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Windows 98 Help

This page has been split into 2 pages and uses little graphics to speed up loading. Please Click on the following topics to go to the area indicated. There are some compatibility issues that there are work around for, I will post them here as I find them and their answers.If you need help, a good place to look is the newsgroups. Please include enough information for people to help you. You should post the problem, when it happens and the system you are using. Also include what software you have and if you have recently install software or hardware.

Also check out my Troubleshooting Articles page at

Win98 Troubleshooting Articles

Looking for Drivers?  Frank Condron's Windows Page "Drivers"

Contents

Click on the Win98 TroubleShooting Articles button to get more help.  

Special Notes

1. If you upgrade from Windows95 or if you change your hardware, you should go to Safe Mode and check the System Device list from Control Panel and check for duplicate or old entries. When I checked mine from an upgrade I had several duplicate and triplicate entries. Boot times will shorten noticeably.

Compatibility Issues

Computers with Cyrix CPUs
If you have an Epson 866c or a Microcenter Winbook computer, you may receive general protection faults.

To fix this problem:

1. Copy wb16off.exe from the win98 CD to your windows folder.
2. Add the following to your autoexec.bat file
   c:\windows\wb16off.exe

M5-P1 Series P-60 and P-66 Micron Computer
users need to disable BIOS read/write by moving the jumper to the read-only position before installing Windows 98. Win98 may corrupt the bios during installation.

Micron P90 and P100
will need a BIOS version of N15 or later before installation.

Click here to go to Fat32 Issues

UMax Scanners:If you are receiving this error;
C:\WINDOWS\system\vmm32.vxd: Missing/or Unable to load
and you have an UMAX Scanner, go here to get the fix. DreamSoft.Com

Stealth II Video Cards may give problems when trying to Add New Hardware. Go to the Diamond Web Site for an updated driver that will work with win98

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Display Troubleshooting

If you ever want to change the resolution of your display and have trouble seeing the screen upon reboot, reboot again and press the Control button as soon as you see "Starting Windows 98". Chose Safe Mode and when you are completely booted change it back to the original setting, shut down and reboot again. You're back to your original settings.

If you are having trouble with distorted video or a blank screen, try the following. It may help solve other problems with video as well.

Determine whether you are using a Windows 3.1, or Windows 98 display adapter driver

1. Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to open the System.ini file in the Windows folder.
2. In the [Boot] section, search for the "Display=" line. If this line reads anything other than the following line, the driver you are using is designed for Windows 3.1 (or an earlier version of Windows):

Display.drv=Pnpdrvr.drv

If this is your problem then get an updated display driver from your card vendor.

If not, try this;

Enable the standard VGA driver;

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
2. Click the Settings tab, and then click Advanced.
3. Click the Adapter tab, and then click Change.
4. Click Next, click Display a list of all the drivers in a specific location, so you can select the driver you want, and then click Next.
5. Click Show all hardware.
6. In the Manufacturers box, click (Standard Display Types).
7. In the Models box, click Standard Display Adapter (VGA), click Next, and then click Yes.
8. Click Next, and then click Finish.
9. Click Close, click Close again, and then click Yes to restart your computer.

If this corrected the problem, make sure you have the latest drivers for your video card and monitor.

If not, try this;

1. Decrease the hardware acceleration for your display adapter;
2. Start your computer in Safe mode

   Restart the computer.

Press and hold down the CTRL key as the computer starts.

On the Startup menu, choose Safe mode.

3. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
4. On the Settings tab, click Advanced.
5. On the Performance tab, move the Hardware acceleration slider to None.
6. Click OK, click Close, click Yes, and then click Yes again to restart your computer.
7. Try running your program again. Did this action solve the problem?

Having shutdown problems trouble with the Compact  FX 500/700 monitor?

    You need to get the software fix   SP7015   from the Compaq Web site

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Dr. Watson

Windows 98 includes more than a dozen troubleshooting tools. One of these is Dr. Watson (a beefed up version since win3.1x)Dr. Watson is a program error debugger that traps application faults (running in ring 3 of the processor), generating a snapshot of the system to aid in the diagnosis of the fault. This tool interprets program errors in Windows-based applications and attempts a diagnosis. When you are running Dr. Watson, it automatically creates a log file when an application fault occurs. The log files are stored in the \Windows\Drwatson directory with a .wlg extension. The log file indicates the program that faulted, the program the fault occurred in, and the memory address where the fault occurred. Dr. Watson cannot create a snapshot in the event of a system hang. You can cut and paste Dr. Watsons output along with your questions. But first you have to get it running.

To start Dr. Watson:

On the Start menu, click Run, and then type Drwatson. Click OK.

OR..

Click Start, point to Programs, Accessories, and System Tools, and

then click System Information. Select the Tools menu and click Dr.Watson

You can configure Dr. Watson to load automatically when Windows starts by creating a shortcut to Drwatson.exe in the Startup folder. This is important when an issue is not easily reproducible. Once Dr. Watson traps the application fault and creates the log, you can post its output to news groups for help.

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Error Messages

Err Msg: Explorer Caused a Page Fault in Module Shell32.dll

When you attempt to open My Computer, Control Panel, or the Printers folder, you may receive one of the following error messages:

1. Explorer caused a page fault in module Shell32.dll.
2. Explorer caused a divide error in module Shell32.dll.

These error messages can occur if you are running a version of Plug-In for Windows (Plugin.exe) earlier than version 2.5. Versions of Plug-In for Windows earlier than version 2.5 are not compatible with Windows.

To work around this problem, disable Plug-In for Windows. To do so, remove Plugin.exe from the Startup folder or from the "load=" line in the Win.ini file in the Windows folder, and then restart your computer.

To resolve this problem, contact the software's manufacturer to inquire about obtaining an updated version of the program that is compatible with Windows.

Err Msg: Explorer Caused a Divide Error in Module Shell32.dll  (normally a win95 error)

When you try to open an icon in Windows 95 (particularly, the My Computer, Microsoft Exchange Inbox, Recycle Bin, or Control Panel icon), you may receive the following error message:

Explorer: This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If you click the Details button, the following information is displayed: EXPLORER caused a divide error in module SHELL32.DLL at 0137:7fe1402f.

This error may be caused by a combination of the following conditions:

1. The horizontal spacing for icons is set too high or set to 0.
2. You are using a video resolution of 640 x 480.
3. The taskbar is placed at the left or right edge of the screen, and has been expanded to larger than the default size.

To correct this problem, use any one of the following methods:

1. Decrease the horizontal icon spacing. To do so, follow these steps:
2. Use the right mouse button to click an empty area on the desktop, and then click Properties on the menu that appears.
3. On the Appearance tab, click Icon Spacing (Horizontal) in the Item box, and then decrease the value in the Size box to a value greater than 0.
4. Click OK.

OR

1. Change the video resolution so that it is greater than 640 x 480. To do so, follow these steps:
2. Use the right mouse button to click an empty area on the desktop, and then click Properties on the menu that appears.
3. On the Settings tab, move the Desktop Area slider one notch to the right.
4. Click OK.

OR

1. Decrease the size of the taskbar.

OR

1. Move the taskbar from the left or right edge of the screen to the top or bottom of the screen.

Error Messages When Accessing CD-ROM Drive in Windows

When you try to access your CD-ROM drive in Windows, you may experience one of the following symptoms:

1. You cannot run executable (.exe) files.
2. You cannot view complete directory listings.
3. You receive the error message "Device not found."

These problems can occur if you are using an older version of the Mscdex.exe file that is not compatible with Windows 95 or Windows 98.

When you install certain real-mode CD-ROM drivers, an older version of the Mscdex.exe file is copied to the hard disk, and the Autoexec.bat file is updated to point to this older version of the Mscdex.exe file.

Modify the Autoexec.bat file to reference the correct version of the Mscdex.exe file. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Make a backup copy of the Autoexec.bat file.
2. Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to open the Autoexec.bat file.
3. Modify the line containing Mscdex.exe to read

   <drive>:\<windows>\command\mscdex.exe <parameters>

where <drive> is the drive letter on which the Windows folder is located, <windows> is the name of the folder in which Windows is installed, and <parameters> are the parameters from the original line containing Mscdex.exe.

NOTE: To maintain compatibility with the installed CD-ROM driver, make sure to use all the parameters exactly as they are used in the original line.

4. Save and then close the Autoexec.bat file.
5. Restart your computer.

Error Messages in Mmsystem.dll or Rundll32

You may receive random general protection (GP) fault error messages in Mmsystem.dll. You may also receive the following error message:

This error message is more likely to occur after you use the Add New Hardware tool in Control Panel.

This problem can occur when the System.ini file has been replaced with the System.cb file.

This problem can occur if the "drivers=mmsystem.dll" line is missing from the [boot] section of the System.ini file.

To correct this problem, follow these steps:

1. Use any text editor (such as Notepad) to edit the System.ini file.
2. Add the following line to the [boot] section of the file:

   drivers=mmsystem.dll

3. Save and then close the System.ini file.
4. Restart your computer.

Error Message: Dial-in Driver Not Loaded

When you attempt to connect to your Internet service provider (ISP) after you upgrade to Windows 98, you may receive either of the following error messages:

This behavior can occur if you upgrade Microsoft Windows 3.1x or Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1x to Windows 98. Windows 3.1x and Windows for Workgroups 3.1x are 16-bit operating systems. Windows 98 Setup cannot migrate Internet Explorer settings and ISP connections from a 16-bit operating system.

To work around this issue, run the Internet Connection Wizard (ICW) to create a new ISP connection. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, point Internet Explorer, click Connection Wizard, and then follow the instruction on your screen.

Registry Checker Continues to Detect Registry Damage

When Windows starts, the Registry Checker tool may display the following message:

Note that running the real-mode version of Registry Checker (Scanreg.exe) at a command prompt does not detect registry damage.

This problem can occur if there is defective memory in your computer. A defective memory chip may damage the registry in memory. The Windows-based (or protected-mode) version of Registry Checker (Scanregw.exe) scans the registry in memory for damage.

When this issue occurs, Scanregw.exe detects that the registry is damaged in memory and marks the registry as damaged so that the real-mode Scanreg.exe is run the next time the computer starts. Scanreg.exe may not detect any damage if the defective memory is not used in real mode, and may allow Windows to start normally.

There are two methods you can use to identify whether defective memory chips are causing the problem:

1. Remove or replace memory chips in the computer to see if the problem is resolved.
2. Try limiting the amount of memory that Windows uses. If limiting the amount of memory that Windows uses resolves the issue, the problem is a defective memory chip. To limit the amount of memory Windows uses, follow these steps:

NOTE: Limiting memory to less than 16 MB may prevent Windows from loading. If you are unable to start Windows normally, start Windows in Safe mode and then disable this option by pressing and holding down the SHIFT key throughout startup.

You can disable Registry Checker so that it does not run automatically at startup. To disable Registry Checker, use the following steps.

WARNING: Microsoft does not recommend disabling Registry Checker. This tool automatically guards against problems that may render your computer unusable. The symptom described in this article may be indicative of a larger problem that should be identified and addressed.

1. Restart Windows in Safe mode. To do so, restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, and then choose Safe Mode.
2. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information.
3. On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility.
4. Click the Startup tab.
5. Click to clear the ScanRegistry check box.
6. Click OK.
7. Restart Windows normally.

Registry Checker consists of both a Windows-based (protected-mode) and MS-DOS-based (real-mode) version of the tool. The Windows-based version (Scanregw.exe) scans the registry for damage and empty data structures (keys marked as deleted), and backs up configuration files at startup once each day. If registry damage is detected, the tool sets a damage flag in the registry to invoke the real-mode tool, and you are prompted to restart the computer. If the registry contains more than 500 KB of empty data structures, the optimization flag is set in the registry and the real-mode tool is invoked the next time the computer starts to optimize the registry.

The real-mode tool (Scanreg.exe) is run at startup when the registry flag is set for either damage or optimization. If the damage flag is set, Scanreg.exe scans the registry for damage and then automatically restores the most recently saved backup set. The backup is extracted to a temporary file and scanned for damage before it replaces the current files. If the backup is damaged, the next most recent backup is restored. If no backups remain, Scanreg.exe attempts to fix the damage by rebuilding the registry without errors or empty data structures. If the optimization flag is set, the registry is compressed by removing all but a 4 KB placeholder for each empty data structure. The registry is not rebuilt when it is optimized; 4 KB remains to serve as a placeholder within the current registry.

For additional information about the Registry Checker tool, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Not Enough Memory to Convert to FAT32

When you attempt to convert your hard disk to the FAT32 file system, your computer may stop responding (hang) before the conversion is complete, or you may receive the following error message:

This behavior can occur for either of the following reasons:

To resolve this behavior, try increasing the amount of free conventional memory, and then convert your hard disk to the FAT32 file system in real mode. To continue to increase the amount of free conventional memory, and then convert your hard disk to the FAT32 file system in real mode, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information.
2. On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility.
3. On the Autoexec.bat tab, click the check boxes of all non-essential drivers and programs to clear them.
4. On the Config.sys tab, click the check boxes of all non-essential drivers and programs to clear them.
5. Click New, and then type the following lines (note that you must click New before adding each line)

device=c:\<windows>\himem.sys

device=c:\<windows>\emm386.exe /noems

dos=high,umb

where <windows> is the folder in which Windows 98 is installed.

NOTE: If any of these lines already exist, select the line and then click Edit to change it.

Using the Find tool, check for the existence of the Dblspace.ini or Drvspace.ini file in the root folder of your physical boot drive (drive C or the host for drive C).

NOTE: The Dblspace.ini and Drvspace.ini files are hidden files. To view hidden files, click Folder Options on the View menu in Windows Explorer, click the View tab, click Show All Files, and then click OK.

If either file exists, follow these steps:

1. Using a text editor (such as Notepad), open the Dblspace.ini or Drvspace.ini file.
2. Search for the "ActivateDrive=" line.
3. If the line exists, close the Dblspace.ini or Drvspace.ini file, and then add the following line to the Config.sys file:

devicehigh=c:\<windows>\command\drvspace.sys /move

4. If the line does not exist, close and then rename the Dblspace.ini or Drvspace.ini file.
5. Click OK, and then click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.
6. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files And Folders.
7. Type "exit to dos.pif" (including quotation marks), and then click Find Now.
8. In the list of found files, right-click the Exit To Dos.pif file, and then click Rename.
9. Type "old exit to dos" (without quotation marks), and then press ENTER.
10. In the Named box, type "dosstart.bat" (without quotation marks), and then click Find Now.
11. In the list of found files, right-click the Dosstart.bat file, and then click Rename.
12. Type "old dosstart.bat" (without quotation marks), and then press ENTER.

Run the Drive Converter (FAT32) tool and try to convert your drive to the FAT32 file system again. If your drive is converted successfully, do not proceed with step 16. If the problem persists, try increasing the amount of free conventional memory, and then convert your hard disk to the FAT32 file system in real mode. To do so, continue with step 13:

13. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
14. Double-click Add/Remove Programs, and then click the Install/Uninstall tab.
15. In the list of installed programs, click Delete Windows 98 Uninstall Information if it appears in the list, and then click Add/Remove.
16. Click Yes to delete the uninstall information, click OK, and then restart your computer.
17. While your computer is restarting, press and hold down the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, and then choose Command Prompt Only.
18. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line

<drive>:

attrib suhdlog.dat -h -r

del suhdlog.dat

where <drive> is the drive letter of your physical boot drive (drive C or the host for drive C).

NOTE: The Drive Converter (FAT32) tool automatically removes Windows 98 uninstall information when it is started in Windows, but not when it is started in real mode Windows 98 cannot be uninstalled if your hard disk is converted to the FAT32 file system after you install Windows 98.

At the command prompt, type the following line, and then press ENTER

where <drive> is the letter of the drive you are converting to the FAT32 file system.

Follow the instructions on your screen to convert your hard disk to the FAT32 file system.

NOTE: If the conversion still does not complete successfully, the directory structure may be too large on the drive you are trying to convert. To work around this behavior, move some folders and files to another drive and then repeat steps 14-15.

After your drive is converted to the FAT32 file system, Windows 98 starts.

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information.
2. On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility.
3. On the Autoexec.bat tab, click all of the check boxes to select them.
4. On the Config.sys tab, click all of the check boxes to select them.
5. Click the check boxes of the lines you typed in step 5 to clear them, and then click OK. Click No when you are prompted to restart your computer.
6. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
7. Select the drive you converted to the FAT32 file system, and then click OK. Follow the instructions on your screen to defragment your drive, and then restart your computer.

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Windows 95/98 is available on CD-ROM or floppy disks, both of which contain compressed cabinet files. Internet Explorer 4.0 and later is available on CD-ROM or you can download it from the Web, and it also contains compressed cabinet files. These cabinet files contain the actual Windows or Internet Explorer files. You can use the Extract tool to decompress Windows or Internet Explorer files from the original media, or you can use the new System File Checker or Extract Command Line Helper tool in Windows 98.

Extracting Using System File Checker Tool 

Windows 98 includes a System File Checker tool. You can use this tool to verify the integrity of your operating system files, to restore them if they are damaged, or to extract compressed files from the Windows 98 CD-ROM. To use System File Checker to extract a compressed file from the Windows 98 CD-ROM, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information.
2. On the Tools menu, click System File Checker.
3. Click "Extract one file from installation disk," type the name of the file you want to extract in the "Specify the system file you would like to restore" box, and then click Start.
4. In the Restore From box, type the path to the Win98 folder on the Windows 98 CD-ROM, type the destination folder in the Save File In box if necessary, and then click OK.
5. Click OK, click OK, and then click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.

Using a Windows 98 Startup Disk to Access a CD-ROM and Extract Files

When you install Windows 98, you are prompted to create a Windows 98 Startup disk. A feature included in the Windows 98 Startup disk is support for CD-ROM drives. This may be of benefit if you need to extract a file from the Windows 98 CD-ROM but you are unable to use System File Checker (for example, if your computer does not start properly).

NOTE: The Windows 98 Startup disk provides support for most types of CD-ROM drives, including IDE and SCSI CD-ROM drives, but it may not support your particular CD-ROM drive.

A Windows 98 Startup disk is required to perform the steps in the following sections of this article. If you do not have one, you can create one using any Windows 98-based computer to which you have access. To create a Windows 98 Startup disk, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double- click Add/Remove Programs.
2. Click the Startup Disk tab, click Create Disk, and then follow the instructions on the screen.

How to Start Your Computer with CD-ROM Support and Then Extract Files:

To start your computer with CD-ROM support and then extract files, use the following steps:

1. Insert the Windows 98 Startup disk in drive A, and then restart your computer.
2. When the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup menu appears, choose Start Computer With CD-ROM Support.
3. Insert the Windows 98 CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive.

To extract files at the command prompt, you can use the information provided later, or you can use the Extract Command Line Helper tool. To use Extract Command Line Helper, type "ext" (without quotation marks) at the command prompt, and then follow the instructions on the screen.

Using the Ext.exe Tool to Extract Files

The Ext.exe tool builds a command line for the Extract.exe tool. It is located on the Windows 98 Startup disk.

To extract a file from a .cab file, run the Ext.exe program from your Windows 98 Startup disk, and follow the instructions on the screen to extract the file you want.

This describes how to extract individual files from compressed cabinet files and contains the following sections:

Location of Cabinet Files

Extracting Windows Files from an Unknown Cabinet File

Finding Windows Files

Extracting Windows Files from a Known Cabinet File

Listing the Contents of Cabinet Files

Copying Cabinet Files to a Hard Disk

Other Optional Switches

Extracting Individual Internet Explorer 4.0 or 4.01 Files

Internet Explorer 4.0 and 4.01 files are stored in cabinet files within cabinet files. Individual files are stored in the Ie4_1.cab through Ie4_5.cab files for Windows 95 and Ie4nt_1.cab through Ie4nt_5.cab files for Windows NT. The Ie4_1.cab through Ie4_5.cab (and Ie4nt_1.cab through Ie4nt_5.cab) files are included in the Ie4_s1.cab through Ie4_s5.cab (and Ie4nt_s1.cab through Ie4nt_s5.cab) files. To extract individual files, you must first extract the Ie4_<n>.cab (or Ie4nt_<n>.cab) file. To do this, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER

where <n> is the number of the cabinet file you want to extract.

To extract individual Internet Explorer 4.0 or 4.01 files, follow the appropriate Windows 95 procedure listed below;

NOTE: Internet Explorer 4.0 and later, and Windows 98, use a new compression algorithm for compressed cabinet files. You cannot extract files from Internet Explorer 4.0 or 4.01 or Windows 98 cabinet files using the version of Extract.exe included with Windows 95. You must use the version of Extract.exe included with Internet Explorer 4.0 or 4.01 or Windows 98.

To use the Extract tool, first copy the Extract.exe file from disk 1 to the root folder of drive C if you are using Windows 95.  To copy the Extract.exe file from disk 1 to the root folder of drive C, type the following command at the MS-DOS prompt    copy <sdrive>:\extract.exe <hdrive>:\   where <sdrive> is the drive that contains the Windows 95 CD-ROM or disk and <hdrive> is your hard disk.

For example:

The Extract tool has only a command-line interface (that is, there is no GUI interface). Because Windows does not allow you to delete or overwrite a file that is in use, you may have to restart your computer in Command Prompt Only mode before you can use the Extract tool. If you receive an "Access denied" error message when you try to delete a file before using the Extract tool, or when you use the Extract tool to overwrite an existing file, follow these steps to restart your computer in Command Prompt Only mode and then use the Extract tool:

Click Start, and then click Shut Down.

Click Restart or Restart The Computer, and then click OK or Yes.

If you are using Windows 95, when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press the F8 key, and then choose Command Prompt Only. If you are using Windows 98, when you restart your computer, press and hold the CTRL key until you see the Windows 98 Startup menu, and then choose Command Prompt Only.

Location of Cabinet Files

From a CD-ROM:

If you are extracting Windows files from a CD-ROM, all of the cabinet files are located in the Win95 or Win98 folder. For example, if you want to extract a Windows 95 file from the Win95_02.cab file, and the CD-ROM drive is drive D, use the following <cabinet> parameter for the EXTRACT command:

From Disks:

If you are extracting Windows 95 files from disks, use the following table to determine which disk contains the cabinet file you want:

Cabinet File Disk

Mini.cab Disk 1

Precopy1.cab Disk 1

Precopy2.cab Disk 2

Win95_nn.cab Disk nn

For example, if you want to extract a file from the Win95_10.cab file on a disk in drive A, insert disk 10 in drive A and use the following <cabinet> parameter for the EXTRACT command:

Extracting Windows Files from an Unknown Cabinet File

Extracting a Single File:

If you do not know which cabinet file contains the Windows file you want to extract, use the following command to search all the cabinet files in sequential order and then extract the file once it is found:

For example, to extract the Unidrv.dll file from disks in drive A into the Windows\System folder on drive C, use the following command:

The /a switch causes the Extract tool to search all the cabinet files starting with the first cabinet file mentioned on the command line (in this example, Win95_02.cab). Insert the disk containing the first cabinet file mentioned in the appropriate disk drive. You will be prompted to insert additional disks as they are needed. If you are extracting from a CD-ROM you must modify the <cabinet> parameter accordingly to reflect the actual location of the cabinet files.

NOTE: In Windows 98, you should use the Base4.cab file in command lines with the /a parameter.

If the Extract tool cannot find the specified Windows 95 file in any of the cabinet files, the file may be located in the Mini.cab, Precopy1.cab, or Precopy2.cab cabinet file. Use the following two commands to search these cabinet files:

NOTE: The first command searches the Precopy1.cab and the Precopy2.cab cabinet files. The second command searches the Mini.cab cabinet file. If you are extracting from a CD-ROM, you must modify the <cabinet> parameter in these commands accordingly.

Extracting Multiple Files:

To extract multiple files, use the same syntax as above, but use a wildcard designation for the <filename> parameter. For example, to extract all the Windows 95 files with a .txt extension from disks in drive A to the Windows folder on drive C, use the following command:

Note that if you are extracting from a CD-ROM, you must modify the <cabinet> parameter in this command accordingly.

Finding Windows Files

Finding a Single File:

You can use the Extract tool to determine which cabinet file contains a particular Windows file. When you use this syntax, the Extract tool searches the cabinet files but does not extract the file once it is found:

For example, to find the Windows 95 Unidrv.dll file, starting with the Win95_02.cab file, using disks in the A drive, use the following command:

Finding Multiple Files:

To find multiple files, use the same syntax as above, but use a wildcard designation for the <filename> parameter. For example, to find all the Windows 95 files with a .txt extension using disks in the A drive, use the following command:

Extracting Windows Files from a Known Cabinet File

Extracting a Single File:

If you know which cabinet file contains the file you want to extract, use the following syntax to extract the file:

For example, to extract the Windows 95 Unidrv.dll file from the Win95_10.cab file on a disk in drive A to the Windows\System folder on drive C, use the following command:

Extracting Multiple Files:

To extract multiple files from a cabinet file, use the same syntax as above, but use a wildcard designation for the <filename> parameter. For example, to extract all the Windows 95 files that have a .txt extension from the Win95_06.cab file on a disk in drive A to the Windows folder on drive C, use the following command:

Listing the Contents of Cabinet Files

You can use the Extract tool to list the contents of cabinet files without actually extracting any files. To display the contents of a cabinet file, use the following syntax:

To display the contents of all the cabinet files in a cabinet chain, starting with the specified cabinet file, use the following syntax:

For example, to display the contents of all the Windows 95 cabinet files using disks in drive A, starting with the Win95_02.cab file, use the following command:

NOTE: The /a switch causes the Extract tool to list the contents of all the cabinet files in the cabinet chain, starting with the first cabinet file mentioned.

Copying Cabinet Files to a Hard Disk

Although you cannot make copies of the original Windows 95 floppy disks using the utilities that are included with Windows 95, you can use the Extract tool to copy cabinet files from a CD-ROM or floppy disk to your hard disk. To do so, use the following syntax:

For example, to copy the Win95_02.cab file from a disk in drive A to the Windows folder on drive C, use the following command:

NOTE: You cannot use the /a and /c switches at the same time. Therefore, you cannot copy all the cabinet files using a single command.

Other Optional Switches

Use the /y switch to cause the Extract tool to not prompt you before overwriting an existing file. If you use this switch when you are extracting a file, any file in the destination folder with the same name as the file you are extracting is automatically overwritten.

For example, to extract the Unidrv.dll file from the Win95_02.cab file on a disk in drive A to the Windows\System folder on drive C and automatically overwrite any existing Unidrv.dll file that is already there, use the following command:

Use the /e switch in place of the "*.*" wildcard designation when you are extracting or finding multiple files. For example, to extract all the files from the Win95_06.cab file on a disk in drive A to the Windows folder on drive C, use either of the following commands:

For a complete list of the command-line switches for the Extract tool, type "extract" (without quotation marks) at a command prompt.

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Fat32 and Large Disk Support

If you have problems with not seeing you hard drive when you boot from a floppy drive, you may have booted from an earlier version of with 16bit FAT. Fat32 will need to be booted from a version of Win 95 4.00.950 B or later. You can create a boot disk either by typing    sys a:   at a dos prompt or create a boot disk from windows. (Go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Software, Start Up Disk and create one from there.)

How to Convert a Drive to FAT32 Using Drive Converter

NOTE: After you convert your hard disk to FAT32, you are unable to convert it back to the original FAT system. A drive must be at least 512 megabytes (MB) in size to be converted to the FAT32 file system.

To convert a drive to the FAT32 file system, use the following steps.

NOTE: Before you convert to the FAT32 file system, uninstall any utilities or tools that protect or encrypt the Master Boot Record (MBR) or partition table (for example, uninstall Bootlock included with Symantec Norton Your Eyes Only).

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, click Drive Converter (FAT32), and then click Next.
2. In the Drives box, click the drive you want to convert to the FAT32 file system.
3. Click Next, and then click OK.
4. Click Next, click Next, and then click Next.
5. When the conversion is complete, click Finish.

If you receive an error message Not Enough Memory to Convert to FAT32 see the Error Messages section.

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Hardware Concerns

It's best to always have the latest drivers from the manufacturer before you upgrade to Win98. Go here-> Frank Condron's Windows Page  to find them. You should check the manufacturer site occasionally for newer updates to make sure you continue to get the most from your equipment.

Most hardware conflicts I've seen usually begin with older equipment and drivers. Some equipment will not run on 98 with out a lot of tweaking especially older video and sound cards.

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Trying to run Setup for a program or after running a program for a short time and getting "Out of memory errors" or "There is not enough memory to perform this operation"

If Windows 95/98 is installed on a compressed drive, the Setup program may place the swap file on the host drive of the compressed drive. If the host drive does not have enough free space, the swap file may not be able to grow large enough to accommodate large programs.

Is there enough free space for the virtual memory paging file on your hard disk? Windows 98 uses hard disk space, in the form of a virtual memory paging file, to simulate RAM.

To determine which drive the Windows virtual memory paging file is on;

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
2. In the Named box, type Win386.swp. In the Look In box, click My Computer, and then click Find Now.

To determine whether there is enough free disk space

1. Increase the amount of free space on the drive on which the Windows virtual memory paging file is located.

To free disk space, use any of the following methods:

1. Empty the Recycle Bin.
2. Delete any temporary files from the disk.
3. Delete any obsolete or archived files from the disk.
4. Remove any programs that you never use.
5. If you are using a Microsoft compression program (DrvSpace or DblSpace), the swap file can be safely placed on the compressed drive (assuming there is enough free space on the compressed drive). If you are using a non- Microsoft compression program, you must enlarge the host drive or move the swap file to another uncompressed drive.

Do You Let Windows Manage your Swap File?

Rt.-Click My Computer | properties | Performance| virtual memory and check the "Let windows manage my virtual memory settings"

Do you have too many programs open?

If you have too many documents open or too many programs running at the same time, you may not have enough free memory to run another program. To determine whether you have too many documents or programs open Close any open documents other than the current one. Quit any programs that you are not currently using. Continue your interrupted task.

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Contact Information

Electronic mail address
jaric@mindspring.com

Web and HomePage address
Tripod HomePage

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Copyright © 1996-98 Richard Mask
Last revised: November 26, 2000.F