recovery disc won,t work

I've been having trouble with my computer,and i tried my recovery disc,but it freezes on recovery options,i have a windows 98 hp.When i start up my computer it says unistall or setup program ndiswan.vxd.And when i try to defragment my files it goe's to 4% and stops,then reads ID#DEFRAG004.I am really confused can you help me please,I don't no much about computers. I would appriciate your help to get me running again. Thank you
Jo-Jo

 

CrazyG, Have you tried running Scandisc? If it will let you, do this. This may be a start as to what could be wrong. Hope this helps...Loomisman

 

 

I can't even scan disc.Any other suguestions?

 

This article should fix you up, just follow the instructions.

msdatabase

 

Do you have a windows 98 startup (boot) disk, if you have one or can get a friend that also has windows 98 to make one for you (windows startup disk is also a system boot floppy), put the startup floppy in the drive , reboot the computer (assuming that your bios is set to boot a: then c) you will be asked when the floppy is booted if you want cd rom support, since we are only checking the hard drive it won't matter either way. Now when the computer is up you will be at dos prompt, a: , a:> , c: , c:>
something similiar to that . now type in c: (push enter)
now type SCANDISK (push enter) , it should run scandisk now on drive c: (hard drive).

Now remove the floppy, and reboot, tell me exactly step you step how far windows goes being crashing. What appears on the screen , does the windows logo come up at all ? tell me anything that has been installed or uninstalled from the computer between the last time it worked perfectly and the 1st time you had a problem. Any new hardware installed ? internet by modem or high speed DSL or cable. Did the computer just crash and wouldn't restart properly or all was fine and one day turned it on and you had a problem with it ?

If you bought this new, when was the system bought ?, do you have System restore cd's that came with the system, I know compaq supplies them , I am not sure about HP.

What is the recovery disk that you are refering to , windows start-up, anti-virus recovery ? or other, please specify. CAN WINDOWS BE STARTED IN SAFE MODE ??? Please post the new information ? Give me WORD FOR WORD any error messages that appears.

I have been looking for NDISWAN.VXD on the internet have not yet found anything specific about it, although it was just a quick search, I then find find some mention around networking but not specific to that file. I checked my own computer and found it in the windows system directory as a virtual device drive. When checking the file in notepad, thru all the garbage that was displayed , I did manage to read WINDOWS VIRTUAL WAN PROTOCOL DRIVER.



[Edited by dkerr on 01-27-01 at 09:10]

 

I just read brianF message that got posted while I was typing in mine, the acticle link he posted is good. However I don't quite get way scandisk won't run. If you uninstall and re-install networking it may ask for your windows 98 install cd. I just reread your message , and it seams that you do have some windows functions as you are able to at least attempt to run defrag, unless you are trying to run it from your recovery disk. You have to be able to boot windows at least in SAFE mode to be able to properly uninstall networking or properly re-install networking. Repost new information for us....

 

Really I think the proper thing to do would be to go to device manager, remove the network tab, reboot and reinstall it. But you will have to set up your network protocals again Depending on what type of connection and modem you have it can be a little challanging for some. did you try using the system file checker to reextract the vxd to your system. Actually just use the system file checker first and let it scan and see if it finds an error. I am afraid I am not much help on dialups, I have been using cable for two long.

 

Hi, BrianF

I would be interested to see what the orginal poster comes back with. There is not always cut and dry diagnostic solutions when we are not at the unit itself. We all come up with possible solutions and causes based on the limited inforamtion that the poster has provided us and draw from our pesonal knowledge and experience, and attempt a workable fix to an unknown person with unknown abilities. I find there is a lot of if's to some requests for help and we need the missing details, to further narrow done possible causes. I always try when possible to say , it is most likely..., it could be caused by.... ,I suspect this is happening..., I would say your best option is (or could be)to...,Or I at least I try to do that. Scandisk won't run, why ? Defrag won't run, why ? Reading as a lawyer would read, did the poster scandisk run from windows or from the recovery disk ? No I am not a lawyer nor want to be one, but I am a union rep at work, and we know all about dotting the I and crossing the T. Your answers are very good, and very possible, I would recommend to try the same provided windows does come up.

This is the great thing about these forums we have a great variety of knowledgeable people on here and not everyone solution will be the right one , even my own. But in the end we may be able to solve a problem without seeing the unit in question. What I didn't think of, you or another might, and I'll say to myself , hey it could be that to, or I never thought of that, and I could also think how could that be, or why would that work ?
Not everyone explains things properly either.

Take Care

dkerr

 

I was basing my answer by this email I received. Yes I know there are multiple problems here, but I guess I am narrow minded. I work one at a time. Right or wrong, personality fault.
I tried your suggeston with msdatabase and nothing.But i did
find in my microsoft System Information under
network,problem devices,NDISWAN,NetTrans it reads:This
device has a problem:code=2(0x3),Device failure:Try changing
the driver for this device.If that does'nt work,see your
hardware documentation.
ALLOC Resources:none
Driver:ndiswan
Registry key:H key_local_MACHINE\enum\network\NDISWAN\0000
ALLOC resourses:none
Forced " :none
Boot " :none
Filtered " :none
Basic " :none
Driver:NetTrans\0015
Driver date:4-23-1999
Driver:NDISWAN.VXd
File size: Driver not installed
File date: " " "

 

No problem, that is the one drawback of email relating to these forums, I get get email also, which I don't mind at all, but others that are trying to follow the flow of the thread, don't have the information sent. I would be interested to know how things turn out. See from that info in the email taht was sent to you it appears that windows is botting up, I couldn't conclude that from the original posting.