posted on June 25, 2001 06:07:26 PM new
I operate with Win98se and have a problem with 'fatal exception oe' errors (the blue screen thing) which is driving me insane...
Was talking to a computer programmer who recommended I ditch win98 & install win2000pro as, he says, it is a zillion times better and it SHOULD fix the problem..
Anyone have an educated opinion or experience with this sort of thing?
posted on June 25, 2001 06:23:47 PM new
It should be a lot more stable than Win 98. Check to see if your system is compatible at the Microsoft website for Win 2000;
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/professional/default.asp
Click on the upgrade and compatibility links and also check your computer manufactures website to check if any updates are needed. Also check all of the software you use and see if it is all compatible with Win 2000.
None of it is as stable as Linux but 2000 is a step in the right direction.
posted on June 25, 2001 06:33:13 PM new
win 2000 is based on nt which is a far more stable operating platform since it is not DOS based ...that said we are running it on my wifes computer and I am not impressed enough to install on either my desktop or laptop.
I would back evrything up format your hardrive and reinstall 98 before investing in 2000
I can't rember the last time I had a blue screen on either of my 98 machines
Another thing you might try is installing norton system works as I write this I realize I run norton on both 98 machines It occasionaly pops up a window reporting windows problems found and I click repair them ...this may be why I don't get the blue screens.
posted on June 25, 2001 06:47:23 PM new
Thanks, newguy! I am checking out the windows site for more info...
mrspock I have NortonSystemWorks2001 already and between that and everything else I come up with no errors. Supposedly nothing is wrong but I still get these damn blue screen errors (99% of them when I'm on ebay listing or relisting an auction).
Am pretty much at wit's end with it and this guy said that win98 pretty much sucks and that win2000pro is immensely better. He also said that winme sucks too.
Anyway, it has been suggested to me to re-install win98 but, to be honest, I have no clue whatsoever how to do that? Is it very complicated and/or difficult?
BTW..I love Norton's SystemWorks and run system checks every day, etc. It's just that whatever is causing this problem doesn't show up and nobody seems to know what to do. After several months of this I just need to make it stop!
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[ edited by sharkbaby on Jun 25, 2001 06:49 PM ]
posted on June 25, 2001 06:57:21 PM new
sharkbaby - fatal exception errors are quite often caused by bad RAM. Before re-installing your OS (especially since Norton says it's OK) I would check out he RAM. If you have two sticks of RAM in your computer, remove one and see if the problem clears up. If not, swap it the stick you took out and try again.
posted on June 25, 2001 07:20:42 PM new
Hi angel! Yup, you guessed it...I'm clueless as to the ram thing. Here's how much I know...
My computer (which is 1 yr old) came with 64mb ram and last yr I took it to BestBuy and they added another 64mb. I had them do it cuz I have no business inside the computer, I'm quite sure of that. So, I don't know what makes it 'bad' at all...
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posted on June 25, 2001 07:26:29 PM new
Hi sharkbaby, did these problems start after the RAM upgrade? If so, take it back to BestBuy, it should still be under warranty.
posted on June 25, 2001 07:31:40 PM new
Hmmm...Maybe I should do that. Would they be able to find out if it were bad? Or is there a place I can go online to test it like you test other stuff? (Sorry I'm so clueless) But I'm pretty sure it started at some point after that. Not positive though. I have even uninstalled my printers & scanner because the stupid computer says something about no driver and I couldn't get that to clear w/o uninstalling them so that's what I did...Which, I might add, sucks!
Thanks for all your help!
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posted on June 25, 2001 07:44:20 PM new
There is RAM testing software, but it is expensive and not really for the home user but rather a repair centre. BestBuy may have this software but if they don't what they would probably do is replace the RAM and test it by loading applications, trying to get an error. The problems you had with the drivers is probably unrelated.
By the sounds of it, the RAM upgrade you bought is the probelm (this isn't uncommon). When you go there, act like you know what the problem is, don't let them snow you. Tell them that ever since you got your upgrade (hope you kept the receipt!) you have been experiencing fatal errors.
And you're welcome
cant spel
[ edited by angel4u on Jun 25, 2001 07:45 PM ]
[ edited by angel4u on Jun 25, 2001 07:45 PM ]
posted on June 25, 2001 07:55:17 PM new
If you have norton istalled and it is not showing any problems than we should look towrd hardware
angel's suggestion about ram is a good one There are ram chacking devices that you plug a a stick into and it checks it they are very expensive computer shop only devices I dont know if best buy has one but you could check with them. or as someone earlier suggested it might still be under warranty
If you are not comfortable taking the computer apart and changing your ram chips you probably shouldn't get into formating your harddrive and reinstalling the operating system. whike it certainly isn't "brain surgery" you do need a modicum of computer savy.
my advice would be to swap the ram chips as angel suggested
If you have a barnes and noble nearby take a evening grab a handfull of computer how to books a get a chair and read up on how to change the chips..it is really easy and you cant hurt yourself or the pc.
in theory I would agreee 2000 should be a far superior platform ...but in reality using both 98 and 2000 I don't see the benifit
If It were me I would want to id this problem before changing the OS. as any microsoft OS upgrade seems to create its own set of problems
posted on June 25, 2001 07:57:14 PM newangel, I just found my receipt and I bought the RAM on 7/21 of last yr. I don't think I've been having this problem nearly that long tho. Maybe I should go in there anyway and get them to replace it ..??
Assuming the warranty is for a yr...Dunno.
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posted on June 25, 2001 08:07:50 PM new
You should have at least a one year warranty on your RAM. Generally speaking, hardware (i.e., RAM) will fail more often in the first 3 months or so, but it's not out of the question that RAM will fail after almost a year.
mrspock's suggestion of checking it yourself is good. It really is simple and a search on the internet should yield how-to instructions. If you want to try it, remove the RAM you bought and see if the problem clears up. If you are not comfortable doing this, take it in. It's a very simple and quick fix, they may even do it while you wait (don't know how BestBuy works, but in the store I used to work at, we usually tested/swapped RAM while the customer waited).
posted on June 25, 2001 08:28:52 PM new
I'm ready to go nuts on this issue myself. I am running on a pre-release of Win98 and I have nobody to blame but myself for the extreme hassles with it.
I -was- going to purchase Win2000 Pro 5-license when it came out, but on the day of its release, CNN revealed that Win2000 had been put into production with over 63,000 known issues (bugs). So, I decided to wait a year until the bugs were worked out.
Now, its ben a year later. I had the money all set aside and had the best place to make my purchase, when I decided to go look at Microsoft's web site just one more time to reassure myself that everything would be OK. When I got there, I saw Windows XP.
NOw I don't know what the hell to do. I can't find out any pertinent information on critical questions that I have about the new Windows XP - pertinent for me, that is (please - no URLS -- I've read all the Microsoft ones).
So, I spent a few bucks to upgrade my hardware instead. I took my RAM from 192Mb of memory to 640Mb of memory. Guess what? It didn't solve Win98's problems - it INCREASED IT! that's right: Win98 was never designed to be run with lots of memory. When Win98 was released for sale, 64Mb of SIMM memory was still over $100 a pop (now we have DIMM memory). To make Win98 run right, you need at least 128Mb of RAM, no matter what they say. And so, planning that users would have so little memory onhand, the system was designed to write most of the contents of memory into virtual memory - temporary space on your hard drive which s-l-o-w-s down performance (yes, I set my own amount of virtual memory at 300Mb).
So, you can see that there are certain proprietary answers that I want to get at before I decide what to purchase. Is Windows XP clean of ALL 16-bit code? (Win98se isn't) Does Win XP treat memory in a linear fashion, or still in memory-swapping mode like older systems (and Win98se) do. Is it True 32-bit Words, or two 16-bit words ganged together to make a false 32-bit word? Technical stuff like that which tells me if W#in XP will be worth waiting for or just dive into Win2000 Pro as planned.
posted on June 25, 2001 08:38:39 PM newangel, I think maybe I'll unhook everything in the morning and take it over to BestBuy...Can't hurt I guess. I'll let you know what happens and, again, I'm very grateful for all your help and mrspock I thank you so much for your help too.
Either one of these remedies will help or I'll just blow the damn thing up!
I should have listened to myself all those years when I said I'd never have a computer because I hate them!
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posted on June 26, 2001 05:13:09 AM new
I run Win98 2nd and the only time I've had a BSD problem was during a heat wave last fall. I incline towards the hardware problem explanation for your BSDs. Also, something else to consider is an application that is running amok and is "leaking memory", another notorious cause of BSDs.
Finally, if you really think that you need a new OS buy yourself a new computer with the OS installed. Windows9x is not happily upgraded!
posted on June 26, 2001 06:51:53 AM new
Hi Iowa! I have heard about that leaking memory thing before...How would one find out if that is happening and what the source is? Thx!
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posted on June 26, 2001 09:00:56 AM new
Shark
You did not mention whether you have a clone or name brand computer. If it is a name brand, the manufacturer will typically have a memory diagnostic for download. That would be your first step: Boot from the diagnostic and run the memory test. A good test will take 15-30 min for 128 Meg.
You did not mention whether the problem starts immediately or later as you work. If it occurs later, check the fan in the power supply on the back of the PC, make sure it is running. Blow the dust out of the p/S with canned air. Take the cover off the machine and turn it on, make sure the fan on the CPU is running.
As to the W2K W98 debate there is none. While 98 is an improvement, it is NOTHING compared to W2k. Anyone who "hasn't seen the need" to upgrade must sit in Word all day long. I maintain and repair hundreds of PCs and W2k is hundreds of times better than 98.
You can buy the upgrade Version of W2k and install it on your machine, but most of your software (other than Microsoft) will have to be un-installed and re-installed. The MS stuff will require the original disks to download add'l files.
You could try re-installing 98se in case a crash has damaged your original driver install. It is never necessary to reformat, just put your W98 CD in and run "setup" on it. It will re-examine your system and redetect the hardware. I would NOT do this until you have investigated the possibilty of a hardware error.
Tony
posted on June 26, 2001 09:37:42 AM new
Sharkbaby,
Memory leaks? Umm, er, ah, gulp? Here goes!
Everytime you open an application or piece of software it lays claim to a greater or lesser amount of memory(RAM). When you close the application the well behaved software "gives back" that memory. Unrully software may not give back all of the memory and eventually there is not enough memory to run all of the applications you would like. Your computer runs slower and slower and may crash. That said, finding the culprit(s) and dealing with them is easier said than done. There is no silver bullet and only trial and error and careful tracking of the applications you have running finds the naughty software.
I'm only repeating what I've been told, my geek expertise is not in computers! An outstanding online source of information and help for the non-technical computer user is
www.smartcomputing.com. A#1 for me!
[ edited by iowaantiques on Jun 26, 2001 09:40 AM ]
Just last week, Microsoft conceded that all versions of Windows 2000, and early "beta" versions of its new XP operating system due out this fall, have a "serious vulnerability" that lets hackers take control of victims' machines. Microsoft, which is making patches available for Windows 2000, has urged consumers to "take action immediately" to fix the glitch. And it is promising to cure the problem before XP's rollout.
posted on June 26, 2001 09:52:51 AM new
Just to clarify the memory leak thing, this is a Windows9x problem! I believe that Mac, Linux, Windows2000, and WindowsXP can all keep misbehaving software on a tight leash.
posted on June 26, 2001 01:54:13 PM new
A quick update before I head out for a dr appt....
Took the computer box to BestBuy and he didn't seem to think it was bad RAM (guess I have good RAM, then... )
He seemed to think it was a problem with my Symantec stuff. (Norton's) So he disabled some stuff and we tried again and didn't immediately run into a prob, but it doesn't happen every time...He said maybe there were some bad files in there & I should re-install that stuff if I want it there. But what's weird to me is that he just deleted SOME of it from my start-up and my firewall is still abled and some of the other stuff from my SystemWorks...
It sucks having an intelligent and logical brain! This computer crap eludes me cuz none of it ever makes sense! For me to understand things they need to follow some sort of logic which computers DON'T!
Well, we'll see. Still thinking about Win2000Pro, tho. (Or maybe a weinie roast!) This thing should light up really nicely...
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posted on June 26, 2001 02:10:16 PM new
Upgrading from Windows 98 to Windows 2000 is a major upgrade and should be performed by someone who is familiar with the upgrade process.
The biggest issue is finding drivers for your hardware and accessories. I stuck with Windows 98SE, since my HP scanner does not have a Windows 2000 driver yet. The other issue is that some of your applications will not be compatible with Windows 2000.
If you have Windows 98 Second Edition, a complete re-install (run setup.exe from the CD) will replace all Windows file, but will keep your programs and preferences intact.
If it is a specific application that is giving you trouble, a fresh install of that may help.
Since it sounds like your fatal errors are not from RAM, it is most likely corrupt DLLs. This happens when you power off your computer when your computer freezes or when the power goes out. Once those DLLs are replaced with the fresh CD ones, the fatal errors tend to disappear.
Feel free to write me at [email protected] if you have specific questions. I also have tools to help you troubleshoot. Let me know.
posted on June 26, 2001 02:16:19 PM new
I'm using W98 and thought I could get NT to run on my machine. Worked fine but didn't like the modem. Win 2000 is more fussy
Your best bet is to wait for the consumer version of Win XP before you ditch W98. WIN 2000 is not for non-computer types unless you have a comp geek on call.
W98 is reasonably stable for a few days at a time but then you have to reboot to clear out the garbage.
posted on June 26, 2001 03:04:12 PM new
Win2K Pro is REALLY picky about hardware so unless you know what ur doin... it's not a good idea to go throw 179.00 O/S on it.
I didn't see where you said if you have a cookie cutter box or something else? By cookie cutter... I mean ComCrap, Dell ect!
If so do not even bother! The chances that ALL the hardware will play nice is slim to none.
That said... Did anyone think of a virus?
Or maybe just a Hard drive that is on the edge?
When I started to have some probs like this with a win98 box... I ended up getting back to the HD & sure enough once I swapped that out... my prob was gone. Yes I did try swappin out the RAM & even tried a clean install with almost no hardware I didn't need. The install would go fine but the BSOD would start within a few days again.
As for the security with Win2K... With ntfs & the basic win2k security in place, it should be fine! As an added security just make a new ADMIN acct & a User acct... delete the orig admin acct(or leave it on there with NO RIGHTS). For everyday work... you login on the user acct.
The average user doesn't have CRAP a hacker would want to waste his time with... so the thing you need to worry about is the KIDZ!
If you are still worried then just get a router with a firewall built in. Another thing is to go get a copy of Linux & the 3 programs that work on it... then you can feel safe
Sorry about the Linux crack... I couldn't resist.
posted on June 26, 2001 03:06:05 PM new
This is off-topic but may be one of you have answer...
I somehow got an extra toolbar with my IE 5.5 browser. I cannot find anyplace to eliminate this toolbar from starting up. It takes a small fraction from my screen as well as loading time since it needs to make contact with Yahoo. Anyone can point me where to go and disable loading this toolbar.
Also, is there a place to inform IE 5.5 to open into a maximum size window whenever I request to open a new window. Currently, it opens up into a small size window and I have to maximizes it.
posted on June 26, 2001 03:43:25 PM new
engelskdansk
That was the first thing I tried. For some reason, the Yahoo toolbar does not not show up as an option. The Yahoo toolbar is underneath my adress bar and right above the window area.
posted on June 26, 2001 05:22:20 PM new
Thanks, sun, for all the additional info...Man, these things are pretty complicated!
FYI, I have all HP stuff except for my dig cam stuff which is Sony.
Maybe I can take you up on the tools help cuz I've about gotten to the end of the line as far as my ability to figure things out. Thinking about uninstalling all the Norton's stuff then re-installing it.
I have a copy of Win2000 coming but I may just put that on hold til I can make sure I've gone through everything. Also having some sort of driver problem (I guess, according to the computer anyway) so I have uninstalled the CD writer, both printers, and scanner. All of which are HP products.
Went to the HP site as someone suggested to check out drivers but didn't get much of anywhere there before getting a big ol' headache! I just don't understand why that stuff isn't on the install CD for these items...
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posted on June 26, 2001 06:12:10 PM new
Really didnt have any troubles getting evrything to work with win 2000 I just don't see it as a improvment over 98.
I still beleive you should solve this problem before you try to upgrade .
, my geek expertise is not in computers! An outstanding online source of information and help for the non-technical computer user is