Windows bootup: "protect error"

Factual Questions
1

After getting off the Internet a few days ago I got an error message on the screen; problem with “Explorer”, although I’d been on the Net with AOL. (Long story.) The screen seemed frozen so I reluctantly switched it off.
The next time I tried to log on, however, I got a black screen with a “Windows 98 Startup Menu.” After I selected 1. Normal Mode, I got the Windows 98 Plus! screen, then a message about “Windows protect error” and how it couldn’t finish booting up. I get the message, “You need to restart your computer; press any key to continue.” Doing so brings the message “You may safely turn off the computer.” But when I turn it back on I only get the same Startup Menu.
Safe mode gets part of the message.
Command or Safe Mode, prompt only (per Ask Jeeves), got a DOS prompet; I followed the instructions, and got a blue screen with “Backing Up” or “Checking” files, and the screen stayed like that for an hour.
I’m getting nowhere. (I’m posting this message from a public computer.)
Any help? :confused: :frowning: :mad:

2

not enough info to go on…

but try this:

boot to DOS.
first, run scandisk c: /surface
then, if all is well,
change dir to c:<windows>
run scanreg /fix or scanreg /restore

an extremely high chance that your registry is screwed up…

also, an extremely high chance that most of your data is intact…so don’t panic…

you can also try re-installing windows from the DOS prompt. your data will still remain mostly intact.

3

Try starting up in Normal mode with the logging option:

  1. First, boot with Safe Mode Command Prompt.

  2. Switch to the root of C: if you aren’t there already.

  3. Use this command: attrib -h bootlog.txt (will unhide the previous log file if it exists)

  4. Do a dir bootlog.txt. If it exists, del bootlog.txt.

  5. Reboot and hit the F8 key just after POST. If you see a message “Starting Windows 98”, this would be the time. F8 will get you the Startup menu again.

  6. Choose the Normal Mode logged option. Allow it to then boot.

  7. When it hangs up with the error, reboot again to the Safe Mode Command Prompt.

  8. edit c:\bootlog.txt. Look at the last few entries and for a Fail message. This will give you an insight to what driver or process is causing your problem.

  9. If you recognize a file name, locate it and rename it to *.old. Reboot again.

If this fails, I have reseated my memory sticks sometimes to get rid of this error. You can also try deleting the swap file, it may have become corrupt. Swap file name is win386.swp. It will be recreated upon a successful boot. Good luck.

4

Thanks to both. I’ll try them when I’m at home again. :slight_smile:
I would like to know if the spaces in those DOS commands are kept when keying the commands in…

5

Yes, the spaces are to be kept when keying in the commands in DOS.

C:>edit c:\bootlog.txt

is not the same as

C:>editc:\bootlog.txt (this will give an error)
however,

C:>edit c:\bootlog.txt will also work, but no self-respecting computer user has ever typed a command this way…

6

Wait! my spaces got deleted :eek:

i should have done it this way :



however,

C:\>edit       c:\bootlog.txt will also work, but no self-respecting computer user has ever typed a command this way...
7

Wait! my spaces got deleted :eek:

i should have done it this way :



however,

C:\>edit       c:\bootlog.txt

will also work, but no self-respecting computer user has ever typed a command this way...
8

To Xash: SUCCESS!!!
I used Scandisk as you suggested. It worked! The Scandisk feature showed a colorful grid of “clusters” and scrutinized all of them, and found a “bad” one it “fixed” by having me pop a floppy in. When it was finished and I restarted the computer, it booted up! In fact I’m sending the message from my computer at home. :slight_smile: