Can't Get Into Windows

[TonyMan]

My daughter just called from college, her PC isn't working. Here's some background, though not sure how much is related. Last week I turned it on & during boot up got a blue screen of death & had to reboot. I kept getting a message when booting saying the registry was bad and that windows was going to update from a backup copy, but it never was successful. I also believe the mobo battery is going because it won't keep time & date when shut off, but didn't have time to attack this. I wiped her disk, put WIN98 on it, reinstalled all apps, and things were great. Tonight she get a message saying the registry was going to be updated with an old copy. Now when she boots she gets a message saying explorer has performed an illegal operation. The details: Explorere caused an invalid page fault in module explorer.exe at 015F:00401F31. She then gets a background screen, mouse pointer, but no shortcuts, task bar, etc. One other odd thing, she ocaissionally gets a new hardware dialog for the printer (Epson Color Stylus II). I don't get this since the Epson printing software is installed and the printer worked fine.

Any suggestions, pointers, advice is welcome.

[grandslammer]

If it won't keep time and date when shutoff, IT NEEDS A BATTERY! You (or someone) needs to replace it! I honestly don't know if that'll take care of the reg prob, but it's a good place to start, and it definitely needs it...

After that, when booting, windoze should be able to use an earlier copy of the registry.

Go to start, then run, then type in msconfig. Then go to startup tab and see if C:windows\scanregw.exe\autorun is there. Probably first line. This scans registry to give you your backup in case of emergency -that way you don't have to break glass(in your monitor!)

If it's no there, go to start, run, regedit.
Then go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then software, then microsoft, then windows, then current version. Then go to RUN. Under this there should be a key called ScanRegistry. It's value should be, C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe/autorun

If it's not there, then add it. This way, win will scan at each boot and you should have your backup.

But, I'm sure you'll get more posts, perhaps a much easier way to go about this.

Also, you can reset the cmos by changing the jumper, then setting it back per instructions in your main board manual. But you'll still need the battery

Good Luck In All,

Mike P.

[This message has been edited by grandslammer (edited 08-23-99).]

[philipg]

Sounds like a boot-sector virus. My old 486 had a virus. Took me weeks before I finally got rid of it. Download a trial antivirus software to get rid of it. College is a nice home for virus's of all kinds and their makers.

Good luck.

P.S. Make sure she scans all her floppies too or she'll reinfect her computer.

[This message has been edited by philipg (edited 08-23-99).]

[magk9]

Check for bad memory too.....I just had the same thing this weekend....it kept replacing the registry EVERYTIME it rebooted....so I replaced the Sdram, ..it booted up normally, and all was well!!!
And, if all gets back to normal, have her download WinRescue 98 from download.com.....it's a nice prog to have when windows gets goofy.

[fishboy]

Since its 98, try going into config manager and disabling everything in the start up screen. This will boot vanilla (sort of) and see if you still get the GPF.

[MrEd]

There is a page posted on Microsofts site concerning your problem with the registry. Here is the link:

support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q186/9/09.asp (http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q186/9/09.asp)

-MrEd
/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by MrEd (edited 08-24-99).]

[CMonster]

If it's redetecting hardware devices there may also be bad power or jumper connections on the board or the board itself may be going. Sometimes even a bad card or drive can have an intermitatant 5v short that will bring the system crashing down. It might be wise, after doing all the things suggested by the previous posts, to start diagnostics with a bare minimum of peripheral devices.

[This message has been edited by CMonster (edited 08-24-99).]

[TonyMan]

Thanks to all for the ideas. I found a MSKB article describing the explorer problem & tried what it said, but no good. Turns out they have a group on campus thst checks things out for free, they did a scan disk & found errors. It's an old drive from an old system of mine & kinda small, so I'll replace it.

I'll keep an eye out on the registry issue & if it keeps wanting to discover the printer, and also change the battery.

Again, thanks to all.

[TonyMan]

Now it's getting real goofy. Replaced the drive, still could not install Win98. Pulled the SIMMS & replaced with a DIMM, same thing. After installing Win98, on the first reboot I get a message saying "repairing c:\windows\sytem.dat. windows found an error in your system files & successfully fixed the problem. It tries to go further, then "while initializing device configmg: windows protection error. you need to restart your computer". On the restart it goes tries safe mode then " himem has detected ureliable memory at 010AF2D6. XMS driver not indtalled. Himem.sys missing-make sure it is in the windows directory". I hit return then, "Windows has stopped. Press control alt delete to continue." Then back to the first message again.

For the heck of it I tried installing Win95 & it went. However, after loading a bunch of apps it will occaissionally get a message saying it had to repair the registry on a reboot.

The mobo is an Aptron PM7900 with an AMD K5-166 CPU. I get the same results whether I install SIMMS or DIMMS-it takes either. I also replaced the battery, so that issue is gone. Wondering if there is some reason that the mobo won't run Win98. My only other thoughts are a bad WIN98 CD or a bad mobo, or both. I'm really stuck.

[hydraulic]

I would have to agree with magk6,check your memory even if your system says its okay it still might be bad , I had some of the problems you have and it was memory,good luck.

[TonyMan]

I would agree except I replaced 4 SIMMs with a single DIMM & still could not load WIN98. However, I could load Win95, and after an initial registry error it has been stable.

[nilknarf]

Did you scan for viruses? Forget the trial verisons of antivirus software, for 30 or 40 dollars you can get Norton AntiVirus. Try it, even if it doesn't fix the problem, at least you'll be protected against most viruses. Also be sure to update the virus definitions on a regular basis.

There is also a function in Windows that allows you to log everything that happens on startup. When the computer boots, press F8 as soon as it starts boot Windows. Then select Logged Mode. If the error occurs, it should show up in the log.

Hope this helps!

Good Luck!

[TonyMan]

Thanks, I installed Norton 4.0, but don't remember ever running a full scann of all files. I did find when she came home for the summer she had picked up a Word virus that I had to clean off her docs. But, I had the same results with the new drive I installed.

[TonyMan]

Thanks, I installed Norton 4.0, but don't remember ever running a full scann of all files. I did find when she came home for the summer she had picked up a Word virus that I had to clean off her docs. But, I had the same results with the new drive I installed.

[TonyMan]

Thanks, I installed Norton 4.0, but don't remember ever running a full scann of all files. I did find when she came home for the summer she had picked up a Word virus that I had to clean off her docs. But, I had the same results with the new drive I installed.