BleepingComputer.com: Windows 98 keeps booting in safe mode!

Hi everyone... new to the site but it seems like there are a lot of experts here, so I was hoping someone might be able to help me on something.

A few weeks ago, for some reason, my computer started up as usual, but after the Windows 98 screen shows up, the screen immediately goes blank and the computer restarts again. Naturally, because it didn't restart properly the previous time, it offers me the option if I want to start in safe mode. I go into safe mode, and everything is as normal in safe mode. Then I'll shut down or restart, and the same thing happens again. I've scanned the internet for all the potential issues and nothing has worked so far (for example, I've tried scanreg /restore but that none of the old files, which are all several years old, seem to work). Therefore, the computer perpetually starts in safe mode.

This happened once before, but I shut the computer down for a few days, and it started as normal again. This time, I'm not so lucky and it's never fixed itself. If anyone has any ideas as to how to fix this problem, that would be great. I have tried a lot of different things but clearly I'm missing the key one. Something must be happening during startup because it clearly goes blank right on the Windows 98 loading screen.

Thanks in advance!!

in safe mode go to start then run and then in run type msconfig
and then go to the start up tab and turn off every thing in that and then press ok and then tell it yes i want to restart and see what happans

do you know how to use things in safe mode?
the main buttons you need to know is ALT which selects things like file edit and others when in my computer or a folder
SPACE BAR will tick and not tick so if in a thing that has a box you turn it off or on
TAB will select other things like ALT does
ENTER will select the thing your in like when you press tab and it selected some thing you press ENTER to make it come up

hope this helps

Thanks for your help. I've done this actually already but nothing has changed. Everything in startup is off, and I've already tried unchecking processing autoexec.bat, system.ini and win.ini even all together. Config.sys isn't even an option because there's nothing in that file. Pretty much, it doesn't appear like anything in those files is causing the problem either.

It's extremely confusing and I have no idea how to even try and identify what the problem even is, let alone fix it!

If the computer senses there is something wrong ( or not quite right) it will attempt to boot into Safe Mode to enable some diagnostic tests to be run on it .


When it boots up it normally searches for what I call the last known Good Configuration .
Can you please tell us what its antivirus and other protection is to maybe elimintate ( if nowt else) a clash of programs that might prevent it loading into Normal mode?

Also, while it IS in Safe Mode, have you yet run the Scan Disc and Disc Defragment programs to check for errors?

Of interest, how much RAM is there?

You could also go into Device Manager and see if there is any Problems showing up there?

Thanks for your help. I ran scandisk but it couldn't complete as it said "windows keeps getting interrupted"... even though nothing is open. I only have 64 MB of RAM on that computer and as far as antivirus goes I have on there Norton Antivirus and some other stuff like PC-Doctor. Nothing else.

I've also opened my device manager but not sure what I should be looking for there... everything seems ok?

This post has been edited by bssc81: 24 March 2009 - 12:20 AM

In Device manager, check each category to make sure everything is OK. If something is wrong/conflicting it will have a yellow "!" or red "X" on that device.

Also you may want to try disabling some startup applications and see what happens. It's not likely to be the case, but doesn't hurt to try IMO.

Do you have the original Win 98 CD?

funnytim, on Mar 24 2009, 05:45 PM, said:

what i said Lol
go to run and then type DRWATSON.EXE and it may tell us some thing

I am going to suggest that there may be two issues here to start with

You have only 64MB of RAM

plus you have a Norton product on the computer

I strongly suggest you need to remove the Norton antivirus and ideally this should be done in Normal mode and on line with the Removal Tool BUT , as Normal Mode gives problems I suggest you boot Into Safe mode and disable the Norton antivirus, then uninstall it

then see how the computer runs with its small RAM ; you will of course need to have another antivirus product on there but maybe try that step to start with and let us know how the computer does run once it is free from the Norton;

PS ...DO take a note OF the Norton Product as you will also need to run the Removal tool once you get it back on line

Good news and bad news. Good news is that these symptoms sound very similar to a problem I ran across a number of years ago and was able to fix. Bad news is I really don't remember what the fix was.

Vaguely recall something in either the autoexec.bat or config.sys file that was forcing the machine into safe mode. Maybe post the content of both of these files here and we'll see if anything is amiss.

Dr. Watson didn't do anything... and I can't seem to run or uninstall my norton antivirus products in safe mode. Very frustrating... should I just re-install windows? how can I keep my files intact?

If you just want to reinstall it, it may not be necessary to backup your files, as doing a reinstall should not wipe your files. However to be on the safe side you should probably back up the files any way.

If you are planning on doing a clean install you will have to backup your files first to avoid data loss.

In order to keep your files intact you will have to first backup all your files, either to another partition on your HD (if available) or, preferably, to external storage, such as a CD/DVD disc or USB flash drive. Then you can proceed to reinstall / clean install.

This sounds familar to me as well? It is been quite a while since I used WIN98SE?

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Maybe open each one and copy the Contents and Paste them here? Someone may get their memory jogged?

Before you can reformat and reinstall you will need to save Files you need, Mate. The Process will wipe all information. Also make sure that you have all the Drivers you need?

Back when I was using WIN98SE, I had my HDD split into two Partitions. C: Drive was for Operating and D: Drive was for Back Up. On D: Drive I had a Copy of WIN98SE in it's own Folder, then all the Drivers in a Driver File and any other Data I wanted not to lose in Files named accordingly. Back then it was quite normal to reformat and reinstall WIN98SE because over time it would become instable. Having it all in the one place was much more convienent, as a reformat only affected the C: Drive leaving D: Drive intact.

If I had to do a reformat and reinstall, I used to use a WIN98 Start up Disk, available here, http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm, then reformat C: Drive and install straight off D: Drive. By doing it that way, in the future if Windows ever needed access to the Install Program it was always in the Computer for it to find.

Important thing to do first is to save your Data before doing that.

Edit, you can use fdsk in the startup disk to create a new Partition if you want to set up a similar System to what I used? But for the meantime save your Data first, either by external means, e.g. Burn to CD Rom, external HDD or USB Flash Drives, or even set it as a Slave on another Computer and save it on there? If you don't want to change over the Jumper, you can plug it into the CD Drive Ribbon and it will become a Secondary Drive. Both Slave Drives and Secondary Drives usually become D: Drive under Windows Explorer.

This post has been edited by Abacus 7: 30 March 2009 - 12:44 AM

the machine is really old (no CDRW drive) - and all the drivers have been shut down in safe mode, so I can't even get on a network to upload files.

What's another way to backup files? Partition (which I have no idea how to do)?

Thanks...

You are acessessing the Net from another Machine?

There is where you can save your Back Up.

Read back?

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Now? if you do not have a CDROM Drive, another Problem rears it's ugly head?

How to Install WIN98SE?

Can you give Details of your HDD? Particularly the size.

This post has been edited by Abacus 7: 30 March 2009 - 05:54 AM