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re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 8:16 am Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) You could try replacing krnl386.exe by extracting a fresh copy. On my CD it is in the Win98_45.CAB. You will have to boot into DOS to make the switch. It would rule out krnl386.exe as the cause of the problem. However I tend to think it is another application that interacts with krnl386.exe that is causing krnl386.exe to trip up, it just gets reported as a krnl386.exe error. You could also try another virus scanner to see if it turns up something that Panda missed. I only use Win98 offline these days so I don't what free antivirus scanners are still available for Win98. That said, I doubt an antivirus scanner would be able to undo the damage that has already been done to your system. I suspect the registry has also been affected. Quite frankly, if I had the trouble you described I would be doing a complete reinstall. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 11:46 am Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) It's obvious that you made the effort, but this is how your post looks: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/1254026975 The first 2 paragraphs here are worth reading: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/1217046552 goawayfast (aka lisa) wrote: |i have searched for answers to these problems before bothering you all | Kudos. We don't see that nearly enough. |i have noticed an increase in krnl386.exe error messages[...Long tale of woe]. | I don't know what your general computing techniques are, but this guy (who mainly writes about Linux these days but has used other platforms) has some descriptions of the typical Windoze user's (bogus) thinking WRT security: cache of http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/antivirusculture cache of http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/does-anti-malware-do-anything This is a page I like to link to about what Windoze users SHOULD be doing: **Leo’s Laporte's Six Rules for Safe Computing** cache of http://techguylabs.com/radio/ShowNotes/Show327#toc3 Note that with your current software, Leo's #4 is rubbing salt in the wound as Win9x hasn't been supported/updated for over 3 years. Note also that #6 is not possible as Win9x is a single-user system where any user ALWAYS RUNS AS ROOT. This is the WORST possible paradigm. The best you can do with Win9x (again with the pasted-on "security" notion) is install and configure System Policy Editor. cache of http://www.zisman.ca/poledit/ It appears that what you have is indeed an infection and if you have *one* infection, it is likely you have others. As Arminius alluded to, the sure way to get rid of this stuff is to wipe the disk and start fresh. Of course, you have backups of your data files so you can restore those afterwards. A clean install of a Windoze ecosystem will also result in a peppier box. (Registry cruft is then gone.) In addition, I will do my usual and advise that this 10 - 11 year old OS which, again, hasn't been supported by its vendor for over 3 years is a poor choice this far into the 21st Century. Windoze users generally live in a Microsoft bubble where they think one or more of the following: 1) M$ is the only software that will run[1] on their boxes. 2) People have to pay money for software. 3) People have to wait for M$ to fix the (broken) software they use and, barring that, just bend over and take it. 4) People have to run an OS with a lousy security model aka you have to put up with an operating system that is easily infected. The fact is, all of those are false. I recommend that people investigate Linux which is FREE. With Linux, Point #3 is much less severe because the Linux ecosystem is all Open Source Software which means, in theory, that *any* competent programmer can fix bugs or add features. WRT Point #4 (*System Policy Editor* vs Linux): Linux **installs** with an excellent security model which avoids infections.[2] There is also a fifth point: You DON'T need to *install* Linux to try it; you can boot to the Linux CD which gives a graphical Linux desktop you can do a test drive of the Linux ecosystem from the CD. Try **THAT** with any M$ product. Of the thousands of versions of Linux available (think: each tweaked to suit a particular kind of user), I recommend that the typical Windows 98 user try Linux Mint Xfce Edition. There is also an edition of Mint for extremely anemic boxes; that one uses the Fluxbox desktop instead of Xfce. If you have 256MB or more of RAM, you might consider the (more powerful) KDE edition or the Gnome edition of Mint. There is probably a bunch of nerds near you that can fix you right up and bring you into the 21st Century--again, all FREE. http://google.com/search?q=Linux.Users.Groups [1] I initially had a Freudian slip with a typo there: "ruin". 8-) [2] There are exceptions. Linux distros that I am aware of that should be avoided because of their poor security models: Puppy Linux; Linspire/Freespire; Xandros. Puppy is popular because it is easy (Easy==poor security; compare having to type in a password once in a blue moon to what you're going through now.). Linspire and Xandros are payware anyway. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) Monday, September 28, 2009 at 10:17 am Posted by Sebastian (270 messages posted) 1. why use W98? 2. just format the computer and reinstall ur w98, dont suffer doing it the hard way, its pointless [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) Monday, September 28, 2009 at 12:12 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) Sebastian wrote: (without previewing his post) |1. why use W98? | Indeed. A fresh copy of Linux will run on the old hardware and it is FREE. The OP can then say "Goodbye" to infections. |2. just format the computer | Actually, to make sure you get EVERYTHING (including any boot sector viruses), you'd want to blast away all the partitions too. As has been noted before in this forum, depending on M$ software to do that properly is fraught with disappointment. You *could* use a bootable Linux disk's FDISK utility to prep the HDD. (While M$ software understands almost NO filesystems, Linux understands almost EVERY filesystem, including FAT32.) Another alternative is to use a disk wiping utility like (Free Software) DBAN before using M$'s FDISK. |and reinstall ur w98, | ...if you're a real glutton for yet more infections and want to remain mired in technology from the previous century. |dont suffer doing it the hard way, its pointless | We at least have concensus on that. The silliest part of trying to "disinfect" a Windoze system is that THE SOFTWARE TO DO THAT GETS INSTALLED ON THE INFECTED SYSTEM. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) Monday, September 28, 2009 at 6:11 pm Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) Ha ha ha Sebastian! What would be your (not ur) [1] first choice to run on goawayfast's antiquated, nay! I say vintage hardware? Have you ever read the Win95 forum? Those people are as protective of their continuing use of Win95 as a mother bear is protective of her cubs. I admire their perseverance. [1]Ur was a city in ancient Sumer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ur [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 11:24 am Posted by goawayfast (2 messages posted) Several things: 1. Sebastian, I know you were picking on me (and others), but thank you for your admiration of our perseverance. I stuck with win98 SE for several reasons. Probably the biggest is money (I can't afford to keep buying all of you-know-who's never ending line of crappy "improved" operating systems). I also felt like everything after win98 was becoming too automated. It sort of felt like I was letting Bill take over my computer (and perhaps my life) way too much. I want control of my computer. I don't want it (or Bill) telling me what to do. Perhaps it was all just an illusion anyway. 2. Arminius, I tried replacing krnl386, and a multitude of others. I felt like a surgeon trying to patch up a multiple gun shot wound victim. I'd get one file fixed, and two more file errors would pop up. It was a huge catastrophic failure (the computer and my attempts). I could see the end coming, but yet I continued on. What some of us won't do for win98 and to avoid a complete re-install. 3. gewg, The spacing. Yes, I knew. I unchecked that box, because it says not to use it unless it's really needed. I figured no one was going to die if my paragraphs were all smooshed together into one, so I proceeded. I guess my definition of "absolute necessity" is a bit different than the actual intention of the folks who run the site. 4. Different operating system? Hmmm... I'm not feeling that computer hard core. Sorry, but I will probably have to remain a little more mainstream. I WILL check into other systems though, such as Linux. It's worth a look at any rate. Perhaps I will be convinced. When I look at software boxes though, I don't remember any of them ever saying Linux as a possible OS to run the software on (such as games). Am I going to be able to run all my usual programs? 5. Bow yours heads, shake them back and forth and pray for me. I will be doing a re-install OVER the old win98. No clean install. Again; not that hard core. It's too much damn trouble to install everything back onto the computer again. That would take forever. I'm going to try the "easy" way out first, before going to such extremes as wiping the whole hard drive. Sorry to disappoint you all. I'm just a Microsoft lemming. I see the cliff ... running ... running... Lisa [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 4:10 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) goawayfast (aka Lisa) wrote: |3. gewg, The spacing. Yes, I knew. |I unchecked that box, because it says not to use it unless it's really needed[...] | The Webmaster did a lousy job of explaining that. (He chose lousy defaults on the Config page too.) Often, even the posts of old hands here look terrible. 8-( |1. [...]I stuck with win98 SE for several reasons. Probably the biggest is money |(I can't afford to keep buying all of you-know-who's |never ending line of crappy "improved" operating systems). | That's why Free Software was mentioned specifically. The fact that you will need new HARDWARE to run M$'s stuff was also mentioned as well as the fact that Linux loves old hardware. (If you look at the DistroWatch page linked below, you'll see that e.g. Linux Mint supports i386.) |I also felt like everything after win98 was becoming too automated. |It sort of felt like I was letting Bill take over my computer | I hear you saying that M$ installing a remote kill switch on your box http://google.com/search?q="Windows.Genuine.Advantage" is a really bad idea. {virtual High Five} Another name for Free Software is Free(dom) Software--aka Software Libre. YOU are in control. |4. Different operating system? Hmmm... I'm not feeling that computer hard core. | There's no need to jump in the deep end if that's not what you want. cache of http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/a-home-users-successful-migration-strategy-from-windows-to-ubuntu-2 A lot of folks, however, just get tired of infections and out-of-their-control stuff. Apparently, you have a higher pain threshold. |[...]I WILL check into other systems though, such as Linux. | If you have the drive space, dual-boot is an option. Any modern Linux distro includes all the gizmos; it repartitions the drive per your specs and sets up a Boot Manager. (I actually recommend a separate drive; you can pick up used drives for a song.) NOTE: The stuff *included* with Linux distros makes M$ OSes look so sad. The way Linux doesn't nuke other installed OSes while being installed is especially noteworthy. OTOH, WRT Win9x installs, see "separate drive" (above). Another option already mentioned: Booting to the CD and running without installing is something n00bs often do. There are even several ways to get started with Linux *inside* Windoze (though *why* someone would want their outward facing wall to be Windoze when it could be something more secure, I don't understand). Again, your local wizards can get you jump-started on this. Related directly to your immediate concern: I was unknowingly playing my cards close to the vest when I mentioned anti-malware being **installed** on the typical Windoze users' infected systems. I'd forgotten about it until this context jogged my old brain, but there is actually a bootable Linux CD that addresses this issue: cache of http://blog.brothersoft.com/2008/12/11/free-avira-antivir-rescue-system-cd-to-clean-unremovable-virus SEVERAL, in fact: cache of http://www.clamwin.com/content/view/197/106 I always smile when Linux is used to rescue Windoze's fragile little butt. Another kind of Linux CD can avoid yet more cash outlays for things you thought were payware. This one, for example, replaces Norton Ghost *and* Partition Magic: http://google.com/search?q="Parted.Magic" Linux is SO cool. |When I look at software boxes though, |I don't remember any of them ever saying Linux |as a possible OS to run the software on | A Free Software re-implementation of the Windoze APIs: (aka A replacement for Windoze) http://google.com/search?q=WineHQ ...though I can't think of any productivity software Windoze users might have that doesn't have zero-cost Free(dom)ware analogs. Have I mentioned that Linux *COMES* with a whole scad of useful apps? cache of http://distrowatch.com/mint Something I haven't mentioned is the Linux Mint software repository which has over 26,000 Free Software apps and isn't even *that* inclusive yet. This site's coverage is closer to the whole truth: http://google.com/search?q=site:freshmeat.net+inurl:projects It's hard to find something that a Free Software developer hasn't implemented. I'm ASSuMEing you've already dumped M$'s easily-infected online apps (which also assist in infecting the underlying M$ OS) and are already using e.g. Firefox, Thunderbird, MPlayer/VLC under Windoze. In that case, the transition to all-Free-Software becomes even easier. ...and a Linux "package manager" makes getting apps simple for you: First, it helps you finds the app by type; then (in one motion) it downloads it, installs it, and updates it. It also helps uninstall what you don't want any more (including dependencies). In fact, it can do gobs of apps--all at the same time. You can even USE the system while this is happening. All of this is unlike ANYTHING that Windoze users are used to; sometimes they just sit there with their mouths agape while it happens. |(such as games). | http://google.com/search?q=Cedega ...which used to be called WineX. I can't remember its name now, but there's also a Linux distro dedicated to gamers that is chocked full of OSS games. Obviously, I'm not a gamer. |5. [...]It's too much damn trouble to install everything [Windoze-related] |back onto the computer again. | Another advantage of Linux: It doesn't have that STUPID Windoze Registry thing; with Linux, there's also no reboot, reboot, reboot, reboot, reboot, reboot to install stuff--for exactly the same reason (no stupid Registry). Being able to tell a Linux installer what you want it to do, then just walking away is SO cool. |[...]I'm just a Microsoft lemming. I see the cliff ... running ... running... | Everybody has limits. Zero-cost solutions that you can test drive without installing help a lot of folks in overcoming ingrained acceptance of mediocrity and antiquity. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 4:12 pm Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) Lisa, Two things. It was I who admired the perseverance of people who continue to make the best of old OS's, not Sebastian. He was just being a wise guy. :-) I still use 98SE just not online anymore. The other thing is. Would you mind reporting back how things turned out after your attempt to reinstall Windows? It might be useful to others. Good luck. [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 4:47 pm Posted by Arminius (334 messages posted) gewg, You might be thinking of this version of linux. http://www.supergamer.org/ I was going to download it some time ago but the file size was a deterant. Dual layer DVD, they can't be serious! [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Many Problems (Computer Possessed) Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 8:14 pm Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) goawayfast (aka Lisa) wrote: |It's too much damn trouble to install everything back onto the computer again. I would think that all Windoze users would know this by now, but the easy way to deal with the install nightmare that M$ came up with[1] is: Once you have a stable Windoze ecosystem (re)installed--OS, basic apps-- *that* is a really good time to CLONE that drive (before the Registry develops more cruft).[2] The next time you have big problems, restoring that image is MUCH less bother than the standard M$ way of getting a working Windoze system again. BTW, the Parted Magic bootable Linux distro I mentioned includes Clonezilla, a gratis and libre replacement for Norton Ghost. [1] Business that can't afford downtime can't afford not to have a drive image ready to replace a damaged one. ("Mission-critical" and "Microsoft" in the same thought seems comical to me.) [2] Some folks are known to do this in multiple steps: 1) Clone the drive so you're sure you have a safe image. 2) Run a Registry Cleaner on the drive then clone it again. Yes, Virginia, you can get useless crap in your Registry from a basic install --without ever having used the system for anything. 2a) Some folks are conservative with Registy Cleaners and make multiple, increasingly bold, cleanings then cloning the drive after each of those. 3) After you have done some basic configuration, clone it yet again. NOTE: A DVD holds 4.7GB. Most folks can get an image onto one of those. [Reply or follow-up to this message] My new favorite anti-malware story (was:...Possessed) Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 10:16 am Posted by gewg_ (4444 messages posted) |goawayfast (aka Lisa) wrote: ||When I look at software boxes though, ||I don't remember any of them ever saying Linux ||as a possible OS to run the software on gewg_ wrote: |A Free Software re-implementation of the Windoze APIs: |(aka A replacement for Windoze) |http://google.com/search?q=WineHQ WINE is a recursive acronym for "Wine Is Not an Emulator". Again, it is a reverse-engineered implementation of Windows' Application Programming Interfaces--the core technology of Windoze. This is a clean-room build that doesn't use any M$ code. My new favorite anti-malware story: from the Usenet Archive -- WINE as an anti-malware tool -- Terry Porter Translation: The infected Windoze app wanted to use Terry's computer as a zombie to spew spam on behalf of the infection's creator. WINE not only didn't cooperate, WINE pointed at the infection and started to metaphorically shout a warning. Tagline should be: WINE: A better Windows than Windoze. [Reply or follow-up to this message] Tip: Use one of the [Reply or follow-up to this message] links above to add a message to this thread Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows 98 Discussion Forum