BleepingComputer.com: W98 Missing Shlwapi.dll

Definitely not an original 98 cd. That explains why it wont boot!

Do you have an original 98SE cd?

I don't believe so (it was probably sold in a yard sale) So is there anything I can download to help me out?
When I ran fdisk the instructions I was following told me to select yea for fat 32 when prompted, then select the primary master, and so I deleted my partition(the only one that was available to delete, it then told to continue formatting please restart the computer and this is where I am.

When you fdisked the drive you deleted the partition and all the data on it.
You need to repartition the drive with fdisk then format it to prepare it for use.
Then you need a 98se cd & key code to reinstall Windows.
They you need to reinstall all drivers and programs
Do you have any cd's that came with the computer?

IMO whoever told you to fdisk the drive gave you really bad advice. The system was starting the boot process. The errors you were getting were related to Norton and relatively easily fixed

welljust great,,,, I have no disks other that this one that has win 98 on it, I have the key code as well what is my next step?

EYESEE, first thank you for helping me I have been trying to get this computer fixed so I can give it to my in-laws, they appreciate the help I'm sure. I have learned so much about computers in the past few weeks, and I am thirsty for more. If I destroy th cp I don't mind but I am willing to do what it takes and read anything I can to learn

samlf3rd, on Feb 18 2008, 06:14 PM, said:

Ok I'm with you now Sam.

Rather than keep pressing F8 every second just hold the Ctrl key down as the computer starts up and you'll get the DOS menu's.

Sam

Can you borrow an original 98 SE cd from someone?
If you know someone that is running 98SE can you possibly make a genuine boot disk off their computer & test it on their system? You will still need a 98 cd though.

This post has been edited by Eyesee: 18 February 2008 - 07:37 PM

Quote

the download should be called/named boot98se.exe if you have show file extensions enables, otherwise it's just
boot98se

when you click on that file on the new computer(it should be on your desktop when you download it) it will then tell you to insert a blank floppy in your drive

it will then make a 98se startup disk with cdrom support

This post has been edited by DaChew: 18 February 2008 - 10:55 PM

Thanks guys for the help!
Chewy--- Wow I never knew how to do that with a disk
Eyesee--- Okay now that I learned to format and create a bootdisk, I made a bootdisk from Bootdisk.com windows 98se I made a floppy then opened it and I saw all the files on the disk. In my good computer I restarted the system and it asked to boot with cdrom support, so I know the boot disk works!hooray for me.
However, when I put it in my bad computer it does nothing, so I downloaded every version available from bootdisk, windows98,98se,95both versions, and nothing it just goes right to the screen where the top of the screen has system info (math processor,hard drive,,,) and at the bottom it still say searching for boot record in floppy, then cdrom, then IDE-0,the first two say not found, and the IDE-0 says "OK". I have the BIOS to load floop,cdrom,ide-0. So now what? Can't I clear the whole hard drive and just put any version of windows in? Isn't there anything crafty I can do in BIOS other then turn on a couple of switches?

you may have a bad floppy drive in the old computer, they get dirty quit working

I gave up on keeping too many, I just keep an extra and cable handy when I need it

by the way if you google that file that's on your cd, it sounds like an image file that you could burn with a trial of magiciso?

bios can turn floppy drives on or off

bios is very strong with the force

Hold open the door on the floppy drive that wont read disks with something & shine a flashlight in it.
If it looks dusty, go to your local Walmart, BigLots (or wherever) & get a can of compressed air for about 5 bucks & blow it out real good. Dust will keel it from reading disks

The boot disk only starts the computer. It does not, by any means, contain all of Windows 98.
Can you borrow a 98 SE cd from somebody and use your key code?

The boot disk will allow you to repartition and reformat the hard drive as the partition has been deleted

Eyesee, on Feb 18 2008, 08:39 PM, said:

I have 3 genuine Win98SE CD's and none of them boot.

Eyesee, on Feb 18 2008, 08:39 PM, said:

Sorry Eyesee you are right, I've just got home and tried it.

I've never had to use this facility because I've always used a boot disk with CD Rom support for 14 years.

Hey guys, again thank you very much(It's really exciting chasing down the problem) for your help. Okay, I am cleaning out the floppy drive to see what it will do,hold on, okay still nothing, I believe I have a bad floppy, and the connectors are old. Is there a way I could make a boot CD? What are my options now?

When I say bad floppy I mean floppy drive, I blew it out with my air compressor, tried the floppy and nothing(I just baught a BOX of floppy disks yesterday they are brand new! When the computer says searching for boot from floppy the floppy light doesn't come on no sounds nothing. When I first start the CP it does seem to function it "clicks" then the light turns on and just before it goes to searching for boot the light on the floppy shuts off and remains quiet.