[Toolie]

i have an older computer (win 95) that normally would work fine, except now it comes up with the message

"Error Loading explorer.exe You Must reinstall windows."

After i click ok, another box pops up saying

"Error starting Program A Required .DLL file, C:WINDOWS\SYSTEM\COMCTL32.DLL was not found." with the second message it wont actually let me click "OK" and i cant do anything else with the computer except reset it.

I dont actually have the windows 95 disk/s but i have got the windows 98 CD. I dont really mind if i lose everything off the computer i just want to be able to use it again. any help here would be VERY MUCH appreciated! thanks. :up:

 

[Elvandil]

Do you mean that you would like to erase the hard drive and install 98 to it?

You realize, of course, that you would lose all your programs and documents and everything else, and you would have to reinstall them all after installing 98.

Do you have the CD key for the 98 CD?

 

[wimpy]

But i'd say no as you probably have a small harddrive and probably not even a Pentium cpu.
What is it ?

 

[Toolie]

i havent used the computer for a while so it doesnt bother me if i lose all the stuff thats on it. i have the serial number for windows 98 that came with it. i dont really remeber what type the harddrive is as i cant open anything when it starts up. is microsoft word etc. on the windows 98 disk? because thats all i really want to use the computer for.

 

[wimpy]

i havent used the computer for a while so it doesnt bother me if i lose all the stuff thats on it. i have the serial number for windows 98 that came with it. i dont really remeber what type the harddrive is as i cant open anything when it starts up. is microsoft word etc. on the windows 98 disk? because thats all i really want to use the computer for.

Only Wordpad.
Youll never solve this here,you need local friends,i am 905-***-****

 

[TommyBazball]

i havent used the computer for a while so it doesnt bother me if i lose all the stuff thats on it. i have the serial number for windows 98 that came with it. i dont really remeber what type the harddrive is as i cant open anything when it starts up. is microsoft word etc. on the windows 98 disk? because thats all i really want to use the computer for.

Well, if you have the 98 disk and the 25 character product key, you will have to reformat and repartition the hardrive. To do this, first go HERE and download a bootdisk for 98 (startup disk) to a floppy disk. Then, if you're not familiar with formatting using FDisk, you can go to either of these sites (or both) to read up. Good Luck.

FDisk/Black Viper

FDisk/Radified

 

[Elvandil]

i havent used the computer for a while so it doesnt bother me if i lose all the stuff thats on it. i have the serial number for windows 98 that came with it. i dont really remeber what type the harddrive is as i cant open anything when it starts up. is microsoft word etc. on the windows 98 disk? because thats all i really want to use the computer for.

No, there are no programs on the 98 CD, Word or anything else that is added on after Windows is installed.

Do you have a copy of Word that you can install after 98 is installed?

If not, how much of a word-processor do you need? There are 2 very good and free programs that are compatible with Word: Open Office, which is very nearly a clone of Microsft Office and has many advanced features, and 602Pro, which is the office program I use and put on peoples' computers when they have none. It can read Word documents and save in many formats, including Word's. It is a very good word-processing program with few advanced features, but more features are available if you choose to purchase them.

So, you need to decide if you need Word itself if you don't have it before we erase everything. But it really looks like you have little choice at this point.

Do you want to go ahead and install 98?

 

[TommyBazball]

Sorry. I forgot to reply to your question about Word. Elvandil is correct about 98 not having a word processor. If you want, you can try this free program that is compatible with MS Office files.

Open Office

 

[Toolie]

yeh i can get my copy of office back from my friend that i forgot about! so i just want to go ahead and update it to 98.

 

[Toolie]

Also, tommybazball, i went to the black viper site, and i know this sounds stupid, but where it says 1) Boot using a Floppy: (Image 1.1), what does that mean!? how do i get the screen that it is displaying?

 

[Elvandil]

Click the floppy and download this program. Run it to create a boot floppy.
Startup floppy--->

Put the floppy in and reboot your machine. It should boot off the floppy.

When the menu comes up, choose CD-ROM support.

When you get to the A: prompt, type this:

format C: <Enter>

Follow the prompts. When you get to where it asks for a volume label, name your drive something (like "HD1").

When the format is done, put in the 98 CD and type the drive letter of the CD-ROM (probably assigned E: by the floppy).

When the E: prompt appears, type:

dir <Enter>

to see if you get a directory of the contents of the CD. You sould see setup.exe in the list.

Type:
setup.exe <Enter>
and the 98 setup should begin.

PS. You don't need fdisk and fdisk is not used for formatting: it is used for partitioning a drive.

 

[Toolie]

It wont work. when i start the computer up with the disk in it it comes up with

Non system disk or disk error
replace and strike any key when ready

is there something i have to press to make it work?? how do i make the menu come up?? Thanks.