Help!
I have Windows 98 SE on my old desktop. It is not running correctly and I need to reinstall windows. (OH, I AM NOT A COMPUTER GENIUS...at all). I don't remember getting a windows 98 SE cd when I purchased my computer and don't know how to get another cd or get help. I can't get online on that computer now (windows is messed up). Does anyone know where/how I get help or another CD (I do remember registering windows when I purchased the computer, I think)?
Thanx, fun4kiwi

You can probably find a 98 or 98SE CD on one of those bidding/for sale sites. (I've never used one, but I think EBAY??? may be one of these.)

There's also an Auction/Trader section on this site which may have one listed. I tried to go there to copy and paste a direct shortcut into this post, but it said I wasn't old enough to enter the site. Heh, I'll just say I'm over 40. ........... OK, over 50. Now that I think of it, I believe this can be fixed via the User Profile.

What is your system doing (or not doing)?

Are you able to start Windows either normally or in Safe Mode?

Does it start straight into DOS?

Do you have an EBD*? (A floppy Emergency Boot Disk.)

It's possible that only a few files (from the CD) are required to correct things.



*The above bootdisk image file is a self extracting file and has to be executed (run) from a running Windows(9x) machine in order to create the actual startup diskette on one of your floppy disks. (This image file produces the same bootdisk which 98SE creates.) This downloaded image file will format the floppy disk to ensure its integrity, write the files to the disk, then verify the file write, so it'll take a minute or three to create the bootdisk.

Ensure the floppy drive is set as the first boot device in the bios. http://www.d-a-l.com/articles/library/23.html

NOTE: When you boot a machine with this boot floppy, it creates a RAMDRIVE in system memory to contain DOS system tools/drivers. 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.)

The path to the found CDROM will be set with the bootfiles however, so entering A:\>f:\setup is the same as entering A:\>setup at the A:\> prompt. There is no need to include the cdrom drive letter. The CDROM device letter will be assigned near the end of the floppy boot process, right after MSCDEX is loaded.