Win98: File extensions keep disappearing? WTF?

Factual Questions
1

Okay, okay, I know we’re all sick of the computer questions in GQ, but I need help, and I’m an ex-tech and I don’t know, and Microsoft doesn’t know, and Google/SDMB search doesn’t know, and–okay, that’s enough.

I recently did a full reinstall on my Dell Piece-o-Shite Inspiron 5000 (Win98SE). Things worked fine for awhile, but recently four annoying/bizzare things have been happening:

  1. As an old-school DOS man, I like my full file extentions to show at all time. Easy, right? You go to any folder, go to View --> Folder Options --> View and deselect Hide File Extensions for known file types. Well, doing so restores the file extensions in the CURRENT window, but: 1) not in any other window, and 2) all file extensions disappear again on reboot. WTF?
  2. About every two weeks, double-clicking on certain document types will turn the icon for the file type clicked on into a notepad text icon. Easily fixed in the file associations menu, but WTF?
  3. On reboot, my computer constantly displays the message “One moment, completing setup.” before Windows boots, despite the fact that nothing has been isntalled recently. WTF?
  4. And finally, when I try to load WORDPAD.EXE, I get the error message: “Failed to Create Empty Document [OK]”. WTF?

Microsoft tech support, ever helpful, recommended another reinstall, which I ain’t gonna do. Anyone ever seen a problem like this?

2

Give in to the Dark Side, Luke.
Fdisk!
Give in a reinstall. Kill it and start over.

3

  1. View --> Folder Options --> View Tab --> Show All Files Radio Button --> OK. Verify that the file extensions show up in your current window. Then, View --> Folder Options --> View Tab --> Like Current Folder Button --> OK.

  2. Heck if I know.

  3. Piece of software that never got completely installed and is caught in a loop? No idea. Virus problem perhaps?

  4. Re-install Wordpad? Start Button --> Settings --> Control Panel --> Add/Remove Programs --> Windows Setup Tab --> Highlight Accessories --> Details Button. Uncheck Wordpad, click OK, click Apply. Recheck Wordpad, click OK, click Apply to re-install.

4

Try tweakUI’s icon cache fixer/rebuilder.

5

w98 has a neat feature. Type in RUN box: sfc\

system file checker & follow what it says. Its important to check your files first.

6

type ‘sfc’ no quotes, not ‘sfc/’