Help--all of a sudden I am having startup problems. Windows 98 shows on the screen than the desktop back drop and then the icons do not load. I shut off the computer and restart which sends me into scan disk and then everything thing loads correctly. Any ideas of how I can avoid having to turn the computer on twice each time I start. Thanks

Undertake an over the top install of windows.....

Good advice from x86. But before I did that I would try a couple of simpler things. Boot up in safe mode. If it acts the same, reinstall windows. If it works ok, try another normal boot. If it still fails, try booting to Dos Standalone and type:
scanreg /restore
Restore to a date before the problem.

How do do an over the top install? Just put the disk in and let it reload?

I can boot in Safe mode--and when I reboot it normal mode it is ok---but then when I turn it off again it acts up.

Can you tell me more about this scanreg/restore--as it seems it seems I just had this problems in the last few weeks---Is this safe--or could I mess something else up.

I really do not want to erase the disk and reload if I can avoid it

Thanks for your help

Installing Windows on top of itself is quite safe .. nothing will be lost. It repairs a lot of troublesome Windows problems (like the one you're having). Before doing this, I'd run SCANDISK and DEFRAG in Safe Mode and clean out the junk that's usually there (Right Click Start, Select Explore, Click on your C: drive and select the Tools Menu from the Properties dropdown.

I assume you know how to do a Windows re-install (boot from CD or Bootdisk), etc.

Don

Scanreg saves the Registry and important system files on the first bootup of the day. Only the last five are saved. So if you boot up every day, Scanreg /restore will only restore from the last five days.

How the windows install is accomplished depends upon the make of your system. If you have a manual, check that.

I believe I know how to install windows on top of itself--

1. Boot up using boot disk
2. Choose option to reinstall windows

Two questions
1. Won't I get a message saying that I already have an operating system installed and if so can I bypass this

2. How do I boot to the Cd disk---I am use to booting only to the floppy disk

Thanks for your response

It sounds like your OS is in the early stages of becoming un-stable, and the above remedies are probably well advised,....however, before doing anything I would work to back-up anything on your hard-drive you want to insure will not be lost should the worse case scenario happen (which to me means you cannot boot to a normal desk-top). Having a CDRW is the best way to archive anything in this regards. Personally, I would recommend doing this major back-up of data, and then doing an FDISK-FORMAT Re-Install of Windows98, and then putting all your back-ups in place again. It is a hastle, but something I recommend users to do every so often as soon as the symptoms of OS-instability start to manifest. It could indeed be a virus,...or just due to a few corrupted files, you may never know the exact causes,...but it invariably can mean a major crash is in the forecast. Having any programs in ZIP archive form on CDRW is also a good way to make the re-constitution of your system a lot easier.__JHG