Windows 98SE "Repair" Install?

[CobraPilot]

Because I need to use some peripherals that won't work with Win XP (e.g., no drivers), I need to try to reinstall Windows 98SE to a machine which had a HD failure.

Since W98SE is no longer supported by M$, and in order to try to preserve the W98SE updates from M$, I've cloned another HD from a (much slower) working PC which has 98SE on it (with all the updates available before M$ pulled the plug) and have attempted to restore the original computer.

After the expected jillion or so reboots for Win to find the new hardware and install it, I've had something go wrong with regards to being able to change the monitor resolution. Whenever I select "settings" (to change from the default 640 x 480 VGA), the system immediately crashes to a blank screen. For a few of the earlier "reboots" after installing the proper drivers, I could access the other monitor resolutions, but one reboot for some other PnP install reverted back to 640 x 480. Attempts to reinstall both the video drivers and the monitor drivers have not resolved this problem.

When I reboot now, Windows tells me it has found an "unknown device" which it then id's as a "PCI Communications Device," tells me it can't find a proper driver, and for me to provide one. I haven't a CLUE as to what this device is, since everything else on the m/b, etc., seems to be accounted for as far as installation. This is probably a strong hint as to what my problem is, but I can't resolve it--so far.

The only next step I can come up with is to begin a re-install from the W98SE CD as I originally die when I built this machine, but I'm fearful I'll lose all the security upgrades, etc. and be unable to get them from M$ again. Starting the process of a reinstall (as if I were installing over a previous OS), I'm offered the option to save my previous OS (which is W98SE because of the cloning) which might save some of these updates and patches, but I can't be sure.

Anyone have any ideas or experience about such a "repair" reinstallation of W98SE? Will it work or will I be back to a "square one" unpatched OS?

[JohnnyMalaria]

The existing updates etc for Win98SE are still available and will remain so:

http://support.microsoft.com/ph/1139

[CobraPilot]

Thanks, JM!

I obviously "overestimated" what MS meant when they stopped support for W98SE, thinking they meant such links as you've provided would no longer be available.

Glad I was wrong!

After the FIFTH uninstall/reinstall of the appropriate video card software and drivers, I was finally able to access monitor resolutions other than 640x480, so I'm getting closer to resolving my various glitches associated with this reinstall. I will forever wonder why the first four attempts failed.

Now I continually get a notification that Windows has found new hardware and tries to install it. Windows ID's a "Wave device for Voice Modem," and asks for the location of the driver. When I point to the drivers on the CD ROM which came with this specific modem, Windows tells me nothing there is what I need. Strange.

Maybe I just have uninstalled/reinstalled the MODEM enough times yet . . . .

Next DIY box: LINUX!!

[jameshgross]

Softpedia still sells Windows 98 SE, they also have the SP 2.

I am in the same situation as you, I must maintain a system in 98.

[Scorpion King]

The "Wave device for Voice Modem," is probably an easy fix. If you are using broadband then take the modem out, you don't need it. If you need it then you probably also could use an updated driver install. Find out which modem, make and model, it is and do a google search for updated drivers. More than likely it's in the lucent voice modem family, but maybe not. Usually updated drivers are easy to find and install. Trying to find them on that Driver CD can be a nightmare because many manufactures makes 1 cd for all the products they sell. You can find it by first learning what make and model your modem is (take it out and looking on the modem card) then looking on the CD for similar words, or by simply trying every .inf file on the cd that's in the modem sub-folder directory mess until Windows likes one of them. Now that's fun..! ! ! Good luck.

[GKar]

2 Good Win98 sites, patches, help, updates, utilities etc....:

http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#98SE

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=29b10e3d3d7ff8dd287828016cf31981&showforum=91

[CobraPilot]

SK: I'm not yet on broadband with the W98SE box, so I do need the modem awhile longer. As to an updated driver, the aggravating part is that the modem worked fine with the driver(s) from that CD prior to this "cloning," so I suspect I've got a conflict with a DLL or a driver leftover from the other HD. More uninstalls/reinstalls needed, I suspect.

GKar: Thanks for the links! GREAT resources! As to your tagline about the universe, you've omitted the most common element in the universe--stupidity!!

[AlanHK]

Now I continually get a notification that Windows has found new hardware and tries to install it. Windows ID's a "Wave device for Voice Modem,"

If you just want to use the modem to go online (and not plug a phone into it or such), you don't need that. Try to disable it, either in device manager, or perhaps a jumper on the modem.

Or, buy a new modem (new in the box, but maybe obsolete, with a Win 98 driver disk) they're really cheap now.

For ultimate compatibility, get an external serial port modem.

[CobraPilot]

Thanks for the suggestions, Alan HK. However, disabling doesn't seem to be an option because when I do, the next bootup starts the whole process all over again. "Windows has found new hardware . . . . " Why Windows doesn't recognize any of the drivers FOR THIS MODEM on its accompanying CD ROM (and the CD is not defective) is strange.

Too, the modem is not connecting as-is, so a complete removal of the modem itself as well as removing all its software, as you suggest, may be my solution.

Yet, it was working fine before the HD crash . . . . . . Oh, well . . . .

[Scorpion King]

Allowing 98 to do a cd search trying to find device drivers can be a hit and miss deal that usually misses. Open Device manager, double click on the flagged device, click on the driver tap, then update driver, then keep clicking until you have control over where 98 looks for the .inf file it needs for that modem to function. You said it worked before with a driver off the modem cd so it must be on there, the question is where and by what name....

You can either take the modem out and look it over for a name, make and model number. Use that, browse that cd looking for some folder or .inf file named the same or similar and try and get 98 to except that .inf file as the needed driver.

or like I said before.... try each and every .inf file on that stupid cd until you find one 98 will except... that is not fun.

You see.... the problem here is that you do not know the name, make and model number of the hardware you are having trouble with. If you knew that, then you would have 1/2 of this problem already figured out.

I remember that if 98 was given (or choose by itself) the wrong .inf file (driver) for a hardware device then it could be very difficult to get it to change drivers. It would keep coming up with the 'new hardware found' deal on every boot like a stuck record. I remember making it use a driver that I knew was wrong just so I could get it to except the proper driver (inf file) that it would keep refusing. Once you can get it to except a different driver then you could usually get it to except the right one.

Hope this helps. This stuff is hard to write, although it is easy to do.

[GKar]

SK: I'm not yet on broadband with the W98SE box, so I do need the modem awhile longer. As to an updated driver, the aggravating part is that the modem worked fine with the driver(s) from that CD prior to this "cloning," so I suspect I've got a conflict with a DLL or a driver leftover from the other HD. More uninstalls/reinstalls needed, I suspect.

GKar: Thanks for the links! GREAT resources! As to your tagline about the universe, you've omitted the most common element in the universe--stupidity!!

I was a diehard Win98SE man until NTFS won me over.


"Stupidity only exists when the ignorant deny the facts".......

(I made that one up myself, hope you like it )

[AlanHK]

I used Win98 up to last year, but the knowledge fades... anyway, some good sites to look around are http://www.modem-help.co.uk/ and http://www.modemsite.com/. Lots of utilities, drivers, and info there.

Both have sections on how to ID your modem, and thus drivers that may work -- there are only a small number of chipsets used by most manufacturers and often a generic driver written by the chip manufacturer works.

And http://www.conexant.com/support/md_driverdownload.jsp, particularly the "List Modem Application".

http://www.driverguide.com/ is a bit of a mess, but there are some rare files there which can be a lifesaver; virus check any downloads.

[CobraPilot]

SK, the oddity is that I DO know ALL the details about the modem, manufacturer, model number, etc., etc. I have tried EVERY .inf file on the CD . . . . Windows even properly ID's the modem by Mfr/Model Number!

As I suspected, after several install/uninstalls, the modem now works just fine, at least as far as dialup is concerned (and that's really all I'm concerned about).

Under SYSTEM/Device Manager I still show an unidentified "PCI Communications Device." Attempts to reinstall the missing driver(s), even connecting to Microsoft's driver database, fails to find anything that solves this problem.

I've tried .inf candidates from www.driverguide.com and others as suggested by AlanHK (thanks!), but to no avail.

So, for now, I'm just ignoring the question mark beside that item in Device Manager, willing to accept the possibility that this is just one of those quirks that Windows users have to tolerate from time to time. An "itch I can't scratch!"

Many thanks to all those who offered such great suggestions, links, advice, and sympathy!