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Windows 98se Continuously Reboots

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18 replies

by mkardos

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

Ok, here are the specs of my system:

MicronPC RS2100
Cascade III GVC 810E Motherboard
(I installed latest BIOS)
700 MhZ Celeron CPU
Built in audio and agp video
2-128Mb Dimms PC100
UDMA/66 2.5 gig Hard drive (new)
PCI Ethernet Card (3com 3c905)

Ok, here's what?s going on: I do a clean install of Win98SE, it does the initial setup, with the Time Zone and setting up control panel, etc. Then it is finished with the setup and restarts.

When I can see the mouse pointer and the windows background, it reboots. It keeps doing this continuously. Keep in mind; this is BEFORE I have even loaded any extra drivers.

Any ideas?

18 replies

by john_smith

Disable the fast shutdown feature.

Microsoft article Q238096 says,

Fast Shutdown Registry Key Is Enabled:

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT or Windows 2000, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

The Microsoft System Configuration utility includes an option to disable Fast Shutdown. If this option is not set in Windows 98 Second Edition, your computer may reboot instead of shutting down. To resolve this issue, change the FastReboot data value from 1 to 0 in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Shutdown

NOTE: After you apply the Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Supplement, the Disable Fast Shutdown option is no longer listed on the Advanced tab in Msconfig.exe.

http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;q238096

No spaces should be in that URL when you paste it into the browser.

John

by mkardos

The rebooting occurs during the systems settings screen. I can use safe mode thou.

by cul8rm8e

i see that you have installed a new H/Drive, was this just before you installed 98se or has it been used with a previous O/S, if its just installed then i suggest you go in to bios, when machine is booting hit (delete) once in there i woulld make sure that you do an auto detect of hard drives and save on exit.

if this isnt the case then i would press f8 on booting of machine and boot in safe mode to see if all goes ok, if this is the case then check device manager to find out what hardware hasnt been anabled on this boot or which is showing disabled you can obviously pinpoint what is part of this list and narrow your problem down to one of these.

by shanghai sam

This is a brand new hard drive and BIOS was upgraded to latest with auto detect.
The windows loaded still has not completed hardware detection so I can not tell which drivers are failing.

by cul8rm8e

something just came to mind,im sure i had a similar problem quite a while back when i replaced RAM so check to make sure its fully sloted.

let me know how you get on. GOOD LUCK

by maxwell edison

Shutdown problems in Windows 98 Second Edition can be caused by any of the following issues:

The Fast Shutdown registry key is enabled.

There is a damaged Exit Windows sound file.

A program or terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program may not close correctly.

An incompatible, damaged, or conflicting device driver is loaded.

There is an incompatible Advanced Power Management (APM) or Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) setting.

There is an incompatible BasicInput/Output System (BIOS) configuration setting.

The computer contains incorrectly configured or damaged hardware.

There is a video adapter that is not assigned an IRQ in real mode.

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IRQ Steering:

This option allows several PCI devices to share the same interrupt request line (IRQ). If the BIOS is not fully compliant, this option may cause your computer not to shut down properly, even if two or more devices are not sharing an IRQ. To disable PCI bus IRQ Steering, follow these steps:

Click Start , point to Settings , click Control Panel , and then double-click System.

On the Device Manager tab, click System Devices.

Double-click PCI Bus , and then click to clear the Use IRQ Steering check box on the IRQ Steering tab.

Click OK , click OK , and then restart your computer.

After you restart the computer, attempt to shut down your computer again.

If your computer shuts down successfully, you may need to change the BIOS configuration or you may need a BIOS update. For information about how to do so, contact your BIOS manufacturer.

(continued in comments...)

by maxwell edison

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Resume on Ring and LAN:

Some shutdown-related issues may be solved by disabling the "Resume on Ring and LAN" feature in the computer's BIOS. For information about how to do so, contact your computer or BIOS manufacturer.

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Plug and Play BIOS:

In some cases, the BIOS and Windows may not be communicating properly with the computer hardware during the shutdown process. You can configure Windows 98 Second Edition to ignore the presence of a Plug and Play BIOS and communicate directly with the hardware.

NOTE: Use this method for testing purposes only. Leaving the Plug and Play BIOS disabled may cause some hardware to stop working.

To configure Windows not to use the Plug and Play BIOS:

Restart your computer, and press and hold CTRL until you see the Windows 98 Startup menu.

Choose Command Prompt Only.

Type the following line at the command prompt:

cd \windows\system
Rename the Bios.vxd file to Bios.old.

Restart your computer.

After the computer restarts, attempt to shut down Windows.

If the computer shuts down correctly, the system BIOS is likely to be contributing to the shutdown problems. Contact the motherboard or BIOS manufacturer for a possible update.

For additional information about your computer's BIOS, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q299697 General Computer Basic Input/Output System Overview:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q299697

(REMOVE SPACES from the pasted URL.)

(continued in comments...)

by maxwell edison

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NVRAM/ESCD:

There are specific settings for how the BIOS and Windows interact during the startup and shutdown processes. To check this, disable the NVRAM/ESCD updates feature to determine if doing so resolves the shutdown problem. To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start , point to Settings , click Control Panel , and then double-click System.

On the Device Manager tab, double-click System Devices.

Click Plug and Play BIOS , and then click to select the Disable NVRAM / ESCD updates check box on the Settings tab.

Click OK , click OK , and then restart your computer.

After you restart the computer, attempt to shut down your computer again.

-------------

Fast Shutdown Registry Key Is Enabled:

WARNING:Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT or Windows 2000, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

The Microsoft System Configuration utility includes an option to disable FastShutdown. If this option is not set in Windows 98 Second Edition, your computer may reboot instead of shutting down. To resolve this issue, change the FastReboot data value from 1 to 0 in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Shutdown

(continued in comments...)

by maxwell edison

.
.
Antivirus Program:

If you have an antivirus program that is configured to scan your floppy disk drive when you shut down your computer, your computer may stop responding.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q231666 Antivirus Program Causes Computer to Stop Responding When You Shut Down

Replacing the Configmg.vxd File

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q231666

(REMOVE SPACES from the pasted URL.)

(continued in comments...)

by maxwell edison

.
.
Replacing the Configmg.vxd File:

Microsoft has become aware that some customers have replaced the Windows 98 Second Edition version of the Configmg.vxd file with the Windows 98 version to address shutdown issues. Microsoft strongly recommends that you not do this. This is an untested scenario that could result in fatal error messages, CPI errors, and hardware failures. The Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Supplement detects whether the appropriate version of the Configmg.vxd file is installed, and replaces any earlier version with the Windows 98 Second Edition version.

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Functions Performed During the Shutdown Process
Windows 98 Second Edition tries to perform many functions during the shutdown process, including:

Completion of all disk write functions.

Flushing the disk cache.

Running the Close Window code to close all currently running programs.

Transitioning all Protected-mode drivers to Real mode.

----------

Microsoft recommends following the preceding troubleshooting steps that are outlined in this article. If, after following the steps that are outlined in this article, the computer continues to exhibit shutdown problems, Microsoft suggests applying this update. For additional information about how to obtain the Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Supplement, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q239887 Availability of Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Supplement

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q239887

(REMOVE SPACES from the pasted URL.)

NOTE: After you apply the Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Supplement, the Disable Fast Shutdown option is no longer listed on the Advanced tabin Msconfig.exe.

The preceding Microsoft article can be found:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q238/0/96.asp

Best of luck and have a GREAT 2002!

Maxw

by mkardos

I have read all your comments but this is a setup/startup problem. Thanks for all the info. I have since turned off the 32-bit protected mode disk drivers in System devices-Performance-File System-Troubleshooting.
This got me a little further, nowit restarts at the windows first time grapics window.

by sholbrook

Check the BIOS to make sure you have the Memory configured right for 100 MHz Non ECC
Check the Motherboard manufacturer to make sure the type of RAM you have will work with your board
Some cheap generic RAM do not run correctly with certain boards. The usual problem is system freezing though
Then I would repartition and reformat the drive prior to reinstalling Windows.
type FDISK /MBR at a DOS prompt to remove the Master Boot Record
Type FDISK
Remove partitions
Create a Primary Partitionand set to active
exit FDisk
restart the computer
format c: at DOS prompt

Install Windows with a minimal hardware configuration
HDrive, Sound, Video, CD drive and that's it
Install NIC, Modem, CDRW, and anything else after successful Windows build

by mkardos

I have checked my BIOS for the memory configuration and I don't seem to have that setting available. I am however checking further into the ram used in the computer.
The hard drive was a brand new one when I started loading windows 98se the first time. So I did create a partition and format the disk as you mention.
I have tried disabling sound and video, no luck.
I have disabled all the 32-bit protected-mode disk drivers in System devices/Performance/File System/Troubleshooting.
This got mea little further, now it restarts at the windows first time grapics window again and again until I stop it.
Thanks

by mkardos

By going into safe mode and turning off 32-bit protected-mode disk drivers windows will go as far as displaying the welcome to windows window (at least up to placing the word content on the screen). It then reboots and does same thing over and over until I stop it. I have removed the DVD drive and networking card from the computer and still no change. I have also disabled the built-in sound and video (placing a PCI video card into the computer) still restarts.

by mkardos

I think the problem has been found.
I ran Tufftest on the system and it is reporting a hard disk controller failure on the motherboard.
I guess I'll replace the motherboard and see.

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