I was trying to startup in DOS mode using that geocities website but it went wrong and now it won't startup properly, am I able to fix this without re-formating the computer? Can I install WIN 98SE and not get any problemss? Because there are very important school files I have on there

Why is format so often the first choice? No matter what, (unless you do format) your files are on the hard drive. A bootdisk can be a handy thing to have According to the Geocities Instructions you should have backed up certain files - boot with the floppy and try restoring them, as well as making whatever edits are required to config.sys etc. You may need to use the attrib command to undo any protection on io.sys etc. Installing Win98 is, of course, possible - might be a bit of work without clearing the old OS first though. Some other methods of 'patching' WinME here Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid. -John Wayne

I have a bootdisk and backed up the files but I think I did not back up config.sys, I don't know what to do, I tried scandisk (no help) and scanreg (no help) so I'm left clueless.

I am forced to agree - scandisk & scanreg? What did you expect those to do? Scandisk repairs disk errors and scanreg is used to backup/restore the registry. Config.sys is a text file, and not really all that necessary for Windows. You can open it with DOS Edit (from the bootdisk) and undo the original editing, as per the Geocities page. "but it went wrong and now it won't startup properly," I don't really know what is meant by that, but basically you should be able to undo what you did Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid. -John Wayne

Does everybody but me know what this means? "I was trying to startup in DOS mode using that geocities website" M2 If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

Maybe ; ) A major annoyance of WinME is that there is no restart to DOS (other than using a bootdisk). A number of workarounds exist (see the last link in my first post) - but of course, a certain technical expertise is required since system files are being futzed with. Basically, if you don't understand what you're doing - - don't do it. Small consolation for the OP, but perhaps if they could explain what has happened, things could be set right Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid. -John Wayne