...so it's a good job I can still get my old computer up and running or else I'd be totally screwed :( Actually, I suppose in a way this is on-topic, as all my current Poser freebie WIPs are on the scuppered computer and won't be going anywhere until I can get it running LOL. I installed a security update for Explorer, and now Windows98 won't load. Just past the splash screen I get an error message telling me that windowssystemSHLWAPI.DLL is missing and Explorer can't load. It then helpfully advises me to reinstall Windows. Impressed with my own cleverness, I got on the old computer, went to www.dll.files.com and downloaded Shlwapi.dll, booted into command mode, copied the file to windowssystem and tried again. Now I get an error regarding SHELL32.DLL (I think). Here's the rub - I downloaded Shlwapi.dll but apparently this is not the same as SHLWAPI.DLL or even shlwapi.dll Having googled the problem I've found one user who fixed things by copying a version of SHLWAPI.DLL from a friend's XP edition, having failed with versions from 98 and ME While I'm happy for her, this doesn't help me very much, as the only version I've been able to find is the one from www.dll.files.com Any suggestions? Cheers - Graham (currently readjusting to a 15" screen and a wheel-less mouse)

The new update might not be for windows 98 but only for xp, you could try just reinstalling windows over the existing version. I wouldn`t install any of the newer updates for windows as they will mostly be for the ( cheesy ) newer versions of windows.

Message edited on: 11/06/2004 17:44

microsucks is not supporting any non nt version of winders. so 95, 98 and me have no updates. wipe the winders system dir and re-install is the best fix.

The first thing I try when win98 SE fails to boot is to restore the registry to a known good copy. To do this boot to DOS and enter the command "scanreg/restore", this cures most ills. If that does not work do an over the top reinstall of win98, that is to say reinstall win98 without deleting anythig.

...which is almost exactly the same thing that this guy did. I found his post via google:

"The last thing I remember doing was loading a cumulative patch for IE 6, SP 1. When the download/install was nearly complete, I checked IE 6 and saw that I already had this patch. I figured I'd let it complete and just overwrite what I had."

That, apparently, is the specific action that makes any system, 98 ME or XP, go pear-shaped - letting windows install the same IE6 patch twice.

Les - I'll remember that registry tip for future reference, but unfortunately it didn't work this time (no back-up available).

The trick still seems to be getting the most up to date copy of SHLWAPI.DLL

The first version I tried was about 25K, rummaging on google I found a 284K version which let windows load much further before coughing up a common-or-garden error message and shutting Explorer down.

Thanks for all the input guys - I've got the CD for a reinstall, but I think I'll pursue the .DLL route for a while longer (reinstalls make me nervous LOL)

cheers

• Graham

Why are you searching the web for the dll? It should be on your original Installation CD. Also if the old computer is running the same version, I'd pull a copy from there. If you have to go the CD route, it's (the dll) probably compressed in one of the .cab files on the CD. OK I just checked. On my Win98SE CD, shlwapi.dll is in the file WIN98_41.CAB. I just did a search using the Windows text in file search to find it. My zip utility opens .cab files or you can use the extract utility from the Win98 folder. Same procedure should work for plain Win98. If that doesn't work, that dll is apparently part of the IE installation. You may need to have the same version as the latest IE version. Do you have IE6 on the old computer? If so, the dll from there might work though you might need to apply the security patch first. I don't know why doubling up the patch would cause this but it's certainly possible. Worst case if you have to reinstall--it's been a long time since I did it but I seem to recall that I didn't lose anything. Once you get it working, you'll be much happier in the long run if you upgrade to XP or 2000, assuming your hardware is reasonably new. I haven't tried XP but 2000 is rock solid and has better recovery options if something does go wrong.

lmckenzie, I went looking online because the original error message reported that SHLWAPI.DLL was missing. BTW, I tried extracting the file from WIN98_41.CAB but it was an older version than the one I'd found online. I gave it a whirl anyway, but no dice. I'd already tried copying over the .dll from the old computer. On the plus side I'm now building a handsome collection of shlwapi.dll files ;)

Message edited on: 11/07/2004 00:05

You might need a windows xp version of the dll but it might not work in windows 98 even if you do get the right one.

Attached Link: http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,111652,00.asp

"...I went looking online because the original error message reported that SHLWAPI.DLL was missing." Gotcha. That's why I suggested the CD. If that file is the one causing the grief, then you may need the exact version that was possibly installed by the IE patch. If so, the only three options I can think of are: 1. Get IE8 on the old machine patched up to date and copy from there. Considering that patching was the beginning of this, I wouldn't blame you if yo were leery of trying that on your working machine. It might not be the entire fix anyway. 2. Somehow get IE reinstalled on the broken machine. Probably not doable from DOS but worth a try if you can find the download version of IE6. Can you even get into safe mode? It might or might not work from there. 3. Reinstall Windows 98. This article may help. Good luck.

lmckenzie, looks like a reinstall might end up being my only option, so many thanks for that link - there's some very useful information there.

cheers

• Graham

Maybe someone much more knowledgeable about Windows 98 can answer me this..CAN you load windows WITHOUT IE ? If so..maybe you could skip it all together and load a different browser?..say Firefox or similar ?

Attached Link: http://www.litepc.com

You can certainly install any other browser. I have Firefox installed in addition to IE, though I don't use it much. IE is pretty integral to Windows. There are a lot of functions like HTML help files that use it, as well as others. Some software, especially from Microsoft won't install if it doesn't find IE. My advice would probably be to go ahead and install another browser, make it your default (it'll probably ask the first time you run it) and leave IE in place. If you really want to get rid of it, this is the place you need to go (link). They have a freeware program IEradicator that is supposed to remove IE. It says from an "unmodified" installatrion, I'm not sure what that means. They also have other programs that will allow you to remove various parts of Windows to supposedly speed it up and make it more reliable. I haven't tried any of these but they've been around for awhile and are constantly developing new stuff so it might be worth a try.

I've used 98lite, and still use it on my older box for gaming. You will =love= 98lite. And you will be amazed at just how stable an OS 98SE is when you scrape Exploder, Outlook, and the active desktop off of it. IE isn't part of the OS; It is a web browser that has been kludged into the OS....and created the security nightmare that currently exists. Removing IE from 98 loses you the help files in html format. That's about it...well, except for shell native .png image support; that was put into IE. There -are- lots of programs that scream that you =MUST= have IE installed so they can work. They lie. At the same site, you'll find a .ini file to copy to your desktop. It Re-inserts one registry key for IE into windows, at the top of the registry stack. This is the key that installers check for, and if it is there, they don't abort the installation. All you lose is the MS format help files. The only program I've heard of that has any trouble is Office, which was deliberately programmed to use IE as a display sub-system. Once IE and Outlook are never installed, you find yourself protected from around 80% of the script kiddie nonsense on the net, simply because they use IE and Outlook to attack through. Putting the 95 desktop onto 98 speeds it up again, and closes off the most direct method of hijacking Active X components. IE Eradicator digs IE out of a Windows install. 98Lite can do that, but it shines when you do a clean install. Basically, what it does is break the hash table that Windows uses to build itself, and turn everything into a selectable option. And the latest versions create a set up folder on your HDD, and copies the relevant cab files into it, so you rarely need to plop that ol CD back into the drive.

Did you try a Go Back? My old Win98 2ndE had that program on it and you just go back to before you did the up date.

Actually, Go Back is s separate application you can buy. It is basically the same idea as the system restore points on XP but more fully featured. You can set restore points and be able to restore deleted files, undo system changes, etc. It works quite well. The product wad taken over by another company and the last I heard, they were working on a version for other Windows versions. Of course, that was back when NT was the newest version of Windows so I don't know if it's still around. Theres also a freeware utility you can get called ERUNT, probably find it on Google. It will quickly save a copy of your current registry and do restores from these backups--helpful if an install goes bad. It won't delete installed files but the registry is usually the key to getting most things undone, assuming no system files were replaced. I don't know if it works on 98 or not.

" microsucks is not supporting any non nt version of winders.
so 95, 98 and me have no updates.

wipe the winders system dir and re-install is the best fix."

actually they extended the support period to the middle of 2006 to popular demand. plus 2K / XP still has not got the market share that 95/98/ME has.. so it was in their interests to carry on support for a bit longer...
to quote "Windows 98 wins support lifeline Windows 98 on sale in computer store, AP Windows 98: A favourite with many Microsoft has granted its venerable Windows 98 software a reprieve. The software giant was planning to end support for the product on 16 January but has now changed its mind. The turn off date has now been extended to 30 June 2006 following protests by some developing nations who are keen users of the ageing operating system. Extended support means users must pay for help to solve problems but Microsoft will issue free patches to counter serious security threats. Long life The decision to extend support reverses an earlier Microsoft announcement that Windows 98 was reaching the end of its support period. " full article here - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3392559.stm

Message edited on: 11/07/2004 14:56

Thanks for all the tips and advice guys, a repair/reinstall did the job.

Freestuff production can now re-commence ;)

cheers

• Graham

Message edited on: 11/07/2004 22:52

Outstanding!