How to Reset a Windows 98 Computer: A Comprehensive Guide

Resetting a Windows 98 computer can be a useful troubleshooting step when encountering issues such as system crashes, freezes, or performance problems. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of resetting your Windows 98 computer, including restoring the registry and accessing safe mode.

Restoring the Windows 98 Registry

The Windows Registry is a critical component of the operating system that stores settings and configurations. If your computer is experiencing issues, restoring a previous version of the registry can help resolve the problem. Here’s how to restore the registry in Windows 98:

1. While pressing and holding the Ctrl key, restart your computer.
2. Once the Windows 98 Startup screen appears, choose “Safe Mode Command Prompt Only”.
3. At the command prompt, enter scanreg /restore.
4. Click on a registry entry that has the word “Started” next to the date, and then press Enter.
5. Press Enter again to restart your computer.

After restoring the registry, you may need to reinstall some programs that were affected by the changes.

Accessing Safe Mode in Windows 98

Safe Mode is a diagnostic mode that loads Windows with only the essential drivers and services. It can be useful for troubleshooting issues or accessing the registry. Here’s how to access Safe Mode in Windows 98:

1. Restart your computer.
2. When you see the “Starting Windows 98” message, press the F8 key.
3. From the Startup menu, choose “Safe Mode”.

Once in Safe Mode, you can perform various troubleshooting steps, such as running system scans, updating drivers, or accessing the registry.

Resetting Screen Resolution in Windows 98

If you have changed your screen resolution settings and are unable to access the display settings due to the resolution being too high, you can reset the resolution using the following steps:

1. From a powered-off state, turn on your computer and hold down the Ctrl key until you reach the Windows Setup Menu.
2. Select “Command Prompt Only” from the menu.
3. At the command prompt, enter the following commands, pressing Enter after each line:

    cd \windows\system ren system.ini system.ini.bak ren win.ini win.ini.bak 

4. Restart your computer normally.

This will reset your display settings to the default values, allowing you to access the display settings and adjust the resolution as needed.

Troubleshooting Continuous Reboots in Windows 98

If your Windows 98 computer is continuously rebooting, it could be due to various reasons, such as conflicting drivers, corrupted system files, or issues with the registry. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Disable the Fast Shutdown feature by changing the FastReboot value from 1 to 0 in the following registry key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Shutdown 

2. Disable the Plug and Play BIOS by following these steps:
   1. Open the Control Panel and double-click on “System”.
   2. Go to the “Device Manager” tab and double-click on “System Devices”.
   3. Select “Plug and Play BIOS” and click on the “Settings” tab.
   4. Check the “Disable NVRAM / ESCD updates” option and click “OK”.
3. If the issue persists, try booting into Safe Mode and running a system scan to detect and remove any malware or viruses that could be causing the problem.

If none of the above steps resolve the continuous rebooting issue, it’s recommended to perform a clean install of Windows 98 to ensure a stable and functioning system.