desktop froze

Our deskop froze after the power was turned off to the
computer. Now the screen is black and the icons show up
with the windows logo and we cannot open them. The only
way to open a file is to go to the run and browse option,
and that only works for a few of them. We can't get into
the control panel, get error message that says access
denied. At times after start up, there is a message that
says new hardware detected, nothing has been added, but
says it's an ECP printer??? We can open our internet
explorer from desktop but that is the only one. We tried
reinstalling window98, but nothing has worked. I'm pretty
sure all our documents are still saved, but we just can't
open them.

wrote in message
...

Our deskop froze after the power was turned off to the
computer. Now the screen is black and the icons show up
with the windows logo and we cannot open them. The only
way to open a file is to go to the run and browse option,
and that only works for a few of them. We can't get into
the control panel, get error message that says access
denied. At times after start up, there is a message that
says new hardware detected, nothing has been added, but
says it's an ECP printer??? We can open our internet
explorer from desktop but that is the only one. We tried
reinstalling window98, but nothing has worked. I'm pretty
sure all our documents are still saved, but we just can't
open them.

Failure to reinstal suggests physical damage (to either
hard drive or main board) caused by the power failure.
1. To save your data, remove the hard drive.
2. Put a new hard drive into this PC and try to
instal Windows. If this fails, buy a new PC.
3. With a working PC, you can either instal the
old drive and see whether it boots OK or (preferably)
instal Windows on the new drive and then copy all
your intact data from the old drive.
3b. Only then can you see about salvaging files
that may have been damaged on the old drive.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)

See if this helps:
Using SFC Extract a fresh copy of RUNDLL32.EXE from your Windows CD or Cab files on
the drive if present, usually in c:\windows\options\cabs, and place it in the Windows
folder.

To extract a file using SFC:
Start Run, type in: sfc and press enter.
Place a tic next to "Extract one file from......"
Type in the name of the file and click Start.
Browse to or type in the path to where the file is being restored from, the Win98
folder on the CD or where the .cab files are on the drive.
Browse to or type in the path of where to save it.
Click Ok.

**It is pertinent to run the update for each program before running to be sure you
have the latest definitions.**
Download/run Cool Web Shredder from:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

For Info on Cool Web Search Variants:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html

Then download/install/run Ad-Aware to detect/rid of any other parasites/spyware that
may be installed. It can be obtained free from:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/
After installing Ad-Aware, open it and click on the ref update to get the latest
up-to-date ref file, then run Ad-Aware and delete everything it finds.

And/or download/install/run:
Spybot - Search & Destroy:
http://security.kolla.de/index.php?l...&page=download
Run it at it's default settings until you learn an know more about it. Spybot S&D is
more of an advanced users tool and changing from the default settings can be
dangerous to the novice user. Items found in the default settings that are RED can
usually be safely removed. If you are unsure of a found item, do not remove it and
ask for help.

If you still have problems, download/run HijackThis from:
http://www.merijn.org/

Do not remove anything with it until you get advice on what to remove, HJThis will
list many apps that are needed along with the bad ones. Removing items listed
hap-hazardly without knowing what they are can/will create a royal mess. Read the
quick start here on how to create a log file that can be copied/pasted into a forum
that can provide assistance on removal of unwanted pests.
http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/#quick

Then post the logs to an appropriate NG here where they specialize in
spyware/hijacker removal:
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/

It's also a good idea to have a HOSTS file to block bad sites, scroll to HOSTS File
Manager he
http://www.mvps.org/PracticallyNerded/Software.htm

Another good app is SpywareBlaster which stops the badboys before they even get a
chance to install:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html


--
Brian A.

Jack of all trades, Master of none.
One can never truly be a master as there is always more to learn.


wrote in message
...
Our deskop froze after the power was turned off to the
computer. Now the screen is black and the icons show up
with the windows logo and we cannot open them. The only
way to open a file is to go to the run and browse option,
and that only works for a few of them. We can't get into
the control panel, get error message that says access
denied. At times after start up, there is a message that
says new hardware detected, nothing has been added, but
says it's an ECP printer??? We can open our internet
explorer from desktop but that is the only one. We tried
reinstalling window98, but nothing has worked. I'm pretty
sure all our documents are still saved, but we just can't
open them.

and what happens when the hd that went bang is attached as slave, and
Windows spots two bootable partitions ? :-)

regards, Richard


"Don Phillipson" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
...

Our deskop froze after the power was turned off to the
computer. Now the screen is black and the icons show up
with the windows logo and we cannot open them. The only
way to open a file is to go to the run and browse option,
and that only works for a few of them. We can't get into
the control panel, get error message that says access
denied. At times after start up, there is a message that
says new hardware detected, nothing has been added, but
says it's an ECP printer??? We can open our internet
explorer from desktop but that is the only one. We tried
reinstalling window98, but nothing has worked. I'm pretty
sure all our documents are still saved, but we just can't
open them.

Failure to reinstal suggests physical damage (to either
hard drive or main board) caused by the power failure.
1. To save your data, remove the hard drive.
2. Put a new hard drive into this PC and try to
instal Windows. If this fails, buy a new PC.
3. With a working PC, you can either instal the
old drive and see whether it boots OK or (preferably)
instal Windows on the new drive and then copy all
your intact data from the old drive.
3b. Only then can you see about salvaging files
that may have been damaged on the old drive.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)

Have a machine with 2 HDs. Both have been loaded with
Win98SE. One master. One slave. I pull the slave out and
use it to boot other PCs. But when it is in it's home
machine the PC boots to the master.
-----Original Message-----
and what happens when the hd that went bang is attached
as slave, and
Windows spots two bootable partitions ? :-)

regards, Richard


"Don Phillipson" wrote in
message
...
wrote in message
...

Our deskop froze after the power was turned off to the
computer. Now the screen is black and the icons show
up
with the windows logo and we cannot open them. The
only
way to open a file is to go to the run and browse
option,
and that only works for a few of them. We can't get
into
the control panel, get error message that says access
denied. At times after start up, there is a message
that
says new hardware detected, nothing has been added,
but
says it's an ECP printer??? We can open our internet
explorer from desktop but that is the only one. We
tried
reinstalling window98, but nothing has worked. I'm
pretty
sure all our documents are still saved, but we just
can't
open them.

Failure to reinstal suggests physical damage (to either
hard drive or main board) caused by the power failure.
1. To save your data, remove the hard drive.
2. Put a new hard drive into this PC and try to
instal Windows. If this fails, buy a new PC.
3. With a working PC, you can either instal the
old drive and see whether it boots OK or (preferably)
instal Windows on the new drive and then copy all
your intact data from the old drive.
3b. Only then can you see about salvaging files
that may have been damaged on the old drive.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)





.

It will boot to C (the new drive)
However, I have a feeling the problem isn't going to be that bad.

"RJK" wrote in news:Oa30OwnTEHA.2580
@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl:

and what happens when the hd that went bang is attached as slave, and
Windows spots two bootable partitions ? :-)

regards, Richard


"Don Phillipson" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
...

Our deskop froze after the power was turned off to the
computer. Now the screen is black and the icons show up
with the windows logo and we cannot open them. The only
way to open a file is to go to the run and browse option,
and that only works for a few of them. We can't get into
the control panel, get error message that says access
denied. At times after start up, there is a message that
says new hardware detected, nothing has been added, but
says it's an ECP printer??? We can open our internet
explorer from desktop but that is the only one. We tried
reinstalling window98, but nothing has worked. I'm pretty
sure all our documents are still saved, but we just can't
open them.

Failure to reinstal suggests physical damage (to either
hard drive or main board) caused by the power failure.
1. To save your data, remove the hard drive.
2. Put a new hard drive into this PC and try to
instal Windows. If this fails, buy a new PC.
3. With a working PC, you can either instal the
old drive and see whether it boots OK or (preferably)
instal Windows on the new drive and then copy all
your intact data from the old drive.
3b. Only then can you see about salvaging files
that may have been damaged on the old drive.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)








--
-- What happens if you get scared half to death twice? --

Try booting to the DOS prompt by tapping F8 when you first boot your
computer... before it starts Windows. When the boot menu appears pick
"Command Prompt Only". At the C:\ prompt type "scanreg /restore and hit
enter. You'll be presented with a list of former days' registries. Pick
the last one that you know that windows started normally. Reboot your
computer and see what happens. If it doesn't work, you haven't lost
anything. I think there's a good chance that it WILL work.

wrote in news:1a71401c44e62$968fbb20
:

Our deskop froze after the power was turned off to the
computer. Now the screen is black and the icons show up
with the windows logo and we cannot open them. The only
way to open a file is to go to the run and browse option,
and that only works for a few of them. We can't get into
the control panel, get error message that says access
denied. At times after start up, there is a message that
says new hardware detected, nothing has been added, but
says it's an ECP printer??? We can open our internet
explorer from desktop but that is the only one. We tried
reinstalling window98, but nothing has worked. I'm pretty
sure all our documents are still saved, but we just can't
open them.



--
-- What happens if you get scared half to death twice? --

RJK wrote in message ...

and what happens when the hd that went bang is attached as slave, and
Windows spots two bootable partitions ? :-)

Windows boots normally.

I am running on such a machine right now.
And I have a few others just like it.

I asked because a VERY long time ago, following advice similar to that in
this this thread, (years and years ago actually), I attached a 2nd hd with
an active primary W98se partition on it, as a slave drive, and ended up with
a corrupted registry in the 1st hd's W98se platform/active primary
partition. i.e. the thing that happens when W98 spots two active partitions
with W98 on each, happened ! So ever since that, when I want to attach a
drive containing a failing or W98se damaged platform, as a slave drive for
transfer of data files from slave to master, I boot to DOS and use
Powerquests ptedit.exe to knock out the 80.
Surely you'd have to at least use fdisk.exe to change the "active partition"
status of the 2nd ?

In any event, I've never since let W98 boot to discover to primary active
partitions !

I appreciate that I'm missing something here but, I've been missing that
particular point for many years, since that bad experience mentioned above
:-)

regards, Richard


"Hugh Candlin" wrote in message
...

RJK wrote in message
...

and what happens when the hd that went bang is attached as slave, and
Windows spots two bootable partitions ? :-)

Windows boots normally.

I am running on such a machine right now.
And I have a few others just like it.

RJK wrote in message ...
I asked because a VERY long time ago, following advice similar to that in
this this thread, (years and years ago actually), I attached a 2nd hd with
an active primary W98se partition on it, as a slave drive, and ended up with
a corrupted registry in the 1st hd's W98se platform/active primary
partition.

What was the nature of the corruption?

i.e. the thing that happens when W98 spots two active partitions
with W98 on each, happened !

That's too vague for me to make any meaningful response.
Based upon my current knowledge, I cannot even acknowledge
that such a "thing" even exists.

I do not question for a second that you experienced a problem.
I simply have no way of knowing what the cause of that problem was.
I do know that, historically, drives from different vendors have not always
played nice with each other. That may have been an issue in your case.

So ever since that, when I want to attach a
drive containing a failing or W98se damaged platform, as a slave drive for
transfer of data files from slave to master, I boot to DOS and use
Powerquests ptedit.exe to knock out the 80.
Surely you'd have to at least use fdisk.exe to change the "active partition"
status of the 2nd ?

No. I never have.

In any event, I've never since let W98 boot to discover to primary active
partitions !

I preume that you mean "two primary active partitions"?

I appreciate that I'm missing something here but, I've been missing that
particular point for many years, since that bad experience mentioned above
:-)

FDISK lets you define which partition will be the active (boot) partition,
and then writes the partition table into the first sector of track zero
of the partitioned disk. This partition table also contains the master boot block.

When the machine is turned on, the ROM BIOS will read this master boot block
and transfer control to it. The master boot block then finds out which partition is active,
reads the boot code from that partition, and then transfers control to that boot code.

This all happens, however, on the current drive. If your secondary master
isn't set to the current drive, then you cannot boot to it.

I do not know if looking at the boot block is a capability of Windows 98,
so I cannot comment further as to the source of your problem,
other than to assure you that I have no problem with my current PC,
which contains two hard drives, with one being a backup of the other,
using the vendor-supplied drive cloning software.

I assure you that I am able to use either drive as the primary master,
without running FDISK, as proven when I test the integrity
of the backup procedure.


regards, Richard


"Hugh Candlin" wrote in message
...

RJK wrote in message
...

and what happens when the hd that went bang is attached as slave, and
Windows spots two bootable partitions ? :-)

Windows boots normally.

I am running on such a machine right now.
And I have a few others just like it.