My beautiful computer has decided it won't install games. It gets halfway through then either restarts or throws up a blue screen with OE error on it then restarts.
I've tried reformatting hard drive and re-installing WIndows Me to no avail.
I've removed my recently installed modem and network card (both of which work fine) and then reformatting etc. didn't work.
I've tried installing XP over the top, that gets halfway through and turns into a different blue screen and suggests removing partitions and unhiding files, but I'm sure I don't have any of these.
I've tried the microsoft help pages online, I found one page that said it may be due to people naming hyperlink files the same as DOS files which may have messed it up, but surely re-installation would've fixed that, and they only had the solution for Windows 98 anyway.
Currently I have internet access and can play solitaire fine.

I'm going out of my mind, please help me, any and all suggestions gratefully recieved.

<font color="lightblue">Sounds alot like damage to your hard drive to me... </font>

Didja FDISK your drive, remove all partitions, then create new ones (if more than one is necessary)?

Is this a Compaq Computer?

Mark

[EDIT]For spelling.

[ 09-02-2002, 06:56 AM: Message edited by: skywalker ]

Have you thought about the option that it could be your CD-rom drive (or DVD, whatever you use) ?

All windows ME is , is windows 98 without DOS support and an increase in multimedia applications , like move watching and music makeing. My advice would be to dump it and go back to regular Windows 98 or upgrade all the way to XP pro.

Agreed...Win98SE is better than WinMe and WinXP is better than Win98SE.

Mark

Thankyou for the replies.
The problem is the same regardless of whether I use my d: drive or my e: drive to install from.
I haven't FDISK'd as yet, any chance you could give me a bit more info on how that goes?

My computer was built as separates by a company in a computer magazine (I know, I know - probably a mistake), but it's not compaq,
it also came with ME already installed, so I don't have a copy of 98 to fall back to.

Would installation of XP solve all partition problems?

FDISK is a program the basically cleans off your harddrive (removes your partitions) and in turn will allow you to create one or more partitions on the drive. It is located on a Win98 bootdisk.

It's really hard to explain how to do it, without being with you to show you how. I use it without really thinking. ;)

Try this link for instructions: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~mrscary/fdisk.htm

Hope this helps. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Mark

Maybe the CD is causing those errors?

Maybe the CD is causing those errors?</font>[/QUOTE]That's what i've been saying. I had that myself one time, it appeared to be a dirty lense, all it took was a cleaning disc. Damn, a format is the last thing i would do. :D

Maybe the CD is causing those errors?</font>[/QUOTE]That's what i've been saying. I had that myself one time, it appeared to be a dirty lense, all it took was a cleaning disc. Damn, a format is the last thing i would do. :D </font>[/QUOTE]I meant the CD itself not the player.

edit: Formats aren't that bad. The only problem is deleting driver programs. (I did a format on my dad's pc and everything went well but on my own pc I deleted some drivers, installing 10 CDs before having the right one :( )

[ 09-02-2002, 11:15 AM: Message edited by: philip ]

I get what you're saying, but the trouble is, it's not just one game that doesn't work, it's every game. I also have two different CD drives and neither one works, so I think it's unlikely to be an lense problem, especially since it messes up at exactly the same spot every time.

I also just did the FDISK thing, reformatted hard drive and re-installed and it still doesn't want to load games.

Anymore ideas? Anyone?

<font color="lightblue">If FDISK doesn`t work, it isn`t a software problem; it is something with either your Hard Drive or maybe your processor. Not something that should be fixed by anyone not sure of what they`re doing. Take it in to a shop, get it looked at. They will isolate the problem and replace the faulty part for you [img]smile.gif[/img] </font>

On another windows/ME note i seem to be getting blue screen protection errors about 50% of the time when i shutdown. I have to power off and when i turn the computer back on it runs scandisk. Any suggestions?

Format it. I had it too but I haven't seen it yet after the format.

OK so it may be my hardware, is there anyway to ascertain if my hard disk is buggered? scandisk etc. works fine.

What brand of harddrive is it? You can download testing software from the manufacturer.

Mark

I have no idea what make of hard drive it is, where do I look to find out? and where can I download said software?

There should be a label on the drive. If it's a Western Digital (for example) go here: http://support.wdc.com/download/dlgless137.asp

Mark

<font color="lightblue">Get Windows Updates whenever they pop up. Make sure you`ve the latest patches; this IS a known bug and AFAIK microsoft are either working on it or have fixed it already. </font>

Sounds like it's time for a fresh install. The problem with ME and all 9x based OS's is they get gummed up with crap. If you haven't done a clean install in the last year, it's time.

first off....

i've had massive problems with Win ME doing exactly what you describe over the last 2 years.
i have had to reformat and reinstall every 6 months, as i watch that nasty patch job of an OS fall apart before my eyes.

so, you mucked it way worse when you installed Win XP on top of it. the reason you got a half way install is that WinME runs on FAT32 file system and WinXP is, like NT4, a NTFS file system. they don't work together.

i have solved ALL my problems by reformatting with NTFS file system on both my drives then installing WinXP Pro from scratch.

i have a wonderfully clean and fairly lean system since i did this. i also have ALL my games installed and they run beautifully. they are recognized by both my cdrom and my cdr/w drives.

also, the drivers for all my hardware are GREAT! much nicer than on my WinME system. for instance, my webcam with XP drivers, takes cleaner and crisper pictures and movies. with XP Tweak UI, i can cut down the number of procs running at startup and smoke thru my games.

PS: yah, i'm still playing NWN, DS, Wizardry, M&M9, and Warcraft 3!! ::big smile:: god they run GREAT and look WONDERFUL too!! i feel like i got a brand new rig to play them on!

V***V

I agree with Vesselle do format your hd to NTFS then i think your problem will dissapear and you also will get a faster pc when all thingies work great together also get all new drivers to your cd-rom or dvd rom, soundcard, network card if you have any also all drivers to everything on your pc!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]