Hi, please help, I'm in serious trouble! Windows 98 computer won't even boot now, and scanreg refuses to run saying there's not enough memory...

But first, let me explain how I got here. I'd loaded the latest definitions on Ad-Aware SE and made sure the programme was up to date. Then I went into the extended configurations menu and checked a few boxes there (I no longer remember exactly which ones), then changed my mind and decided to return to default settings. But as soon as I pressed the relevant button every froze... and I mean everything! Not even Control+Alt+Delete would work anymore, so I had to manually reset the computer by holding down the power button.

This happened every time I tried to run Ad-Aware. Meanwhile, in-between repeats of this, I checked to see if other programmes were working ok, and everything seemed fine.

Then I checked the Support section in Lavasoft and found this post which pertained to W98.

http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=218

I decided to give it ago and followed the instructions. I opened autoexec.bat with Notepad and removed the line "set temp=c:\", rebooted, then tried to run Ad-Aware but once again everything froze. I then repeated the procedure, this time also deleting the line "set tmp=c:\", but the same thing happened all over again.

Then I decided to do some more troubleshooting of my own (I now wish I hadn't...) and tried to go into Safe Mode by pressing F8. Instead what I got was a message saying:

"Windows has detected a registry/configuration error. Choose, Command Prompt Only, and run SCANREG". However, when I try to do so, I get a message saying: "Program too big to fit in memory".

Alas, it seems I'm stuck here, and can't go into Windows.

I don't know if any of this is relevant, but for troubleshooting purposes I should perhaps mention that yesterday I updated to the latest version of IE and then ran windowsupdate and installed all the critical patches for my system. Not too long after doing this I ran Ad-Aware and found 8 critical objects (all tracking objects, and Alexa-related) which I duly removed. That was the last time Ad-Aware worked for me...

Another thing, which may or may not be relevant: some time ago (about 2 months) I upgraded the memory on my system. The instructions in my Dell Inspiron manual said that in such a case I needed to delete the old suspend-to-disk file using a certain phdisk command and create a new one. I remember trying to do this, but for some reason I couldn't get it to work, so I gave. As I said, I don't know if this is relevant or not, but I thought I'd mention it just to be on the safe side.

Apologies for the long post. I hope you can help!

Hello, and Welcome to DAL.

You didn't mention that you'd tried to boot with an EBD (Emergency Boot Disk). This will manage your memory whereas your system in its present state won't.

If your system has a floppy drive, use your EBD and boot the machine without CDROM support. Ensure the floppy drive is set as the first boot device in the bios. http://www.d-a-l.com/articles/library/23.html

When you get the A:\> prompt, type in c:\windows\command\scanreg/fix and hit Enter. When it finishes, pull the floppy disk and attempt a restart.

If windows still doesn't boot properly, perform the above boot procedure and this time at the A:\> prompt, type in c:\windows\command\scanreg/restore and hit Enter. Pick a restore date which preceeds the problem. Any software or updates (major changes) which were installed after the date you pick will need to be reinstalled.

If you don't have an EBD, you can download this one.

The above bootdisk image file is a self extracting file and has to be executed (run) from a running Windows machine in order to create the actual startup diskette. (This image file produces the same bootdisk which 98SE creates.) This downloaded image file will format the floppy disk, write the files to the disk, then verify the file write, so it'll take a minute or three to create the bootdisk.

NOTE: When you boot a machine with this boot floppy, it creates a RAMDRIVE in system memory to contain DOS system tools. Thus it will move your "normal" CDROM device/drive letter "up" one level. (If your CDROM is normally E: it will be F: when booting with this bootdisk.)

Post back with your results. Please also post the complete model name/number of your Dell machine.

Hi Dan, thanks so much for your reply.

I do have a Windows 98 Start-Up disk and am going to follow the procedure you've suggested and post back the results.

At the moment, though, it looks like I'm also contending with a faulty power supply. My laptop is a Dell Inspiron 3500 (PII 333MHz, 256Mb ram) and it has recently come to my attention that the AC adaptor that came with it has been recalled by Dell. I only found this out after I started having problems with the computer intermittently failing to recognise the ac adaptor. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I've ordered a replacement from Dell and am waiting for it arrive, hopefully within the coming week.

In the meantime, I've decided to put off any further troubleshooting, because the computer has now in addition started to make a strange squealing noise -- like a short inside the case -- and I'm worried about frying up my system board.

As soon as I have my replacement adaptor, I will resume troubleshooting and post back here. Thank you for bearing with me till then.