Anti-malwares programs running under Win98SE ??

My USB pen drive stopped working on my Vista, I had a message to repair this pen drive, I choose yes. I could read my data then I unplug it. Then I insert again, and it didn't work. This pen drive was working perfectly on Win98, now it didn't detect anymore. I never had any problems on win98, on the contrary with my vista: sometimes it detected others times not. I had to make a few attempts. I don't understand it what happened with this old pen drive.

 

Puppy does it comes with an anti-malware program ? How to deal with corrupt Windows drivers on Puppy ? Were you talking about an anti-malware to fix the corrupt windows drivers ? I'm not sure I have well understood.

 

I don't see anything wrong with either file. No entry for keyboard.sys should be needed. On any 98 system I've used, I've never seen an entry for keyboard.sys in config.sys or autoexec.bat. I'd use selective boot and look at the individual options in system.ini first.

 

With Puppy linux or another version running, Windows drivers or malware will not be functioning. If the keyboard works properly when running Puppy or another live CD, the problem is in Windows, its drivers, or possibly malware. If the keyboard still does not work when running Puppy, the hardware is most likely the problem. I suggested Puppy because it's a light, compact operating system that works decently on most hardware without a lot of work.

 

check this about keyboard.sys

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/510976/windows-98-dos-keyboard-layout-in-us-need-uk/

They are a few different Puppy Live Cd, which one were you talking about ?

 

The link regarding keyboard.sys is for assigning a keyboard language when running in DOS. It shouldn't affect Windows. Regarding the configuration files in the last post there, those look to be from 98FE. Those entries should not be necessary with SE.

Regarding Puppy, any of the complete ISOs will work. The earlier versions with the retro kernel will work better on old hardware. They're near the bottom of this page. http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/

 

The retro kernel, you mean the 'seamonkey' ? I want to be sure we are talking about the same puppy.

 

Here you are the attached files of system.ini and also win.ini.

I changed the extension to upload here. Both files were scanned with Hitman Pro. They are safe.

 

Regarding Puppy, one of the versions with the SeaMonkey browser would be fine. If you prefer another browser, choose that version. Any version with the older kernel will work. Don't install it. Run it as a live CD. If the keyboard works properly while running Puppy, the problem is in Windows, its drivers, malware, etc. If the keyboard doesn't work properly while running Puppy, the problem is most likely hardware, probably the keyboard itself.

The system.ini and win.ini are configuration files in text format. They contain the configuration, driver, and language information your system needs to work properly. The files themselves are probably fine. The problem could be with the drivers these ini files are instructing Windows to load. If one of them is corrupted or compromised, that could cause the keyboard issue you are seeing.

Apparently you've misunderstood what I said. I can't test those files here. You need to disable system.ini, win.ini, and the rest of the choices under selective start using the msconfig utility, then reboot. See if the keyboard problem remains. If the problem is gone, enable the options one at a time, rebooting the laptop between each change. Once you find which option contains the problem, repeat the process with the individual groups in that option. Example. If enabling system.ini causes the keyboard problem to return, go to the system.ini tab and disable everything. Reboot. Enable each group one at a time. Reboot after each change. On the system configuration utility, the groups look like folders. When you find the group that contains the problem, repeat the procedure for the individual entries in that group. It's a long process and takes a lot of rebooting.

I'd try the live CD first to determine if the problem is hardware or software. If the problem is hardware, you'll either have to try to fix the existing keyboard or disable it and use a separate keyboard.

 

Thanks for Puppy details.

About the msconfig, I already give you the answer, please check here :
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/thre...ms-running-under-win98se.373713/#post-2463950

PS: I've just read it and understood that I need also to test the procedure for every individual entries inside that group, thank you.

About, system.ini you told me about this file. That's the reason I attached here.

 

I suppose that 'boot' and boot description' you don't recomment to disable it. Is that correct ?
Any others folders 'not to disable' ?

 

I tried this puppy-4.2.1-k2.6.25.16-seamonkey.iso but it didn't work on my W98se

Let me know which version will be work, the one you are sure

 

Those versions of Puppy should be compatible with that hardware. It shouldn't matter what operating system is installed on it. Do any of them try to boot at all or does the laptop try to boot Windows? Do any of them boot on the PC you used to burn the CDs?

 

yes, this is to suppose to do.

I burned with my working Vista laptop. This bootable cd launched from this laptop, but not from old win98SE.

Yes, the old win98SE is configured to boot firstly CD drive, then HDD. I told you in one the first post that I already tried with what I named a rescue cd. In this case, I boot with 'Hiren Boot' CD and it works perfectly. The only thing was that I couldn't choose the option 'Mini Xp' due to the blocked keyboard.

 

We seem to be having trouble understanding each other. Let me try again.
You mentioned using a rescue CD. Did the keyboard work when you used that CD?

Regarding booting the laptop to CD, the rescue CD boots but the Puppy CDs won't boot? Some of the older CD drives are picky about the CDs being used. I assume that you used CD-R, not CD-RWs for Puppy. On many devices, one of the "F" keys will bring up a boot menu. On mine, the F12 key does this. Does yours have this option?

You could move, delete, or rename all of the cab files except for the one you want to use.

It might also be possible to use the character map in place of the keyboard for short commands. Copy and paste the individual characters into a new text file, then copy and paste the finished command.

You also mentioned that you got the keyboard worked for a short time until you opened the network connections. If you disable the network connection and reboot, does the keyboard work?

 

Include those in the items that you disable. When you boot to safe mode, those items are disabled.

 

We seem to be having trouble understanding each other. Let me try again.
You mentioned using a rescue CD. Did the keyboard work when you used that CD?
No, the keyboard didn't work. I was talking about the Hiren Boot CD as I told you.


Regarding booting the laptop to CD, the rescue CD boots but the Puppy CDs won't boot? Some of the older CD drives are picky about the CDs being used. I assume that you used CD-R, not CD-RWs for Puppy. On many devices, one of the "F" keys will bring up a boot menu. On mine, the F12 key does this. Does yours have this option?
Yes, Puppy CD didn't boot. Only CD-R used. F12 keys, yes, I got it. Make sure that this laptop W98 boot up firstly with CD accordint to the bios settings.

You could move, delete, or rename all of the cab files except for the one you want to use.

It might also be possible to use the character map in place of the keyboard for short commands. Copy and paste the individual characters into a new text file, then copy and paste the finished command.

I don't have the character map on windows 98, sorry.

You also mentioned that you got the keyboard worked for a short time until you opened the network connections. If you disable the network connection and reboot, does the keyboard work?

What do you mean by disable network connection ? I only use an ethernet cable for Internet connection.

 

You didn't answer to my question. Do I uncheck 'boot' and 'boot description' folder on the system.ini ?? It could be dramatic scenario, don't you think so ?

Is there others folders in the system ini file that I have to pay attention and not to disable ?

 

Does anything on the Hiren CD require a keyboard? If the keyboard does not work with the Hiren CD, that sounds like a hardware problem.

Regarding Puppy and booting from CD, some of the old CD drives were very picky about the CDs being used. I have a couple of CD drives that are like that. They are very sensitive to dirt, the brand of CD, etc. Other than cleaning the CD drive, there isn't much you can do with some of them.

That's odd. I'm using Windows 98. It does have a character map. If I recall, the user can choose if they want it during the install process. Maybe it wasn't installed on your laptop. It's usually located at C:\WINDOWS\CHARMAP.EXE.
Regarding

We need to figure out what happened here. I see 2 possibilities.
1, The keyboard error started while you were checking network settings.
or
2, Checking the network settings caused the keyboard error to appear.
I don't see how a problem with network drivers or settings can cause the keyboard errors, but on Windows 98, problems can have some very strange results. If the keyboard error problem is related to network drivers, disabling the network card should correct the error. This can be done from the device manager.

These can be unchecked. Unchecking them will not prevent your system from booting. With everything unchecked, the bootup will be very similar to booting to safe mode. The images below will explain this.

When you use selective startup and uncheck the "process system.ini file" as shown in the image on the left, every option listed in system.ini is unchecked, including those in boot and boot description as shown in the image on the right. When you uncheck all of the options under selective startup, it's the same as booting to safe mode. With selective start, you can enable the groups and items individually until you find the one that is causing the problem.

 

Thanks you again for your help, I really appreciate your assistance.

Please check the answers below :

Does anything on the Hiren CD require a keyboard?
First of all, if you don't know Hiren Boot CD, to tell you that this bootable CD is not a Linux Live CD.
The Hiren CD require the keyboard to choose in the first menu to choose one of the options.

If the keyboard does not work with the Hiren CD, that sounds like a hardware problem.

Regarding Puppy and booting from CD, some of the old CD drives were very picky about the CDs being used. I have a couple of CD drives that are like that. They are very sensitive to dirt, the brand of CD, etc. Other than cleaning the CD drive, there isn't much you can do with some of them.

I've just check my CD and I've just realized that I burned a RW DVD instead of a CD-R. That could be the explanation. In fact, I only have a CD drive on the Compaq Armada. I will try again to burn this Puppy Live CD, ok ?

That's odd. I'm using Windows 98. It does have a character map. If I recall, the user can choose if they want it during the install process. Maybe it wasn't installed on your laptop. It's usually located at C:\WINDOWS\CHARMAP.EXE.
Regarding

We need to figure out what happened here. I see 2 possibilities.
1, The keyboard error started while you were checking network settings.
or
2, Checking the network settings caused the keyboard error to appear.

Ok, I will disable the Network card from the Device Manager.

I don't see how a problem with network drivers or settings can cause the keyboard errors, but on Windows 98, problems can have some very strange results. If the keyboard error problem is related to network drivers, disabling the network card should correct the error. This can be done from the device manager.
View attachment 246876

These can be unchecked. Unchecking them will not prevent your system from booting. With everything unchecked, the bootup will be very similar to booting to safe mode. The images below will explain this.
View attachment 246877 View attachment 246878
When you use selective startup and uncheck the "process system.ini file" as shown in the image on the left, every option listed in system.ini is unchecked, including those in boot and boot description as shown in the image on the right. When you uncheck all of the options under selective startup, it's the same as booting to safe mode. With selective start, you can enable the groups and items individually until you find the one that is causing the problem.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for all details, I will check it carefully on tomorrow again about groups inside and individual settings.

 

You said :

"You could move, delete, or rename all of the cab files except for the one you want to use.

It might also be possible to use the character map in place of the keyboard for short commands. Copy and paste the individual characters into a new text file, then copy and paste the finished command."

OK, but this won't work if I restart my laptop on 'Command Dos Prompt' and I need to type characters.

 

The character map wouldn't be available in the DOS prompt. It should be available in safe mode. You could create a text file and paste individual characters into it to form the command, then copy and paste the completed command.

That would explain it. Assuming that you get Puppy to work on the laptop, your USB sticks might work better with it. Might give you an easy way to transfer the files you wanted to save.

 

When I was on the windows directory, my laptop screen turned automatically in black. Then I decided to press the 'suspend' button, and the screen appeared again but I had an Outlook Express window and the dial-up connection windows. Both programs lauched automatically without my approval.
Now, I think we can make sure this is a malware, don't you think so ?

 

It's possible that there is malware. It's also possible that the black screen was caused by an old battery and that Outlook Express was activated by accident. If Outlook Express is set to fetch e-mail when launched, it could have launched the dialup connection. If you can find it F-Prot for DOS was one of the better av/anti-malware programs for Windows 98.

Did selective start get the keyboard working at all?

What are your plans for this laptop? If you just want to recover files from it, I'd use a live CD to copy them to USB sticks or possibly cloud storage. If you plan to use this laptop, I'd wipe the drive and reformat it. Use your other PC to download the drivers it will need. If you don't need the laptop with that copy of Windows 98, it would be much easier to start over with it.

 

It's possible that there is malware. It's also possible that the black screen was caused by an old battery and that Outlook Express was activated by accident. If Outlook Express is set to fetch e-mail when launched, it could have launched the dialup connection. If you can find it F-Prot for DOS was one of the better av/anti-malware programs for Windows 98.

There is no battery inside, only power supply. I already tried Avira 9 for win98, DrWeb for Dos, Avast and Clamwin. None could working.

Avast doesn't accept the licence. I suppose because this version is odd and free license is only for the last version.
Avira, after installing, couldn't run. The version 9 is supposed to work on win98, but it asked me to update Windows;
Dr Web for Dos, after installing, when I ran for the first time, it was very hard to load the database, and some databases gave an error. At the end, it asked me about the license.
Clamwin, I got the latest version from their website, but after downloading the database, I ran a scan, it opened the scan windows, but no information about the scanning drive. It scanned during a few hours, with the same blank window. It didn't work.
I'm afraid that your recommended F-Prot won't work here.


Did selective start get the keyboard working at all?

Sorry, I don't understand your question.


What are your plans for this laptop? If you just want to recover files from it, I'd use a live CD to copy them to USB sticks or possibly cloud storage. If you plan to use this laptop, I'd wipe the drive and reformat it. Use your other PC to download the drivers it will need. If you don't need the laptop with that copy of Windows 98, it would be much easier to start over with it.

I've bought a USB adapter for external drive but I will receive in a few weeks. It comes from China. Once I get it, I will scan the HDD, then I will backup my datas files (pictures, movies, music and documents).