I run a 450 MHz/128MB RAM IBM PC. My kid pulled the plug on the computer when it was running. It came back with a bad CMOS battery message. When I replaced it, and reset some BIOS settings to where I was using them,then the computer almost completely boots, but as the last screen ( a FAX TALK window) loads, it goes to a black screen and starts over again. I try to use F8 to safe mode boot, but it ignores me. A boot disk will take me to the A: prompt, but what then? Should I try to reload W98SE and see if it gets sorted out? Appreciate any help you folks can supply.

It sounds as if you have a BIOS setting that's off. Enter the BIOS and make sure that you don't have "network boot" or something like that selected. If you can't see anything amiss, remove the modem and see if you can avoid that faxtalk error post back if this doesn't help cleo

Have you tried "Reset Defaults" in BIOS, it may be a good starting point? Try holding down Ctrl while booting to get into Safe Mode because it is the way that works most reliably on most W98 machines.