Tech help please.

How do i log in as root?

>_> Just kidding.

My windows 98Se computer has stopped working. I don’t know why. It was functioning perfectly normal this morning, and this afternoon when i was online after school. I tried to use it now, only 15 minutes after it had been working perfectly, and it won’t boot. All i had done was open some videos, and get on AIM. It froze when closing a video, and i shut it off. When i turned it back on, the error began.

The computer turns on, and makes it past the POST, bios, and logon screen ok. Then, a few seconds after i enter my username and password, i get a “Explorer.exe” crash notice, and the machine stops booting. It just locks up right there.

I know this could really be anything, but your help would be greatly appreciated. Is there any way i can get around running explorer? Can i try replacing explorer with a different shell (like AstonShell or another window manager)? Is there some way i can boot Explorer.exe off of a Windows Startup disk? Is there a diagnostic tool for windows, that will tell me more specifically what the error is?

I’ll post the information under “Details” if you need it. Thank you.

(right now i am running off of a live CD).

When stuff like this happens, it’s formating time.

Have you tried Safe Mode?

I don’t think there is a way to bipass running explorer. I’m sure this isn’t the case, but restart and make sure the same thing doesn’t happen again. I recently had my laptop reformatted and shortly after I got a similar problem, but it only happened once.

I’m afraid I can’t say much more, for I’m not even sure you can run 98 in safe mode if explorer doesn’t work. Give it a try and see if you can backup your vital files before you reformat.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot… even if you solve this without formating, consider switching to XP.

This computer can’t run XP. Its <i>that old</i>.

I’ve tried safe mode…same thing happens =(

I guess i may just have to format.

Windows XP needs only a 266 or 300 Mhz processor, and 128 megabytes of RAM (I think). What are the stats of your machine?

If you still can’t run XP, then consider buying a new computer. That solves all your problems with a single move.

He probably has more then one computer smart one. Some people like to keep an old windows 98 machine around for various purposes.

Various purposes = running emulators and abandonwarez properly?

Just get a good DOS emulator for that.