- 1). Start your computer in "Safe Mode" to combat start-up or shut-down problems. Use this mode if you encounter a hardware or software malfunction or receive continuous errors on-screen. In this mode, only minimal system files are loaded to help you troubleshoot the source of the problem. While your computer starts, press and hold down the “F8” key on your keyboard. Select “Safe Mode” from the list of available options and press “Enter.”
- 2). Use "System Restore." If your system hangs after a software or hardware installation, use this feature to restore the settings and performance to an earlier date when Windows 98 was working properly. Click the "Start" menu, followed by "Programs," "Accessories" and finally, "System Tools." Launch "System Restore" and ensure that “Restore my computer to an earlier time” is selected. Click "Next," then select one of the dates in bold from the on-screen calendar. Select your preferred system checkpoint and click “Next.” Once Windows 98 is restored, try to reload it as you normally would. If the problem persists, launch "System Restore" once again and select an older date from the on-screen calendar.
- 3). Use "Disk Defragmenter" to combat sluggish performance. Defragment the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) if your applications are too slow to run on your system. Disk Defragmenter organizes all the files in your hard drive to improve their overall performance. Click "Start," followed by "Programs," "Accessories" and "System Tools." Click “Disk Defragmenter,” select the drive to be analyzed and click "OK."
- 4). Update and diagnose drivers using “Device Manager.” If hardware problems occur, download and install hardware updates from the manufacturer’s website. Click “Start,” “Settings” and “Control Panel.” Double-click “System,” followed by “Device Manager” within the "Hardware" tab. An exclamation mark next to each hardware item indicates a hardware conflict, while a red "X" indicates a disabled device.
- 5). Use "System Recovery" in case of HDD failure. Boot your system with your Windows 98 start-up disk. Select "Start computer with CD-ROM support" from the boot menu on-screen and press “Enter.” On the MS-DOS prompt, type the CD-ROM drive letter followed by a colon and press “Enter.” Type “CD tools\sysrec" and press "Enter." Then, type "pcrestor" and hit "Enter." Follow the on-screen instructions to install a minimal version of Windows 98. Once the installation is over, “System Recovery Wizard” will come up. Click “Next” and follow all screen instructions to operate your backup drive. Choose “Restore Backed Up Files” and click “OK.” Select a backup device from the “Restore From” drop-down list and click “Next.” Then, choose the “Original Location” option from the “Where To Restore” drop-down box and click “Next.” Follow the remaining instructions to finish the recovery wizard. Upon restarting the system, everything should appear as it did right before the HDD failure.
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