How can I process the registry when booting from a floopy?

[mrmomaz1234]

I'm trying to boot into SAFE MODE from a floppy (WIN98se). [regular boot ends with setup wizard]
I use the "command mode only" prompt followed by "WIN /D:M". I end up gettting a VxD error. Booting from C: and doing a "step-by-step" with "command mode only" prompt, I notice that they process the system registry b/4 config.sys which is the first thing that I have control of when I boot from floppy.

My question is: How can I process the registry when booting from a floopy?

BTW: this is a continuation of my thread with NTI BACK UP NOW in the ? forum.

2nd question: I have read that you can reload windows and still have access to your files/programs - does any one believe that? or

SKI: I have since looked into

http://www.bootdisk.com

closer and they seem to think that using DOS drivers will allow me to use my cd's in safe mode.. that's where I'm going now. I cannot face doing a backup to floppys!!!

 

[wolluf]

It depends what you want to do. The registry is system.dat & user.dat. You can actually use regedit (in dos mode) to backup/restore the registry to/from text files (Google to find regedit params).

Its a long time since I did this with 98 (hint - get rid of 98 its a toytown operating system) - but I think if you install 98 on top of itself , it picks up current registry - so your apps should be ok - but as I said its a long time (4-5 years), may be wrong.

 

[edfair]

Don't think you'll find a way to load the registry on the floppy. Smallest I've seen is 5mb combined.

98SE is the best at overlay installs. Just make sure you are putting it into windows and not windows.000 which it wants to do. Loads new 98 files over themselves but doesn't affect your applications.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[mrmomaz1234]

Hii Ed: I was looking at loading the registry that is on C:. Glad to hear the 98se is good at overlaying itself - that's what I want, but I might need a new register. (I get the install wizard when I do a boot.)

Hi Wolluf: I'll get the paramamets and see what it gives me. been a week since I had a good boot, so all the DA0...'s are overlayed w/bad.. I've tried regedit/restore and go nowhere. THANKS for telling me about user.dat .. microsoft troubleshoot did not mention that - just system.dat. I will probably end up overlaying system.dat with system.1st (and user.dat/1st.) thoughts? wish me luck!

 

[edfair]

If you want a new registry you delete the old when you start the re-install.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[mrmomaz1234]

I would want a new registry only if I need one. (I try not to fix anything if it's not broke!) I think I have a bad item in registry which is sending me to the setup wizard.

I think that the registry is where WIN knows where my programs are: therefore, w/o my old/current registry, I have to reinstall all my programs. I can suffer thru this IF the programs would then know where my data.

 

[edfair]

An overlay install of the programs will install the same way the second time if (IF) you set them up the same way. May squawk if it finds them already there but generally will go ahead and do it.

My first try would be an overlay without a new registry. Gives the old registry and programs a chance to work. You can always go back and do it again.

You might want to put the install files on the hard drive and install from there. If you have space.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[deltarho]

Going back to the first post.

"I end up gettting a VxD error"

The question has nothing to do with the problem and therefore neither has the answers.