do that through the registry?

I'll send the list separately, due to length.

Thanks again.

Dave

 

Listing of startup folders:

Shell folders Startup:
[C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp]
AdSubtract.lnk = C:\Program Files\AdSubtract\adsub.exe

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

ScanRegistry = C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun
TaskMonitor = C:\WINDOWS\taskmon.exe
SystemTray = SysTray.Exe
AtiCwd32 = Aticwd32.exe
AtiKey = Atitask.exe
EM_EXEC = c:\mouse\system\em_exec.exe
StillImageMonitor = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STIMON.EXE
SysAgent = C:\SysAgent\SysAgent.exe
Anvshell = C:\WINDOWS\Anvshell.exe
NvCplDaemon = RUNDLL32.EXE NvQTwk,NvCplDaemon initialize
nwiz = nwiz.exe /install
Disknag = C:\DELL\DISKNAG.EXE
RealTray = C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\RealPlay.exe SYSTEMBOOTHIDEPLAYER
LoadPowerProfile = Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme

 

Probably is!

But use Startup control panel to test it. Just uncheck them and reboot if the message you are getting is gone and everthing else works then leave them unchecked or delete them.

Go to startup control panel and uncheck the
Disknag = C:\DELL\DISKNAG.EXE

I would also uncheck the below also, as they do not need to start up at boot.

TaskMonitor = C:\WINDOWS\taskmon.exe

AtiCwd32 = Aticwd32.exe
AtiKey = Atitask.exe

EM_EXEC = c:\mouse\system\em_exec.exe

NvCplDaemon = RUNDLL32.EXE NvQTwk,NvCplDaemon initialize
nwiz = nwiz.exe /install

RealTray = C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\RealPlay.exe SYSTEMBOOTHIDEPLAYER

StillImageMonitor = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STIMON.EXE

Is there anything in the autoexec.bat and config.sys? If the dell msg is still there it could come from them.

The less you have starting the faster and more stable your computer will be.

But what about the stability since the reinstall are the frezes fixed you think?

Mike

 

Mike:

The stability is much better. It hasn't frozen up since I did the overlay.

However, I went into the Dell folder and looked at disknag, and its a reminder program to make backup discs. I unchecked it in Startup and the same error message appears upon booting.

I'll send the rest of the list in a separate email. There's a limit to 1,000 characters in each posting.

Thanks again.

Dave

 

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

ScanRegistry = C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun
SystemTray = SysTray.Exe
SysAgent = C:\SysAgent\SysAgent.exe
Anvshell = C:\WINDOWS\Anvshell.exe
LoadPowerProfile = Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

Encompass_ENCMONTR = C:\Program Files\Encompass\ENCMONTR.EXE
LoadPowerProfile = Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
SchedulingAgent = mstask.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

NVIEW = rundll32.exe nview.dll,nViewLoadHook

--------------------------------------------------

Shell & screensaver key from C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI:

Shell=Explorer.exe
SCRNSAVE.EXE=
drivers=mmsystem.dll power.drv

--------------------------------------------------

C:\WINDOWS\WININIT.BAK listing:
(Created 31/5/2003, 18:38:40)

[rename]
DIRNUL=C:\WINDOWS\system\precopy
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\msopl.drv=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\msopl.001
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mssblst.drv=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mssblst.001
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mssblst.vxd=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mssblst.002
[NUL]
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DCOMREG.EXE=1

--------------------------------------------------

C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT listing:

C:\VIAUDIO\VIAUDIO.COM

--------------------------------------------------


Enumerating Browser Helper Objects:

(no name) - C:\PROGRAM FILES\DAP\DAPBHO.DLL - {0000CC75-ACF3-4cac-A0A9-DD3868E06852}
(no name) - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\NZDD.DLL - {EBCDDA60-2A68-11D3-8A43-0060083CFB9C}
(no name) - C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT 5.0\READER\ACTIVEX\ACROIEHELPER.OCX - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3}

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Task Scheduler jobs:

Maintenance-Defragment programs.job
Maintenance-ScanDisk.job
Maintenance-Disk cleanup.job
Tune-up Application Start.job

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Download Program Files:

[Shockwave Flash Object]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MACROMED\FLASH\SWFLASH.OCX
CODEBASE = http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab

[{41F17733-B041-4099-A042-B518BB6A408C}]
CODEBASE = http://a1540.g.akamai.net/7/1540/52...le.com/samantha/us/win/QuickTimeInstaller.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad items:

WebCheck: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WEBCHECK.DLL

--------------------------------------------------

 

Dave

Get rid of these 2 also, not needed. They are slow downs and Encompass is known to to cause Os errors.

This is the quicktime installer
[{41F17733-B041-4099-A042-B518BB6A408C}]
CODEBASE = http://a1540.g.akamai.net/7/1540/52...meInstaller.exe

encompass
Encompass_ENCMONTR = C:\Program Files\Encompass\ENCMONTR.EXE

Still no help on the Dell msg, huh!

Well we are going to have a fast stable win98 till we do get rid of it!

mike

 

Dave

Have you noticed this dell msg when going into safe mode?

If it does not show in safe mode then reboot and F8 to startup menu and choose step by step. It may can be caught here.

Also is there Dell software in Add/remove that you can remove. If it is dell specific it should be removed.

After cleaning from add/remove do a disk search for Dell*.* and carefully see if you can delete these.

mike

 

Good night Dave.

Will check in in the morn.

mike

 

Hi Mike:

I noticed today that the error message actually says "This version of the SOFTWARE for use only with Dell BIOS." It doesn't say Windows specifically, but the message appears on a black background AFTER W98 has started to load. The blue Windows screen disappears and that message comes up. If I strike any key, the W98 load continues. It's just annoying because I have to sit and wait for that screen so I can press the button and make it proceed. The system is running much better since the overlay.

I didn't delete the Dell files when I moved the hard drive, mainly because I was worried it would somehow bother W98. Since nothing "Dell" remains in the computer though, can I safely delete the whole Dell folder?

I know how to start the computer in safe mode, but am not sure what to do from the A: prompt. I did go step-by-step through setup and didn't see anything that would identify itself as the problem, but that's not definite.

Thanks for all your help. Maybe the problem is somewhere in the Dell folder?

Dave

 

No do not delete it yet. For now rename it to Dell.tmp. When we do boot it will tell us what it is looking for by reporting an error from that folder during boot. Get me the full names of any files or errors it posts. This should happen in full mode but not safe mode.

So first rename the Dell Folder and then do the the below.

Just boot to safe mode and tell me if it posts the Dell Bios message in safe mode.

Your question about boot to floppy, what for? You did do the command prompt del *.swp etc didn't you?

Anyway after checking for the BIOS message in safe mode boot back to full mode and watch for the errors from the Dell folder.

Mike