Some helpful advice please!!

[Big Sandy]

Our eldest son has an IBM Thinkpad running windows 98se...don't know what has happened with it :rolleyes:

Cannot even start-up in safe mode, same error message every time in safe mode or otherwise... Explorer has performed an ivalid operation and will be shut down...closing the warning box just results in a blue screen (fetching shade right enough, but...)

We don't have a windows 98se start up disc, so I would like to know if you think it's worth getting a 98se CD, or a boot-up disc, or repair disc....or should we just take it to a little man to get the darned thing looked at?

If only it ran on diesel! Any advice greatfully received,

Thanks,

Sandy

[P00DLE]

i would try and get a windows 98 cd and do a reinstall

[Big Sandy]

Thanks for the reply Chris!

I thought that would be the likely way ahead.... There seem to be quite a few 98se CDs on eBay at the moment, would I need to get one with a COA and product key do you think, or would just a copy be okay?

My biggest problem is that I am a computer duffer... If it works I just leave everything well alone :D , so I might need to come back in here and ask for advice on reinstalling too! :o

[OrbitalPear]

On an open forum, a copy would most probably not be OK. Think about it.

[R0Y]

Sandy, why not drop young mr lighting a pm, i feel sure he has the disc you are looking for hint hint.

[P00DLE]

technically as long as you have the original license code that came with your laptop for windows 98 it makes no differance if the actual installation is from a dodgy cd or not as long as you have a license you are entitled to a copy of the software

[dynamited]

I`d watch out however from using a repair disc. Correct me if im wrong, but repair disks first format the whole drive.. then re-install a fresh copy of Windows.

Use a normal / retail / borrowed Windows cd and overwrite the previous installation. The laptop would boot fine then.... but straight afterwards backup all your stuff and give it a good format from scratch, as some programs wont quite work well.

I would be on the lookout for a dying hard disk... could be the `problem` which started all this.

[Big Sandy]

Thanks for the input guys!

Unfortunately we don't have an original product key or code etc, as it was a reconditioned unit, so it looks like it's the 98se cd, key and coa I'm looking for then. I'll get on to that.

I'm not sure where you stand with a recon unit here... Surely the vendor should have provided a cd with the unit...but he didnt. Ho well, time to trawl the stores and eBay I guess!

I'll be back when it's reinstall time! I'll be needing all the help I can get!

[Big Sandy]

I would be on the lookout for a dying hard disk... could be the `problem` which started all this.
Hiya! You must have posted the same time as I was doing the last bit of scribbling......!

I think the main problem is a teenager with triggerhappy fingers! It was my wifes laptop originally, and it was working absolutely fine until the above event (which took him a mere three weeks to achieve! :D )

The machine has very few programmes installed, so a complete format and reinstall would be okay... his main use was for email and Word documents for his thesis and college work, which was fortunately all backed up.

I am taking all these pointers on board however, and will probably do as you suggest, re the reinstall, and overwrite. When you say 'overwrite', does that mean reinstall over the original programme without actually formatting the disc, ie, just replace the operating system without touching the other programmes? I warn you, I am totally out of my depth with this stuff! If it was a 2.25 diesel, I would be okay!

How would formatting the disc affect things like the modem and sound card? Would I then need to get drivers for these, as again it came with the software installed, and no cd's, manuals, etc? Though I guess they would be available online.......

[dirt diggler]

When the time comes to instal the Win 98 CD a couple of things might happen.

1: You load the CD and start up the laptop, it should (i say "should" in a computer based way....:eek: ) come up with a similarly fetching blue screen. There will be a couple of options, one being to re-instal Win 98.

2: You get the same kind of start up which could indicate that the HD is indeed on the way out.

When you re-install Win 98 it will ask at some point do you want to format the HD, i always do this as your starting from scratch and any problems on the HD should disappear with a fresh start. SO any information on the HD will be lost forever.

One thing you WILL require though are the drivers, normally for the Graphics card, modem, hardware etc. These can normally be found by going to the manufacturs website and going to the downloads page and entering your laptops product code or name. There are other sites that cater for drivers if you get stuck.

hope you get it sorted mate

[mike tilley]

Sandy, I've got a genuine copy of windows 98se that I can send you if you've not already found one.

PM me if you're interested :)

[Big Sandy]

Many, many thanks for the feedback guys! :) It's greatly appreciated!

I'll let you know how we get on as and when we get a CD.

Thanks again,

Sandy

[Big Sandy]

Well, we tried overwriting without formatting first, and got the exact same error, so we've done a complete format and re-install, and now we have a win98se operating system again. It's a bit basic as yet, as we need to install the drivers for the graphics card, sound card etc, but hopefully we will get that sorted very soon. We'll have to create an internet connection first...but we've had enough for now!

Thankyou all for your helpful advice, it is greatly appreciated!

[dirt diggler]

Glad to hear its not a HD problem and your on your way to fixing it.

Heres a couple of sites that may be of some use to you.


http://list.driverguide.com/list/letterI/index.html
Ive already started the list in I for IBM you will just have to click on IBM Drivers.

http://www.soundcard-drivers.com/

[Big Sandy]

Thats a great help, thankyou!

Got everything running now.... we re-installed NAV too, and boy does that slow things down. I'm thinking that because it slows things down so much, that could be the reason for the problems...(not the program, but the impatience of the clickky fingers!!) So a ram upgrade may be on the cards....

Still, everything works now!

Many thanks to you all for your help, couldn't have done it without your support!

[mike tilley]

Have you condsidered using something like AVG Antivirus (http://www.grisoft.com/doc/1), it's free, has regular updates and it's not a system hog like NAV.

[P00DLE]

Thats a great help, thankyou!

Got everything running now.... we re-installed NAV too, and boy does that slow things down. I'm thinking that because it slows things down so much, that could be the reason for the problems...(not the program, but the impatience of the clickky fingers!!) So a ram upgrade may be on the cards....

Still, everything works now!

Many thanks to you all for your help, couldn't have done it without your support!

take norton anti virus off and go to www.grisoft.com and download a copy of thier free avg 7 its far superior to nav and has better detection rates as well. also uses less system resources.

[broc]

If you still need drivers for your Thinkpad IBM has a very comprehensive support website which will enable you to download any drivers you need. Goto www.ibm.com/uk/ (http://www.ibm.com/uk/) and choose support and downloads , select category 'thinkpad notebook' followed by sub-category 'Thinkpad xxx' where xxx is the model you have eg Thinkpad 600X, then type the machine/model (normally found on the underside of the system). From here you can access drivers, utilities, BIOS updates etc. The site also enables you to locate and download Hardware maintenance manuals, identify part numbers and even order spare parts for your machine online. This is not an 'advert' for IBM....although I did work for them for almost 30 years until I retired 2 years ago ;)

[Ferryman]

If you're not sure if you have all the drivers needed, run some diagnosis-software, it tells you exactly what components are installed and what manufacturer to look for drivers etc.

http://www.download.com/Fresh-Diagnose/3000-2086_4-10367838.html?tag=lst-0-5

Tony.

[Big Sandy]

Again,

Many thanks for the pointers!

We'll do that, both the AVG and the diagnostics.... We did go to the IBM site, and that was where we got the drivers to get things running, and then we have visited the manufacturers websites for updates.

We'll have a go at the AV stuff at the weekend.

Thankyou all for your help, where would we have been without you all! :rolleyes: