New computer PIII 800 with 30GB HDD Windows 98SE 128 MB RAM ran OK for 3 wks applications started running extremely slowly. Ran scandisk found no problems. Failed to reboot properly scandisk said errors on HDD (FAT) could not complete scan. Start with boot disk scandisk from CD (without surface test)took ages all pointing to HDD faulty. Scandisk surface scan found faulty sectors and moved data. Returned to manufacturer said HDD tested OK reformatted drive and said 'software problem with FAT coruption caused false bad sector reporting' had seen before but didn't know what caused it or how to prevent it happening again! imaged data and reloaded as dumped after formatting. ran for two days OK. Next switch on takes over 30 min to boot up Win 98SE (even SM takes a long time). Once you get it running all seems OK scandisk finds no faults. If you leave the HDD running 24/7 most programs run OK except some games seem slow. Have searched web can't find exact same problem but seems 98SE has plenty! No confidence in manufacturers diagnosis buck passing between H/W and S/W. Virus scan comes up clean from housecall. Will try regclean. Any help on this would be appreciated as I don't know what to do next.

You seem to be using a shotgun approach to kill a mosquito. How many apps do you have running when it starts to run slowly? Try ctrl-alt-del and use the system monitor to check the available RAM and other resources. Do an FDISK to delete all partitions, create new ones, and format. This is better than a regclean. Check the manufacturers website and download the system diagnostics utility. Check the drive. Make sure you have the correct version for your drive. Your problems sound more like problems with the system board or another device causing IRQ or resource conflicts.

Run an msconfig, at start-up you only need 7 programs running to allow your system to run at top efficiency. Most programs running in the background don't need to be and they eat up your system resources causing problems with all types of other programs. In the msconfig "win.ini" tab, in [windows] uncheck "load=". Delete partitions, and run Fdisk, create new one. Reformat hard drive. Create new boot disk from cd incase some file has been corrupted!

You have a resource problem. Resources are a fixed quantity, independant of RAM and can only be reduced by not running apps. Do a site search on resources. Sterling , "who" ?....is using the shotgun.

Thanks for the replies so far. HDD was reformated by supplier. All S/W on HDD was copied back after format. Problem occurs even on boot from FDD (min applications running)Scandisk run from boot disk advises "data error reading the FAT entry for cluster xxxx. this error prevents scandisk from fixing this device". If you ignore this (exit scandisk)and wait long enough (30 Min)Win98SE eventually loads. Scandisk is finding bad sectors on HDD and moving data. I was told that this does not necessarily mean that the HDD is faulty but could be a software problem with FAT "fooling" scandisk? Is this likely? It seems to me that the HDD is faulty and reformat has only provided a short repreive. If Win98 has trouble reading sectors as it boots up does it just keep trying without prompting that there is a problem? Despite this once up and running Scandisk tests show no problems with FAT etc (yes to surface problems). As scandisk is finding faulty sectors I feel a replacement HDD is the next step although if problems persist I'll have to find a good computer fixer. Never had a problem with my 486/Pentium 1 running Dos 6 and Win 95 for many years.

I would suggest going to "PCPitStop" and running the full (free!) Tests. It's a great site, takes only a few minutes, and gives your PC thorough testing of speed/memory/security/video/etc/etc! It gives you the results with tips if it finds anything "not up to snuff"! check it out....make sure cookies are "enabled" (at least while you ar at their site), and dis-able any type of firewall program (zone alarm?)

Problem Solved? I downloaded some HDD testing software from the Fujitsu site and tested my HDD. This basic program run under DOS reported multiple problems with the HDD especially read/write problems and increases in the grown defect list. Presented with this info I managed to get the HDD replaced by the supplier. We then had to reload all programs and data but the sytem seems to be working OK now. Thanks to all those who replied to my initial request :)