Quick help, please!!!

First, I'm talking about Windows 98SE, here:

OK, I came back to my dev PC and it was frozen on the 'Windows is shutting down' screen.

First of all, I have no idea what caused windows to try and shut down on it's own.

Second - and more importantly - I can no longer boot into windows! I get a 'Windows protection error'. I can boot into safe mode fine, though.

Anyone know how I can fix this, or is a complete re-install on the cards? :(

I'm off to google for some answers but thought I'd post here first incase any of you guys can help. Please, no "upgrade your OS, dude", posts. ;)

Thanks. I'll report back in a bit. Gah, flaming computers...

Think you can do a logged boot (from the safe mode menu), then you can see which bit it last loaded successfully...but not sure if that will help (it's helped me before).

Yeah, I've just read that a borked driver can cause this error. I did a step by step boot and it appears to go pear shaped with what looks like a mouse vxd, or something. However, the boot still fails when I skip loading the driver. :/

I'll carry on looking. I REALLY dont want to re-install, if I can avoid it.

Have you tried the boot where you can answer Y/N to everything? Say no to everthing and see what happens. Then gradually bring stuff back in.

Yeah, that's what I was using. Even when I said no to this mouse vxd thing, it still hung.

If I do have to re-install windows, I seem to remember some kind of way of doing it that doesn't require an HD format, so that existing data folders remain intact. Anyone know how to do this?

If you can't boot in safe mode, you're pretty much screwed.

Boot into a Linux LiveCD. Backup your data to some USB thingy. Install Windows. Copy the data back.

hm, can't one just reinstall 98 over the old one? In that case installed stuff probably just works. Iirc I did something like that once..

He can boot into safe mode.

Tip: Don't store any data in any windows folders, keep everything separate. Then all you've got in windows is apps and drivers and internet/email settings. Then a reinstall is fine as all your data is intact + Windows will run faster (for a while). It just takes ages installing all the apps/drivers again. I've installed 98 over an old one a few times and it's always been crap due to old drivers being copied over new ones and some new ones staying in place. So a clean install then a huge Windows Update session is in order. There's a site with all the windows update patches on now that MS took them down. Something like Ultimate windows 98 or something.

Anyway, I know you said don't say it, but, how about getting XP for £50 or something and bunging that on a new hard drive (gasp). I have seen XP fatally crash and never boot again like Win98 but it's MUCH rarer.

Phew! Got it working again. :)

It just took a registry restore, using scanreg. I didn't even know how to de this, before. :P

Cheers, all!

haha COOL. Now upgrade...

Maybe, one day. :P