Computer Crashes
Computer
crashes do occur in Windows 98. There are many reasons why they do happen. Some
computers can operate virtually all the time and hardly ever experience a
computer crash. A computer crash can be defined as a catastrophic failure of the
operating system or a software application. Yes, a software application on your
computer can cash a computer to crash. A computer crash will normally have a
blue screen background with a message on the screen that some kind of failure
has happened giving you some instructions on how to resolve the problem.
Usually, you have only one choice to solve the problem.
Turn off the power to the computer and turn it on again. If you have a file open
in a software application and your computer crashes, that file can be lost or
damaged.
Here’s how to save most of, or, all of your files. As you
add data to your file, click save on the tool bar every ten minutes. This will
save your latest data entries, or set your software application to automatically
save your file every ten minutes. The only data you will loose during a crash is
the data not saved in the last ten minutes.
Here’s what can happen when you open a new file, don’t
name it immediately, begin data entry, and don’t save the file, and then
experience a computer crash. Consider that file and its data are lost. Explained
in another way, if you have created a new file and entered data for two hours
and the computer crashes, the file and all of its data are lost. This means you
must start a new file.
What are the possible causes of a computer crash?
Some of the most common ones are listed here:
- Windows
98 files have become corrupted. Hint! Running Windows Scan Disk can correct
some of these problems.
- Windows
98 Registry files become corrupted. Hint! If you backup the Registry
shortly after a good Windows 98 installation, you can install the Registry
backup files. This will correct the corrupted files.
- Windows
98 ActiveX controls become corrupted.
- Software
drivers for you computer hardware ( modem, sound card, or video card )
become corrupted.
- A
new installation of the Windows 98 operating system did not properly
install, causing corrupted files.
- The
installation of a new software application did not properly install, causing
corrupted files. Each time you add software applications to your computer
you add the risk of an improper installation. Test each software application
extensively to be sure it’s operating properly. If you install several new
programs one after the other without testing each one for integrity and then
experience a computer crash, you will have a difficult time determining
which software application to uninstall and then reinstall to correct the
problem. Hint! If your computer has been working properly and you
install a new software application, and then begin experiencing computer
crashes, chances are the new software application is causing the problem.
- Windows
DxV files become lost or corrupted.
- Improperly
uninstalling a software application. Some software applications have their
own uninstall program, which usually can be found in the Program Menu. All
other software applications are to be uninstalled from the Add/Remove
Programs located in the Control Panel.
- Computer
games can corrupt Windows 98 files. Many computer games are not Windows 98
compatible. If the package or installation instructions do not say
“Windows 98 compatible,” don’t install it. Generally, this is the same rule for any software
application.
- Installing
a new software application with the Anti-Virus program enabled. Always
disable the Anti-Virus application prior to a new software application
installation. You can enable it after the installation.
- Installing
an older version of Norton Utilities on a Windows 98 operating system. Older
versions will corrupt operating system files. Only install Norton Utilities
2000.
- Contacting
a virus will corrupt Windows 95/98.
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