Need help win 98se I’m running a 486 with 192mb ram. I’m not real computer savvy. During boot up I get a screen that says a file is missing, press any key, than a screen that says it’s looking for MacAfee “which” is deleted several days ago. I can enter throu those, than the screen asking for my password comes up. All this just to get to my desktop. Than my desktop will freeze up 2 out of 5 times. I thought I should reload Win 98se, when I tried to, a message told me I was trying to install an some older files than was on the computer, than only gave me a quit option. I don’t have the original 98se disk, the comoputer maker, “local radio shack store” said it is on my hard drive. So I got a 98se disk with key code, but still can’t reload 98se. I do get these notice that this does appear in the sutdown box, "Msgsrv32, & peic253, not responding" I know I must have several problems but I don’t know where to start. HELP! Please!

did you format c: before trying to re-install win98 ?

you should proabably check the file C:\autoexec.bat right click it and goto edit. make sure theres nothing about mcaffee in there. if you want that entire file may be empty.

Look for a 'win98' folder on your hard drive. If radio shack copied the files that's usually what it's named since that's the folder name on the cd. If that folder is there then: Reboot with a bootdisk. At the a:\> prompt type: ren c:\windows\win.com win.old and enter. This renames win.com so you can reinstall windows over your existing version. Then type: c:\win98\setup and enter. If the entire win98 folder from the cd was copied to the HD then that should start the installation process. When it asks what directory to install windows in, it will default to 'windows.000'. Change that back to 'windows' so that everything will be installed in your old directory.

1. I didn't reformat the hard drive becouse thers to much data I'd lose. Getting ready to install a cdrw so I can back it all up. 2. there's nothing in the autoexec.bat about mcafee. 3. There is no win98 directory on windows so I'm going to go throu each directory and look for what I think the win98 programs may be. thank for your imput. Robert

If there is a win98 folder it'd be in the root directory and not the windows folder. Just the .cab files may have been copied. They may be in a 'cabs' folder. But I don't think they would contain sufficient info to reinstall windows.

I think your right, there is one "windows" folder in the root dir. under "windows" there is a dir called "options". Under options there are dir's called, cabs, install, Oobe. Under cabs, there are two more, Ols & tour. In install there are to files, weatdual, "a securaty catalog type" & westdual, "a setup information type" Under Oobe there are no files. and Under Ols there are 3, aol, At_t, and Csi. Under tour, there are 5 folders, compress, images, overview, rescorces, & what's new" I wish there was a way you could just jump in and see this for yourself. anyway. Tell me this on look back at my first post, I need to stop the 3 screens from comming up. Should I try to startup " reboot, F8, the safe boot menu and check item per item, checking item by item, if I find a line I don't want to run and say "N" will it save the info, and restart with out the problems?