Need help-W95 will only start in safe mode

[Rick M]

About a year ago I switched from a Del Dimension P2 using Windows '95 to a New Dimension P4 with XP. I updraded McAfee to XP on new machine and took the 95 machine home to use as a spare. Everything worked fine until I inadvertantly installed the XP McAfee program on my '95 machine.(oops).

I can only start the W95 machine in Safe Mode and do not know how to fix my goof. Everything worked fine until I did this. I have tried uninstalling and erasing the McAfee program from '95 and it was after that I started having the problem.

So to make a long story short I can start if Safe mode but then I come to a dead end, I am not real swift on all the ins and outs but I think it should be somewhat easy to fix? (at least for someone who knows what is going on).
If someone hear could help me I would really appreciate, my daughter recently started college and having the old 95 computer would really be handy for her to type reports etc.

Or is there a "pay for " service that someone could recommend? I can't afford a lot to fix it but it seems a shame to just toss it out.

Any thoughts Ideas would be greatly appreciated-Thanks in advance Rick

[mattpg1]

Are you willing to reinstall? What do you have as far as diskettes or CD's for reinstalling Win95? Are there any files or such on that computer you need to salvage?

[pinman]

About a year ago I switched from a Del Dimension P2 using Windows '95 to a New Dimension P4 with XP. I updraded McAfee to XP on new machine and took the 95 machine home to use as a spare. Everything worked fine until I inadvertantly installed the XP McAfee program on my '95 machine.(oops).

I can only start the W95 machine in Safe Mode and do not know how to fix my goof. Everything worked fine until I did this. I have tried uninstalling and erasing the McAfee program from '95 and it was after that I started having the problem.

So to make a long story short I can start if Safe mode but then I come to a dead end, I am not real swift on all the ins and outs but I think it should be somewhat easy to fix? (at least for someone who knows what is going on).
If someone hear could help me I would really appreciate, my daughter recently started college and having the old 95 computer would really be handy for her to type reports etc.

Or is there a "pay for " service that someone could recommend? I can't afford a lot to fix it but it seems a shame to just toss it out.

Any thoughts Ideas would be greatly appreciated-Thanks in advance RickI doubt very much if McAfee has a :Windows Version" only an Internnet version.Start for the reason you have safe mode.Uninstall Mcafee and at least boot to Windows and i presume an Inet connection.
Then go here and forget McAfee.
free.av.com

[smurfy]

Hi Rick, welcome back.
I tend to agree with mattpg1 here. McAffee will cause havoc to the Windows Registry on a GOOD install, I shudder to think what the XP version may have done to your '95 registry. While it's possible to use a registry cleaner to clean up the mess, I think you'll still be left with the odd niggle.
Would a re-install of the O/S be out of the question?

[Rick M]

I have the original Win95 disc, I have never tried to reinstall the whole O/S before. It is a bit scary to me. I had installed Office 97 and dont have the disk for that but think I have the original Office 95 disc that came with computer I got from Del.

I also have another Win 95 computer at work that is the same machine etc.We had bought two of them at the same time. I was wondering if maybe there was something in the good computer I could use as a guide to change?

[gundamhybrid]

u can also install win95 with the "save system", and u'll have office 97 from the old system. but, u'r win95 doesn't "refresh",... maybe more slowly more than u install in full without "save system".
and maybe,...maybe if u install with "save system", u'll system still on running in save mode. so I not guarantee. but u can try it.

[Rick M]

That sounds like it makes sense, how do I install Win 95 with either save system or start from scratch? If I recall , I dont think I can use the drive with CD on it in "Safe Mode" . Perhaps I have some written info with the Win 95 disk that came with computer.

Thanks for the help and response.

[Rick M]

I also found the book that came with the Win95 cd, there is a section where it looks like I can "restore" the registry by typing in some commands. That seems like maybe that would do something too.

[tetonbob]

See this link for instructions on how to manually uninstall all components of McAfee:

http://ts.mcafeehelp.com/faq.asp?frames=1&docid=68717&CategoryId=245&chat=

I'm with Smurfy and mattpg1, though. A clean install would be your best bet.

A restore of the registry is possible in Win95, but not as easy as in later versions of Windows. It requires a little knowledge of command line usage.


With win 95 you are able to go to two different restore points.

You can go back to a clean install by copying and renaming from c:\system.1st to c:\windows\system.dat

You can go to the last good boot by renaming the c:\windows\system.da0 to c:\windows\system.dat

Note: You will need to adjust the attributes to -s -h -r to perform the copy. Also restoring to the 1st will bring you back to a clean install.

[Rick M]

Looking in the files it looks like there are some old Mcafee files in there, I cant access though through "remove/install" programs, they are definately there though, I will try the registry and then if that doesnt work go from there,



I have original CD's from 95 , how do I start the reinstall process?



Thanks again

[gundamhybrid]

Looking in the files it looks like there are some old Mcafee files in there, I cant access though through "remove/install" programs, they are definately there though, I will try the registry and then if that doesnt work go from there,



I have original CD's from 95 , how do I start the reinstall process?



Thanks again
well now u have the cd's, lets try 2 install
1. put the cd 'n make sure the computer must boot from cd first (umm... the cd is bootable right???)
2. then u can see (or read maybe) the options (setup, etc) or u can manually type setup from "c:>win95>setup.exe"
...
I have some advice, ... u can rename the old directories like windows 'n progra~1(program files,actually) like winold 'n prog. its easy, u can type from c:>ren windows winold 'n c:>ren progra~1 prog
hey ... but are u'r HD have a lots space aren't?
nah, now u have the backup system (less), like drivers ... with this backup u can take the driver (c:>windows>inf ...-->hidden directory), if ... if the new windows cannot detect (or doesn't have) u'r driver.
well u can try u'r install now
btw if the new windows can detect all driver (VGA,SounCard,etc) u can delete the backup (winold 'n prog)

goodluck yaa ...

-->in the install process u can read all of it 'n understand it if u see some question (HEY ITS EASY, HORAY) or u can write the problem here ... maybe someone can help u

[Rick M]

My CD drive doesn't work in safe mode, darn.

[AlwaysUp]

Do you have a Win95 boot disk? If so it should have an program like oakscd.exe I think is the name. Anyway, if you boot from the bootdisk it should boot to DOS with CD-Rom support. After that you can launch the install/repair CD that came with your PC. It is OK also to use a Win98 boot disk, and is allot of the time more useful, as there are aditional tools on that disk. I think you can download from bootdisk.com here http://www.bootdisk.com/

[Rick M]

Thanks, that makes sense. I always get scared with this like ys files boot disk sys words.

My computer works ok in safe mode and from what I have learned safe mode bypasses registry, especially since I had the mixed up Macafee info on there,

will give it a try and thanks for the reply

[Rick M]

I booted to open with A: and there are like 15 different files, nothing like oakschd. it has some other .exe extensions will try to see what happens

Funny I used to like dos about 10 years ago, now I dont recall any of it, not sure if it is my old age or just not using it anymore?

[AlwaysUp]

On my Win98 boot disk that I carry about everywhere I go are 17 files.

COMMAND.COM
HIMEM.SYS
EMM386.EXE
FDISK.EXE
FORMAT.COM
SYS.COM
EDIT.COM
EDIT.HLP
SCANDISK.EXE
SCANDISK.INI
MSCDEX.EXE
DELTREE.EXE
MEM.EXE
OAKCDROM.SYS
CVT.EXE
CONFIG.SYS
AUTOEXEC.BAT

If you have your boot sequence to first look to A:\, which most BIOS setup routines are default this way, just put your boot disk into the floppy drive and power up. The OAKCDROM executable file will launch with the help of MSCDex executable to assign a drive letter, usually D:\ and load the generic CD-Rom drivers. At the A:\> If you are going to do a fresh install of the OS, I would do a complete reformat of the hdd and then repartition. type at A:\>fdisk and then enter. Have you ever done this before?

[gundamhybrid]

I booted to open with A: and there are like 15 different files, nothing like oakschd. it has some other .exe extensions will try to see what happens

Funny I used to like dos about 10 years ago, now I dont recall any of it, not sure if it is my old age or just not using it anymore?
do u booting from the disket arent u?
the disket are boot not just system disk arent?
and now u can using the cdrom? if u can access ... then lets try to (re)install
goodluck

[Rick M]

I finally figured, after you guys told me I need to boot the CD with the A: Disket.
I guess I have to either format and re-install, or stay with what I have which isnt too much that I can use.
I also have a IOmega Zip drive, I think before I format the old hard drive I have some old pictures and stuff like that I dont want to loose, I am going to see if I can save them somehow.
Thanks for your help!!

[Rick M]

Always UP, no I have never done this before, that's why I am being such a chicken....

[tetonbob]

Hi Rick-

Fear not, but it does pay to be cautious and prepared.

Since you have a ZIP drive, you can save any data you need to keep on disks. Some things to consider saving along with your pictures would be your Favorites folder, your address book, and any other critical data files.

Once you have saved your valued data, go here:

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tutorials/index.php

and see:

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tutorials/tutorial.php/id/36

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tutorials/tutorial.php/id/37

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tutorials/tutorial.php/id/38

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tutorials/tutorial.php/id/39

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

Oh, yeah - go to www.bootdisk.com and get a Windows 98 bootdisk. They have built in CD ROM support, which the 95 boot floppy does not.

Bob

[smurfy]

Rick, before you wipe the drive clean, I would actually attempt an overinstall of Windows 95. Boot up with a Win98 bootdisk, run Setup from the Win95 CD without formatting the drive. This will retain all installed software but should overwrite the files McAffee has updated.

This may not give you a completely stable system (and I wouldn't normally recommend it) but it may give you a usable system long enough to be able to easily back up your files rather than relying on DOS commands and your ZIP drive.

[Rick M]

Thanks to both of you. I don't think my Zip is working with Safe Mode.

Yesterday I was able to bootup the instalation A: that made the CD drive work,then chickened out and canceled the setup part or erasing anything.
I may just try the overinstall, if that doesn't work, I can still do the format of the hard drive.

[Rick M]

Is it ok to download the bootdisk etc on my XP system?

Also you guys sound like you are sure it is ok to Use the W98 boot for the W95 computer?

Sorry if these questions are dumb, but thought it better to make sure.

[tetonbob]

Is it ok to download the bootdisk etc on my XP system?

Also you guys sound like you are sure it is ok to Use the W98 boot for the W95 computer?

Sorry if these questions are dumb, but thought it better to make sure.

Yes to both questions, Rick.

Be sure to download the bootdisk file to a folder on your PC, not directly to a floppy. When your download is finished, open the folder and run the .exe file - it will ask for a formatted floppy to be inserted.

The only dumb question is the one left unasked, IMO.

[Rick M]

Thanks, I would hate to mess up this good system(XP) by downloading a old boot up disk for W95

I have a new issure though , I got the cd drive working and was doing fine until it asked for the Certificate of Authenticity, which is pretty straight forward looking but nope, number not good. I had bought two identical W95 DelP2 computers and had both sets of #'s and neither worked. Then I tried calling MS about "Are you legit" and was told by recording to talk with Del, so am up a Creek without the paddle.
Discouraging

[smurfy]

Rick, is the Win95 CD yours or did it come with the PC's.
Chances are the Dell PCs came with OEM versions of Windows 95.
The COA numbers on the PCs will be OEM licence keys. If you have a valid key that came with the CD you have, try to use that. Otherwise you need to get the OEM CD version that the Dells had.

[Rick M]

I do have the Windows 95 certificate and disk and W95 came loaded on my computer.
I thought maybe I got one certificate mixed with the other CD but neither one works.
it has certificate that says ******-oem-******-******
I was reading the number off of the original certificates.

Am not quite at the point of throwing the whole works out the window, literally, but getting close.

[Rick M]

Just an update. I got the CD Win 95 to work and start the overinstall...

Now here is where frustration is..the darn key ? I have tried a couple of places and finally guy at Microsoft gave me a replacememnt key # I can't get it to go past this though, I keep getting message that Authentication not valid....ughhhh

[Rick M]

Well after going through all the BS, I found the key.
It was on My Computer/control panel/system and on the grey page it was there in front the whole time, so I have over installed Win 95 and got it to start up in normal mode, but with a bit of trepidation, it saved some files so guess I am in good shape/

Just wanted to thank you all...Thanks!!!

[tetonbob]

Nice job, Rick. Persistence pays off!