Hi,

Clicking on my computer or folders opens the windows find box instead of the folder itself. There is a solution for a similar problem with windows XP but could not find anything for Windows 98. Can someone help.

The link to the windows XP Solution:
http://www.computing.net/windowsxp/wwwboard/forum/138864.html

Upgrade is not an option :-

I've never run into this on W98 and as your post has not yet been answered I'd guess nobody else has either.

If it happened recently you could Restart in MS-DOS then type scanreg /restore (hit Return key). Choose a date/time just before it happened.

Otherwise you could simply try scanreg /fix instead (which rebuilds your current registry).

In both cases you type exit (hit Return) to restart Windows.

Otherwise I can't think of anything other than Windows overlay. Hang on a little longer though, as someone might unearth something.

DerekW

I have extensive experience with Windows 98 and I have no idea whatsoever of why this is happening. I'd like to see if anyone else has a solution to this problem, though. :)

You need a good defence if a trojan barges into your territory.

Well, I guess there is no fix. Though there seems to be a long workaround by changing the file associations.

After changing the file associations properties I was able to start opening folders. But the My computer, recycle bin and Network neighbourhood icons still have the same problems.

Upgrade is not an option :-

These things, including associations, are almost always stored in the registry. Did you try scanreg /fix (it's quite harmless and often clears up a few problems)?

Scanreg /restore is OK but if you installed any programs since the chosen date/time they would have to go in again.

DerekW

I tried the scanreg/fix but it took like for ever. Is that normal. If yes, then will try again.

If not then i guess scanreg/restore is the next.

Upgrade is not an option :-

tried the scanfix option byt it took like forever. Is that normal.

If no then i guess it restore.

Upgrade is not an option :-

Yep it can take a while (depends on machine speed).
If the blocks keep moving it will get there eventually.

DerekW

Guess What,

Tried the scanreg/restore option and it gave me an error. So now i know its really messed up.

The scanreg/fix did not work too. It like hung. After six hours it was still at 1 %.

So what did i do next, I tried starting it step by step. And it gave me a hel load of errors saying that files are missing or corrupted. Complete list below.

BTDOSM.SYS
FLASHPT.SYS
BTCDROM.SYS
ASPI2DOS.SYS
ASPI8DOS.SYS
ASPI4DOS.SYS
ASPI8U2.SYS
ASPICD.SYS
RAMDRIVE.SYS

SO thats that...For now

Upgrade is not an option :-

It would be worth running scandisk for starters.

Check to see if the files are actually missing. If so I would go for Windows overlay (which will keep your own stuff).

If the files are there then go to www.docmemory.com and create a floppy from the download (don't just put the download on the floppy). You then boot with the floppy to test your RAM.

DerekW

Those appear to be bootdisk files (DOS CD drivers etc), and should play no part in a 'normal' Windows startup

You are, once again, Microsoft's bitch

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jboy is of-course quite correct - I should have spotted that.

Fortunately it doesn't affect my suggestions in #9 too much, in terms of your original posting.

I would still run scandisk, then the memory test to see if anything useful arises.

Leave Windows overlay as last option (unless there are any other ideas). Looks like you would have to download a bootdisk for this purpose.

DerekW

Oh, sure, there is something amiss here if scanreg /fix runs for 6 hours (that's insane) - almost certainly a hardware problem, since there's not much going on in a DOS prompt - memory seems probable

I'm just puzzled by the 'missing' file thing, but it's doubtless a red herring

You are, once again, Microsoft's bitch

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Yes, even on my slowest and most ancient machine I can run scanreg /fix in under 15 minutes, and as you say - nothing to do with Windows.

DerekW

No wiz at this, but did a search for the files mentioned above and found copies of them in a folder. Copied them and pasted it to the c drive and then rebooted, and everything went fine.

Or at least i think it did. After it started up, I noticed that there was an extra drive namely MS-Ramdrive (J). The J drive was previously the disc drive which is now (K).

What does that do. the Ram drive i mean.

But all that for later, im going crazy with these icons not working. I cant open my computer. So i have to first open my documents then move up to the disk drives and then browse through. That too is okay, but the annoying thing is that everything opens up in a new window.

Will run scandisk now and then post back. Till then thanks.

Upgrade is not an option :-

Those files should be in c:\windows\command\ebd (where ebd means "emergency boot disk"). There might be the odd one elsewhere but they've no place in the c root.

I would delete the C root copies or you might create some confusion. You don't want a RAM drive popping up for starters.

DerekW

On balance faulty RAM is most likely to be your problem, so run the test.

DerekW

Might want to try installing TweakUI and use the "repair associations" function.

Yeah, those files should not be run as part of a normal Windows startup, they belong on a bootdisk (the EBD folder is used to create an 'Emergency Boot Disk') - it's a puzzler how or why you've gotten them to be 'missing' but that seems to be a side issue at the moment - but you'd definitely NOT want to load that stuff, if for no other reason then it complicates matters

RAM refers to system memory - you need to test that to determine if & how many sticks are failing. Bad RAM can be the cause of all sorts of odd computer behaviour - you may also want to reseat the sticks in case of poor contact

You are, once again, Microsoft's bitch

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Hi, Never had that exact problem but have seen 98SE do lots of similar things. A reinstall of Windoze may be in order. Install it on top of itself. NO FORMAT! Nothing will be lost, but your problem may go away. You will pick up the usual MS garbage, but can dispose of that.

Good Luck, Jim

JimPim

Nothing is ever 100% certain but if you look back through the posts I think we've established that as scanreg from DOS doesn't run then it is unlikely to be a Windows problem, most likely hardware.

DerekW

well, after a few days got some free time today to work on the comp.

Tried the memory test, loaded the diskette and rebooted. IT started and then gave an error . I/O error and then stopped with the abort/retry/fail message.

Certainly looks like hardware but i wouldnt know it. Is it time to call the tech...

Upgrade is not an option :-

If you are happy inside the case, disconnect the power lead, remove all RAM sticks and clean the edge connectors with a pencil eraser. Then pop them in and out a few times to clear any oxide off the sockets themselves. Refit them firmly.

If this doesn't help then try just one stick at a time in first position. If it's a RAM problem this should tell you which stick is faulty.

If you can't boot with any stick then RAM is pretty well eliminated as the culprit because both sticks being faulty is unlikely.

DerekW

... just one more thing. Did you "create" the memory test floppy from the download?

Sometimes people just copy the download itself onto the floppy which will not work.

DerekW

no Joy,

Only one RAM card is installed. and cleaned that and inserted it and still the same issue.

I am able to create the mem test disk, then on restart it gives me the error reading disk message.

What next... im ready to go.

That was the first time i have looked inside the comp myself, pretty scary with all the cables crss crrossing and stuff in there...

Upgrade is not an option :-

Hold your horses,

As an after thought i went got me a new dislette and voila, the test ran.

But now I am not sure i did it right. It kept running in a loop over and over again. The counter showed that it passed 9 times and failed 0 times. Am i good...

Upgrade is not an option :-

Hold your horses,

As an after thought i went got me a new dislette and voila, the test ran.

But now I am not sure i did it right. It kept running in a loop over and over again. The counter showed that it passed 9 times and failed 0 times. Am i good...

Upgrade is not an option :-

First, apologies for yappering on about creating that disk (I now see I'd said that earlier).

You usually get two options, "Burn-in test" and "Quick Test". Maybe you did the Burn-in test. With Quick Test it runs through a series of tests (takes a while) and eventually stops, saying Passed=1 and Failed=0 if all goes well.

Might as well try that but it's sounding as if the RAM is not the problem - scraching my head rather about what it is.

I would then try scandisk (either from DOS or Windows) to see if that unearths anything.

DerekW

Hey no problem at all. Was into tech support myself. I know how you feel...

I guess it ran that test nine times and passed so ram is okay.

Will go to scandisk...

This is an old rented machine so i dont mind messing around with it. Am trying to get my hands dirty before getting me a new one...

Was actually thinking of putting one together myself... but first the scandisk...

Upgrade is not an option :-

well just had time to finish the scandisk and it showed no errors or bad sectors or whatever, so every thing seems alright there.... still cant run the scan/fix procedure...comp still hangs

Upgrade is not an option :-

Getting tricky. Run scanreg /restore again and jot down the exact error message you get. It might give us some clue.

Otherwise then Windows overlay I suppose but the symptoms don't fit too well with a Windows problem. Could help if registry is mighty screwed I suppose.

DerekW