windows 98se start up problem

[tmm5899]

i have a cd for windows 98se but no cd key and microsoft won't give me a new one how can i get my computer to start up with windows 98se it is there on the computer it worked until i changed monitors what can i do i figure i could try to reformat the drive it is a friends computer but with out a boot disk and without the product key it won't work i am using a public computer any one help please anything if i need to save something it needs to be saved to a floppy disk or burnt to a cd i need to know what kind of blank cd i need to burn too :confused:

[the gaffer]

seems strange a change of monitor would cause such a problem ?what error message do you get when trying to start it,you could try starting it in safe mode,on start up after the post and diagnostics check start pressing the F8 key ,when the start up menu appears choose safe mode.obviously from there you could run diagnostics and recover your cd key.alternately you could check out sites such as ebay.com or recycledsoftware.com and purchase a new copy of 98se they are only a small cost now.

[Windows 2000 Professional]

Download SIW this display your current windows 98 product key. Write it down save it, then your good to go for format. I use madboot to format.

SIW http://www.freewebs.com/sniper360nowplaying/siw.exe

[the gaffer]

belarc advisor is another good app for recovering your installation key etc but as with siw you need to be able to start windows to run them.

[The Dude]

i have a cd for windows 98se but no cd key and microsoft won't give me a new oneIm not surprised,M$ is a bunch of scumbags trying to force everyone to the newest OS (pos :D)

Welcome to the site :)

[the gaffer]

Im not surprised,M$ is a bunch of scumbags trying to force everyone to the newest OS (pos :D)

Welcome to the site :)

seems they have a support lifecycle and like many software developers will not sell activations for stuff they no longer support.

[The Dude]

I gue$$ so my friend :)

[the gaffer]

thank god for places such as ebay there are still hundreds of unused copies of windows 98/me about and they are so cheap its unbelievable,my advice as i said to the op,its hardly worth the hassle of recovering your reg key unles you already have the means.you may as well just buy a new copy and be sure to keep the case with reg details safe.

[Windows 2000 SP4]

The people that sell OEM copys on ebay they buy in bulk off dell and other computer companys

[the gaffer]

The people that sell OEM copys on ebay they buy in bulk off dell and other computer companys

i was not actually referring to oem copies,such discs as dell branded are system specific and designed to install only on dell systems,there are many many standard retail ms windows 98/me,i trade on ebay all the time and have purchased many for pc systems i build.

[Windows 2000 Professional]

I been selling and buying from ebay for 5 years. I have a good record on my account.

[tmm5899]

a friend has a computer that worked and he changed to a different monitor and it did not start up correctly so he switched back to the original monitor and that did not work what can he do to fix this problem. his computer will not start up in windows it did before he changed the monitor he did not remove any thing such as programs he just unhooked one monitor and hooked up another one and then switched them back it had started up with windows 98 i have the cd but when i put the cd in and turn the computer on it says invalid system disk any help would be appreciated
:confused:

[the gaffer]

is this the same pc you are refering to in your other post regarding the disconnected ide cables ?if it is then you most likely have the wrong cable in the hard drive,a pc will not boot from the cd rom unless you tell the bios to do so,just changing a monitor will not stop a pc from booting up,and i am presuming this is the same pc your friend has been mesing with ?

[The Dude]

He might be able to RESTORE HIS REGISTRY and then bootup WITH THE ORIGINAL MONITOR ONLINE!! (Restore to a point before he changed monitors)

Good luck!

[the gaffer]

He might be able to RESTORE HIS REGISTRY and then bootup WITH THE ORIGINAL MONITOR ONLINE!! (Restore to a point before he changed monitors)

Good luck!

the monitor should make no difference to the pc booting,invalid system disk is an error message meaning it cannot find any boot files,which is why i refered to his other post regarding the computer cables being disconnected,ie is this refering to the same pc,if i remember correctly dude win 98 didnt have a system restore ? so unless he has his own backups then he is stuck just a tad.

[locustfurnace]

Windows ME was first to offer a restore point. Windows 98se only had the user option of making a backup of the system then restoring from a backup.

Sometimes, changing a monitor can cause an issue with the display resolution. But the system should still boot but you may not be able to have a viewable screen. As the resolution settings might not work with the different monitor.
Solution would be boot up in safe mode, fix the adapter and monitor issues.

[Constance]

[...] i have the cd but when i put the cd in and turn the computer on it says invalid system disk[...]Is there a floppy in the drive ? :hmm:
If not, are you sure the boot sequence in the BIOS' Setup states that it should try booting from the CD before attempting to boot from HD ?
Are you sure this is a genuine Windows CD ? Should be bootable and make no problem ...

[willabong]

sounds like whilst your friend was changing over the monitor he has knocked the cpu base and the ide ribbon cable(s) have probably become slightly disconnected from the hard drives.

open up the machine. pull out and plug back in the ide cable(s). switch on.

[Constance]

That's a possibility too ^^

[The Dude]

sounds like whilst your friend was changing over the monitor he has knocked the cpu base and the ide ribbon cable(s) have probably become slightly disconnected from the hard drives.

open up the machine. pull out and plug back in the ide cable(s). switch on.Welcome ashore my friend :)

[the gaffer]

it would take quite a rough monitor change to dislodge a ribbon cable seeing as many i have come across where people have ruined the connectors from trying to pull them out as they are real tight.i would of thought if the pc is booting up to displaying invalid system disc then it would suggest it finds the hard drive but no boot files on it,which would suggest corruption or hard disk fault.hopefully the op will let us know what it was when the problem is solved.

[tmm5899]

seems strange a change of monitor would cause such a problem ?what error message do you get when trying to start it,you could try starting it in safe mode,on start up after the post and diagnostics check start pressing the F8 key ,when the start up menu appears choose safe mode.obviously from there you could run diagnostics and recover your cd key.alternately you could check out sites such as ebay.com or recycledsoftware.com and purchase a new copy of 98se they are only a small cost now.

it won't start in safe mode also it won't start in windows either what can i do to fix this i have a cd for windows 98 but i can not boot the computer to get the hard drove reformated to reinstall windows how can i get it to where it will reformat :confused:

[the gaffer]

it won't start in safe mode also it won't start in windows either what can i do to fix this i have a cd for windows 98 but i can not boot the computer to get the hard drove reformated to reinstall windows how can i get it to where it will reformat :confused:

if it will not start in safe mode then you will have to boot the pc from the cd rom drive.first you will have to set the cd rom drive as the first boot device in the systems bios,if you are unfamiliar with installing windows and setting the bios etc,then i suggest you get someone in the know or a shop to install it for you.